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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  Junkyard dog - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By GoldRider - May 19 - 8:50 pm

  Usually when I purchase a car I go in knowning that I am going to get stuck some kind of way. But after I get the car I usually get over getting the shaft because I enjoyed the car so much. Not this case, the Chevy Colorado is a junk mans dream. I have ridden in wheel barrows that ride better. And I would love to meet the engineer who put the gas and brake peddle so close together that my foot actually got caught in the controls. I gave my Colorado a quicky divorce and married the Chevy Impala SS. That is a match made in heaven. Downside the trade in value of the Colorado was so low I was way upside down.

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  Bad engine - 2000 Chevrolet Astro
  By Jim - May 16 - 12:13 pm

  A great all purpose vehicle when it runs right. Unchanged in 20 yrs. like the old VW beatle. Mine "burns" more coolant than oil! Head gasket leaking. Need a new engine after just 74K. Lukas oil treatment no help. Engine hard to service spark plugs not accessible. Hard to find mechanics who know and understand this vehicle. The front end rebuilt for $1800. Tape deck stolen in Manhattan inspite of security/alarm system. This cargo van was converted to passenger minus the seats--large clear glass (!) windows were cut into the sides. 5- leaf rear springs were added for heavy duty which I recommend! I was thrilled with 18.6 MPG highway recently. But Im trading it in for a used 2005.

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  Bad Gas Mileage - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Lou - May 13 - 9:37 am

  Lucky if this ride gets 13-15mpg highway! I am getting rid if it. Very uncomfortable seating when you have to travel some mileage. Seats do not adjust for comfort.

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  02 Prizm - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By AngelaJane - May 8 - 11:31 pm

  I have not had a very good experience with this car. I bought it as a certified used vehicle with a little over 36,000 miles. The transmission went out a couple months after I bought it. Several minor interior things have come apart. The filler pipe on the gas tank came unwelded and fell partially into the tube, so I was not able to fuel the car until that was removed. This week the running lights and auto- on headlights quit working, but could still be turned on manually,a few days later, they stayed on, requiring disconnecting the battery to turn off. The switch failed and its located under the pas. air bag requiring the entire dash to be removed. I would not buy another or reccomend!

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  Junk - 1990 Chevrolet Beretta
  By essay - May 7 - 5:16 pm

  Biggest piece of junk I owned. I will just list a few of the things I replaced that I can think of off the top of my head. Ball joints, radiator, 4 injectors, 3 wheel barings, 2+ CV joints, muffler, leaks oil, digital dash goes in and out, clutch, window motor, blower motor, AC compressor, brakes, brake pistons, transmission mount. Ill stop there but I am sure there were more things. Heck all of those things were replaced between 4/98-10/00 then I gave the thing away free because I hated the thing so much! There was a radio station where I lived that said "Crank up the volume so you dont hear that funny noise your car is making" and that is exactly what i always did with that junker!

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  Cheaply Made - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Disappointed - May 7 - 12:44 pm

  At 15,000 miles both front seat levers broke (pot metal) At 68,000 miles heater core and water pump went out a month apart. 4wd has never been used and doesnt work. At 80,000 miles at 11pm on Thanksgiving eve all the trany fluid pushed out the dipstick and left us on the side of freeway. $2300 later using it for a trade in on anything but a Chevy. I have always owned Chevys but no more. No room for rear seat passengers.

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  Good First Car for HS or College Student - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Chevyowner4 - May 3 - 12:06 pm

  I bought this car used in Oct. 2002. I loved it at first, but it had no features in it at all. I liked the "look" of the car. The first year was great! Then, the problems began, one by one. First, it was the fuel injection...Totally broken and it cost $900 to fix. Then, it was my A/C. Then, my dashboard creaked then cracked. There is a chirp coming from the driver side wheel. All 4 corners if the interior squeak when I drive, especially near the trunk. Now, for the worst part: The brakes are the worst brakes ever. I had the rotars fixed 4 times, each time was $200. I had all the parts of the brakes fixed, to no avail. I assume this model has chronic brake issues. Never buying American again!

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  A Total Lemon - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Matt - May 1 - 6:30 am

  I bought my Colorado brand new, and have had nothing but trouble with it. Its died on me twice, I continue to have problems with the cd player. The AC squeals like a stuck pig, plastic molding had warped, carpeting comes up in chunks of fuzz. Ive had problems with the ignition switch, airbag sensor, cruise control light, and interior paneling. The interior is of very cheap material and reeks of poor design. Its a sharp looking truck, and when its not in the shop it drives and handles ok. Unless youre a die hard Chevy fan, Id advise you to look elsewhere for a truck. Based on my experience with this, Ill never buy another Chevy truck.

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  Could be Better - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Could Be Better - April 28 - 4:24 pm

  I really liked the look and the feel of the vehicle when I bought it. After 2 months it was in the shop for sway bar links, 4-wheel drive switch, and the 4-wheel drive had to be reprogrammed.That was over $2500 worth of work. I am waiting for more to go wrong, I was driving and noticed it is now making the same noise it did when the sway links went out. When will it ever stop?

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  Maintenance Nightmare - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Cindy - April 22 - 11:09 am

  We bought this car new and it has been in the shop 6 times in under a year from issues with the clock, parking brake not holding car on hills even in park, Blower motor issues, suspension crunch problems in the front end, brake problems , do yourself a favor and stay away from this little time bomb, we traded it in last week with 10,000 mi on her and bought a new Cobalt LS Sedan, this car is so much nicer inside and it gets better mileage than the Aveo did, It has more power and a way better ride and the price was about the same as the Aveo