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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  Dont get - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By mad mom - October 30 - 10:33 pm

  I fell in love with this van. Then all of a sudden the doors will not shut all the time the back will pop open, or the side doors will not shut at all even if you shut it off the it locks up. I am a mom with 3 little kids and this van is not a safe vehicle for anybody even if you have kids. I think they need to just recall all of these junk vans and give all of us new for all of our troubles that we have with them. My van has been in the shop at least 10 times for the sliding doors. I would not suggest any one in to buying this van. I hate it wishing I could get a new car!

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  Pretty Happy - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By strawboss - October 30 - 4:29 pm

  I did my research on the vehicle before I bought it. Gas mileage I thought was pretty good for a small block V-8. I average about 20-21 miles gallon. Had relatively small problems out of it so far, door lock and mirror switch went bad, typical electrical. Handling is stiff, acceleration is great. Opted for the no bose gonna switch out system for aftermarket. Pretty happy with vehicle so far

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  Good Bang For The Buck - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By SAM - October 30 - 12:51 pm

  This car not only was darned cheap to buy, it also has proven to be dependable. Its also surprisingly roomy and pretty quiet. For basic transportation, this about as good as it gets. I used to be very wary of Korean-built cars, but I"m sold on this one.

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  Love my HHR SS - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Tim - October 29 - 9:00 pm

  I have almost 3000 miles on the SS. Gas mileage is better than expected so far. I commute 50 miles round trip, mostly the Katy Freeway in Houston. The last four tanks averaged 26.5 mpg (actual calculated miles divided by gallons purchased, not the cars computer mpg display.) My previous vehicle was a 2000 Tahoe, a great truck with no problems. The handling and acceleration of the SS is great. I dont have the brake issues other posters have noted. I plan to put a lot of miles on the car.

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  Suburban - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By shayes - October 29 - 4:49 pm

  This is a great vehicle we have traveled many places in this vehicle and have had only minor problems. We have replaced the fuel pump and u-joints. This is a great vehicle my husband has a 2001 he has 293453 miles and only replaced the alternator. This is our third Suburban and we will be buying another Suburban soon.

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  Time to go! - 1999 Chevrolet Astro
  By aimeagle21 - October 29 - 7:14 am

  I have only owned my Astro for about a year now but for the most part it has been very reliable. I bought it used and had to put a new rear end in and now the fuel pump went out. As you may or may not know Chevy has internal fuel pumps that are a complete pain to replace. The only other issue turned out to be that the transfer case fluid needed to be replaced (I thought it was going to be much worse because the front end was binding up in turns). Anyway, these are the only issues I have had and I love the van but I am selling to buy my son (turning 16 soon) a more age appropriate car. I think the van is cool but I am old I guess!

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  My Z66-No Problems/No issues - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By David - October 29 - 4:47 am

  This vehicle was/is a Godsend. We purchased it as a promotion present for me when I became a police lieutenant. Little did we know that we would end up living in it when I became disabled in 2004. We have towed a 28 ft travel trailer from New Mexico to Florida then to Oregon then back to Florida and finally settled down in Oregon. It currently has 128322 miles, most of those occurred by 2006,(2 years). It has not spent one day in the shop due to a breakdown or malfunction. A few things had to be addressed during maintenance (like minor recalls) but so far we have been and are thrilled with it.

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  Good value - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rt - October 28 - 10:28 pm

  My car has over 145,000 miles on it and virtually trouble free. Only the fuel pump replaced (at $500 at 5 yrs and 125k mark) the rest was maintenance: tires, serpentine belt, battery, brakes, but nothing at all expensive. 2/3 of the mileage is freeway the rest local. I drive 70, get 35mpg without air, 33 with air on. 5 speed. no frills, except CD player. No issues and no worries.

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  Fun Car - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Glen - October 28 - 9:06 pm

  Bought an 08 Impala SS a few weeks ago, really enjoying it. Nice big car, comfortable ride, lots of power, I think it looks great. Quibble are lousy interior lighting (almost impossible to read a map in the front seat at night with the small lights in the rear view mirror), and odd cup holders seats a bit flat. Easier to get into than my 06 Grand Prix GT, and easier on fuel too. Its your grandads Impala until you stuff your foot into it.

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  Top dog 2007 SS - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By dfwwiz - October 28 - 7:43 pm

  This is the 4th Monte Carlo we have owned. We bought this 07 SS after finding out about it being the last year produced. Chevy finally put the engine in it needed and now its dead. After 5 weeks of owning it, im still in awe of it! We trade in a very nice 2004 SS for this one. This one is black with most all of the extras on it. This is by far the best car Ive ever owned. It gets great mileage for having over 300 hp. So far it has averaged 20.6 in city. The power is just awesome. I removed the mufflers to let it sound better and replaced them with straight 2.250 pipe and reattached the stock tips. This car turns heads evereywhere it goes. We also had a 79 and still have an 86 SS