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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  98 Venture - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By Englebert - July 25 - 5:40 pm

  Ive read the reviews on this vehicle and many mirrored our own experience! The headlight lens falling off, drivers window failing, electrical problems, gasket repair, etc. I think weve experienced an above- average amount of repairs on our 98 Venture... including a near-fatal water pump failure that almost doomed the car. Its still going at the 85K mark, but having owned a good mixture of foreign- made and domestic cars, this one is low on the quality.

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  Best Car I Ever Owned - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Gracejo - July 24 - 2:54 pm

  This is the most reliable car Ive ever owned. Seldom needs more than an oil change, batteries and tires. Its my only car and I am only driver since 1996. I wish they still made them. I will, most likely, purchase a Chevy Impala if the Lumina ever becomes impractical to retain.

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  Upgrade to the 6 speed - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kula Jon - July 23 - 11:15 pm

  I bought the LS1 version but if I had to do it again (and had more money to spend!) I would buy the 6 speed. The 4 speed is adequate but I think the 6 speed might be peppier. Carefully check your fit and finish. Ive discovered that my passenger door isnt properly aligned and that my folding rear seats dont latch properly. All in all its a pretty smooth riding car and adequate for the usual day to day driving. I wouldnt want to take it on an extended journey though. Maybe the LTX model is more comfy?

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  Substandard Air conditioning - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Mike Ryan - July 23 - 8:03 am

  I liked the car until I got into the heat of the summer. When two or more people are in the car the AC doesnt cool the car when you are doing stop and go driving. I live in Las Vegas and the car is uncomfortable in the afternoon heat. The dealership told me that that is the way it is! My gas mileage has dropped to 25 mpg. The sight lines are surprisingly poor also. The large support columns block a lot of your vision.

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  Smooth ride - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By WCS_in_SM - July 22 - 8:53 pm

  The 2006 HHR LT has a smooth ride and is comfortable for driver and passenger on long freeway trips. We have leather with electric driver seat. Seat heaters are nice in winter, even in So. Cal. Ours needed a $1,100 oil cooler repair at 70,000 miles. Stereo works well. Odd placement of cup holders and window controls.

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  Deceiving - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By nick2343 - July 21 - 11:05 pm

  This car is very deceiving. You might read great reviews on this car, but in reality I own this car and I would take back the purchase in a second. I understand where the "Great" reviews come from, but after owning this car after 4 months, it breaks down so quickly. My friend also owns this car and he told me his front console is vert lose and shakey and that his front seat ripped. The SAME exact thing happened to me and my mother. We are also are not happy with the leather/suede in this car. The suede wears down so quickly and stains very easily. The audio system loses its frequency often causing way too often static and loss of the channel. There is an up to this car, the trunk is big!

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  Good Car but has some issues.... - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By mollys - July 21 - 2:17 pm

  This is a great little car for people who drive a lot. It is comfortable and reliable and the gas price is excellent especially if you get the federal reimbursement rate. I am having trouble with the front tires wearing unevenly on the outsides. Just be aware that I have 28,000 miles on this car and bought it brand new with 13 miles. I am on the second set of tires and will be needing new ones to pass state inspection. Another Oveo driver I know has the same problem also. The tires are rotated and balanced appropriately. Just be aware you may need tires yearly. I have not had any other problem with the car besides this.

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  Lots of problems - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By severinep - July 20 - 4:46 pm

  I bought this car last year and it had 91,000 miles on it. I am close to 100,000 now & had lots of problems. A spring in the clutch system was broken making it impossible to switch gears with the pedal. $1,100 to fix this and the auto-repair guy had never ever seen this happen. Sensors are bad and keep sending check engine messages or check fluids when everything is fine. Now I have another $500 in repairs because the muffler is gone and the transistor that regulates the fan for heat/AC is dead. I could change that myself ($25) but it is impossible to put the blower motor back since it uses special plastic screws. Only an auto- repair shop can do it.

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  Many Problems - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By 56lowe32 - July 19 - 6:21 pm

  I bought this car from the original owner and have had many problems. The seat recliner handles have broken 3times on each side(they are junk). The AC works fine until it has been used on the highway and then you come back into town and have some stop and go driving. The radiator fan shifts to a higher speed and the noise is extremely loud. Difficult to hear each other inside the car. When this happens the shifting from 1st to 2nd gear is very hard until the car cools down again. Have replaced the fan clutch 2 times. The other day I drove off the highway and about 8-9 miles stop & go before the shifting and noise became somewhat better, not normal until car was off for 1 hour or more.

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  Great to look at... - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kerrymel - July 17 - 3:58 am

  Like most cars these days- something major went wrong right after the warranty expired ...the transmission went out. Although I kept up with the maintenance at the dealership/somehow the transmission fluid was black-(sealed pan underneath.)Also airbag lights and tire sensors would not go off. $300 to have a headlight replaced. But a good looking car.