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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  Transmission problems - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dave - February 10 - 9:41 pm

  The car has just passed 13,000ks and started with a transmission problem (4 speed tranny). The revs jump up and down as many as 400 rpm when crusing regardless if your using cruse control or not. The dealership say they cant find anything wrong!! Also, the dash lights have a bad habbit of going out on a frequent basis, completley blacking out the instrument panal. Is there a recognized modification or repair for the tranny issue? Is there a lemon law in Canada?

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  In my opinion! - 1994 Chevrolet S-10
  By 1bad+s-10! - February 8 - 7:44 pm

  I dont know what most people think of the S-10 but I wouldnt trade mine for anything. I love this truck, dont get me wrong they do have some minor problems like, lack of room, the seats are a bit uncomfortable, and its not to smooth of a ride either but the looks are incredible. The 4.3 vortec that came in mine can hold its own against any stock v8 I have encountered but a Chevy 350 swap is amazing in this small truck.

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  two ton paperweight - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Leah - February 7 - 1:17 pm

  i previously had a 97 grand am and i think that ran better than the cobalt sometimes, considering it had over 180,000 miles on it. i just dont get how you all get like 45 miles a gallon geeez thats unreal well i only get 21.1 right now. its around 25 in the summertime. well the only problems ive brought to a shop were the alignment and tire balance. the tires that come with it are no good and had constnat slow leaks. it also has a problem with the radio oncce in a while it works when it wants to. i dont like how it didnt come with floormats either. anyways ive got in 3 accidents since getting this car and it still runs decently.

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  1997 S10 2dr LS Regular Cab - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By Mawarikomi - February 6 - 4:53 pm

  I bought my truck used from a dealer at 44k miles and took it only to 120k before I had enough. Quality was atrocious - interior panels cracked and fell off, mirrors fatigued and broke off. The truck would not start in humid (90%+), cold weather (especially 32-45F), really cold weather was fine. I got a head gasket leak at 80k and had to repair the tranny at about 110k (both those seem normal for the driving I did so not really a gripe). My brake lines blew out despite having been regularly inspected. Heres a positive note, the engine was awesome despite the head gasket and tranny. If the rest of the truck could have kept up with the engine the truck would have been a keeper.

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  Consider Something Else - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Bill - February 5 - 6:05 pm

  The car hasnt been terribly unreliable, but the front brakes and rotors wear very quickly. Also, the transmission started slipping after only 50,000 miles and had to end up being replaced. I wish this would have happened under warranty. I just wish some domestic car maker could put something on the market that would last at least 100,000 miles.

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  Not all that - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By JOI - February 5 - 4:50 pm

  The Cobalt had a few recalls. The sedan is supossed to be a 5 seater. There is a cup holder in the middle of the floor in the rear making the car a 4 seater. The trunk is deep but not wide enough to load many things. The car looks spacoius but it isnt. This is a nice first time car not a family car.

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  Never again - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Gregory - February 2 - 9:26 pm

  I usually dont say never but in this case I will never buy another Chevy for the rest of my entire life. I have had three and the Impala SS is the worst because it cost the most. This car has 36000 miles on it and its burning oil, the plastic is shedding its skin, warped rotor on right front. Rear view mirror wont remain tight. Carpet is cheap and there is a clunk in the rear end when going over bumps. I got ripped off and I will never ever buy another hunk of junk like this. As soon as I get enough of this loan paid off its back to Japan for me. My used Dodge was better then this car was new.

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  Could be cheaper to maintain - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Would I do it again? - January 31 - 11:59 am

  Rebuilt transmission $2,500, replaced steering rack $800. Rear brake adjusters seem not to work well on this model which causes high front brake wear. Have put two sets of rotors on and many pads on front. Have replaced the water pump twice. Due to the way the water pump is driven from the timing chain. It has a long shaft. That is subject to a high side load on the front bearing from the oil pressure activated chain tensioner .Chevy dealer here wants $800 plus to do the repair. Spring rates on the front struts are high which causes the front shocks ride at a extended height that causes early front shock failure. Replaced 3 sets. The car now has 166k and still going

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  Poor engineering in abundance - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By twomacho - January 30 - 12:38 pm

  Bought new - lots of price incentives - good initial reports, including CU. GM just doesnt get it. Poor brake / rotor design - expensive to fix. Flasher problems should have been a recall - hard to get at - poor design. Radio buttons show "wear" - mats slip - ash tray comes out doesnt go back in easily. Glove box opens - bottom falls out. Just the kind of garbage you never see in a Toyota or Honda who "sweat the details". GM deserves to go under - they have had years to get it right and disappoint.

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  Lemon! - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By juliet21 - January 27 - 1:13 pm

  It was love at first sight when we seen this van, the color, the interior, the style. 10,000 km before warranty ran out, breakdown city! The shuttle driver at the dealership shop and I became friends because I was literally there every week dropping off my van (tire rod ends twice in one year, battery problems, ABS wiring, heater core, air conditioner), The problems didnt end there. Our locks get stuck on our automatic slide doors, rear wiper motor went just after warranty ran out, dvd player is problematic and kills our battery every now and then, rear back up sensor no longer works. It was a great van til it hit 50,000 km. Was not worth what we paid for it.