Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  Comfort and Roomy at a Low Price - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Mike - December 17 - 12:36 am

  This vehicle is comfortable and roomy. It is sporty looking and handles well in traffic. Fuel economy and price made this an easy purchase decision.

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  Great Small Car - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By maroguy1 - December 16 - 7:24 pm

  I bought this car as a winter/mileage maker instead of driving my 05 GTO. I average 35 mpg on country road driving. The price and warranty were excellent. I paid under 8k with incentives. If you are looking for a cheap reliable car with 100k mile warranty this is it!

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  So many things to say... - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By christiehall - December 16 - 7:10 pm

  Where to start? I bought this car from a used car lot in October 2011, with just over 100,000 miles for $6,500. The seat frame needed to be welded, and the other side did later. The water filter needed replacing, the belt broke in November 2011, left front wheel bearing broke in January 2012, air conditioner broke in May 2012, right front wheel bearing, spindle, hub cap, and others melted together in November 2012, as well as left front wheel bearing breaking again, back seat handle is broke, two remotes, CD player is jammed, shakes when braking, cruise control half works, etc. etc. Bad car, dont buy!

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  Pass on this one - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Nicole T - December 16 - 3:00 pm

  I have had my Trailblazer for a year and am sorry I purchased it. It has front and rear a/c,however it takes so long to get cool. I have to drive several blocks for it to stop blowing hot air and get cool. My power windows have gone out twice and the moulding on the inside of the windows is loose. Not to mention the gas mileage is poor. The best thing about the car is the room. The third seat is wonderful, but somewhat difficult to get into.

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  Run Away and Never Return! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By necietoo - December 16 - 10:15 am

  This car was purchased as a gift brand new. I was very disappointed it didnt last 3years and the timing belt broke and the car was extremely damaged. Like 5600 dollars in damages the car only cost 9000 to 10000 dollars are you for real? Please, please, please do not buy this car. It will leave you stranded!

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  Lasted pretty long - 1991 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Jessie - December 16 - 9:14 am

  When this car died on me there were over 226,000 miles on it. Throughout its life-span I had to get a new engine put into it. The car did not brake well at all (very common for Corsicas). The paint faded, and there were other several major and/or minor repairs that I had to get on the car to make it last as long as it did. Except on the interstate, it had a comfortable drive. The interior is bland, and the exterior is even more bland. The radio did not have back speakers (dont understand the logic to that) and, therefore, did not have any bass to it. Its a good car for the average college student, but if youre gonna use it for business I would suggest you dont.

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  Great Car! - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jger - December 16 - 1:11 am

  I have owned Impalas for 10 years now and love them. I prefer a larger car with some room to move over compacts and this car delivers that. The cars interior is much more refined then my 2005 was. I think the luxury package, is a great addition and I really appreciate the upgraded interior. The extra engine power in the latest model is nice and the car never lacks pickup when its needed. The car handles well in town and on the highway and delivers respectable mileage, especially considering the size of the car. I have had this car for 6 months and have not experienced any issues with quality or reliability from my experience with Impala I wouldnt expect to.

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  96 Z26 - 1996 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Chevymuscle218 - December 15 - 6:37 pm

  I bought this Z26 off my brother and have owned it for about 6 months now. The car currently has 220,000 + miles and it runs great. Never burns oil. Steering is getting stiff. The cup holders in the car are not that great. There is no room in the back seats when there is two people up front. You have to have the seat (for me) all the way back so you have some decent leg room, problem is it takes away from the rear passenger space. The 3.1 motor seems to be very reliable athough blown head gaskets seem to be a common problem with them I have yet had this problem. Even though its a Z- 26 I beleive the car has a sporty apperance, but is far from a sporty car and acceleration is not the greatest.

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  Pretty good when its running - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By Steve - December 15 - 2:41 pm

  Blown head gasket at 23,000, multiple airbag sensors, 5 coolant sensors, 2 fuel pumps, a new gas cap, rebuilt rear brakes, A/C blower only works on 5, tail lights are bad on both sides, rusting from the inside out, radiator fans stopped working. Now it has about 84,000 miles on it. What can I say. This is why Chevy is going under. This car is a total piece of junk. Its never been reliable. I cant remember the check engine light ever being off.

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  Tranny done - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Lindsay - December 15 - 11:13 am

  I purchased my Impala in 2006 with 48k miles. In 2007 I began driving 120 miles a day for work and now it has plenty of highway miles. Ive replaced my struts, my driver side mirror is wobbly, replaced my headlights due to moisture in the lamps, the seal on the door leaks in the lightest of rain, I have recently found that my tranny is going out at 135k miles. Very disappointed. Thought I could drive this well into the 160k mile range. Its a Chevy for crying out loud! My husband is trying to talk me into another Impala, I read the reviews- I may being turning to Toyota....but not a Ford at least.