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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  The Best! - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By ChevyGal - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned a 97 Cavalier, a 00 Cavalier, and now I just bought a brand new Cavalier. I love them. They are the funnest cars to drive, and great on gas. If I had to do it all over I would. I am a proud Chevrolet girl, I work for a Chevrolet dealership. Ive owned other brands of vehicles. Dodge Colt, Suzuki Samari, VW, and a Plymouth. Ive had my 84 Camaro and the three Cavaliers I mentioned, I dont think I would go to any other vehicle.

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  all around awesome car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By bigbalboa3 - March 23 - 2:00 am

  i purchased the cavalier sport coupe in feb of 2003 the night i picked it up it was snowing, it has already proved to be unbeatable in the snow, i love its get up and go attitude its sleek look. there is always someone checking it out and the gas mileage i get is just fantastic just cant beat this ride

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  The only type of vehicle that I will eve - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Chattert5@aol.com - March 23 - 2:00 am

  The cavalier in general are one of the most reliable cars I have ever seen. I owned a 95 2dr coupe that never broke down for 2 years. Then I traded it in for the new one. I absolutely love cavaliers and feel that it would be a mistake to discontinue production on this vehicle.

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  best value - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rocket rex - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Great price, great gas mileage, cheap insurance,cheap plates, cheap maintance,etc.,and the car is very sharpand fun to drive

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  C-LooS-E REV - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CLOOSE19 - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I enjoyed driving my car because it was manual not automatic. This lets me have more control of the car. Never drove the 2004 chev cav (automatic) but willin to try!!!

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  first time - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By KTM450 - March 23 - 2:00 am

  The car is an affordable sporty sedan with headroom that Honda and Toyota can not match. We love the shift by wire thumb control, using compresion to hold us back going down hill and aproaching stop signs. If you do not feel like the hassle of shifting the breaks are more than adequate. Passing acceleration from 65 mph - 85 mph is impressive. Ergonomics are excellent. All of the controlls are visible and accessable. The trunk has plenty of room for safety equipment and CHRISTmas gifts.

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  American Quality - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By er54 - March 23 - 2:00 am

  IÂ’m embarrassed that this is what Americans are producing. About every 1.5 months that I take it in for something broken. Here is the list of problems: rear leaf spring pads, squeak under accel, leaking front diff housing, selective operation of heated seats, lumbar support moves w/ door open& engine running(honest), service 4wd light, engine missfire(bad fuel injectors & press.reg.). What bothers me is most of these problems the service writers say "oh thats common, we have a fix for that." Thanks for working to improve your product GM. The engine still shudders/clunks @ idle & uses oil.

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  AWSOME TRUCK Z71 - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By DJ DEREK - March 23 - 2:00 am

  this truck is awsome..handeling is great..i was just in a snow storm and my avlanche did not stop i kept going right thru the bad weather and more then a foot of snow with no problems just like i was on the highway...i LOVE my 2004 avlanche

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  Great Car - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jjohnson - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Love this vehicle, dont care at all for the dealer.

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  2008 Chevrolet Avalanche LT3 Crew Cab SB - 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By James Jackson - March 22 - 9:46 pm

  I traded a 2007 Nissan Titan Crew Cab LE in on this vehicle, hands down this is a far better vehicle. Its rides and handle better than the F-150s I have own, and for me to say this about a Chevy, this is really saying something. What else can I say a great vehicle with great flexability.