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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  service airbag light - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By tony - September 20 - 7:03 pm

  I bought this truck tom replace my 97 s10 because I needed a bigger truck for my business. Great truck for hauling, towing, and comfort. But Ive had a problem wiht the service air bag light and its been to 2 different dealers a total of 11 times for the same problem. Its been in for the intermediate shaft, front and the front rotors plus a clip to open the door. To many stupid little things that should not happen and the airbag problem that should have been fixed already.

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  Starts Every Time - 1991 Chevrolet Corsica
  By chrissyc - September 20 - 6:40 pm

  Ive owned my Corsica for 16 months and am very happy with this car. Dont neglect the routine maintenance, (belts, hoses, brakes, tires and battery) and always keep your oil and filter changed at the right intervals and it should provide years of reliablity. Keep all other fluids at proper levels, too. Other than a waterpump and starter (those were a little expensive to replace) failing, no major problems. Things Ive replaced: serpentine belt, battery, 1 heater hose, 1 lower radiator hose, fresh oil and filter changes, of course. I plan on replacing the spark plug wires- slight stumble accelerating. Thatll fix it for sure. This is a great run-around car for shopping and chores.

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  Reliable Chevy Just Keeps On Running... - 1991 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Krissy36 - September 20 - 6:21 pm

  Ive owned this great car almost a year and a half now (November this year) and the only major problem was a leaking waterpump and a bad starter. Thats it! Other than routine maintenance such as hoses, belts, brakes, tires, etc., as long as you keep up with things, no problems should occur. Ive been very lucky. This car has been exceptional. The gas mileage is excellent, the plush, comfy seats are wonderful for my low back pain and sciatica! The Goodyear tires will last a very long time, but I do need a tire rotation- fronts to back, backs in front. I highly recommend this great, reputable, strong-running car to anyone looking for inexpensive transportation who is on a budget.

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  I Own One - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By fredolivo - September 20 - 2:09 pm

  The first time I drove my ZO6 Corvette i could not get over the extreme acceleration, braking and handling the ZO6 produces. The comfort and beauty of this precision machine is definetely and finally considered in my book a super sports car. Way to go Chevy!

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  The ulitmate sports car - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Termac - September 20 - 1:26 pm

  This car will make you believe in American sports cars. As you get on to the highway shifting into second the back slips just a little and you look down doing seventy-five, and the sheer adrenaline cause your to fling it into third and push the hammer all the way down. Next thing you know your in sixth gear and didnt realize it. Seriously though the handling on this car is unreal add that with the huge powerplant and 400 hundred horsepower. I have driven a Z06, Viper SRT10, and a Masserati gransport - this car is only beaten by the Z06. If you have the extra 20K get the Z06 but if not this is an unreal mid-life crisis.

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  Excellent 3.8L - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By 1st time owner - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Very glad I purchased one. Wanted an import sports coupe but the Camaro was too tempting. Bought one and no regrets at all. Im just driving around until the "break in" is reached and then Ill really test this car!

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  wonderful car - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By sexy cav - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I bought my car used, and there is nothing better then an cavalier, i love the look and the style! Its an hot car, i will be driving one for years to come!

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  Poor - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By female mother owner - September 20 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle rolls backwards while stopped on an incline.The transmission slip between 3rd and 4th gear.The trim level was not available in the LTZ on the extended trailblazer. The front end is very sloppy when needing to swirve. When the window/s are open the vehicle is very noisy. The headliner seems to be very flimsy especially when pulling on the hand rails.The front seats are a bit uncomfortable with the leather package. The second row seat is slanted making it uncorfortable for some passengers. The front console is poorly designed, causing the shifter to ram into your coffee cups.The overhead is not large enough for two pairs of sunglasses.

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  WOW! - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By SPatter - September 19 - 5:23 pm

  We call ours the Black Beauty! Beautiful on the outside, even better on the inside. XM radio is addicting. Love all the features and very kid friendly. You dont feel like you have to "climb up" like in most SUVs. The redesign is going to help GM sell this like hotcakes! Dealers are having a hard time keeping them on the lots. Classier than an Expedition and cheaper than those foreign makes. If you are shopping, YOU MUST TRY THIS CAR OUT! You will feel like a Queen/King.

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  Best in class - 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Chevy Chase - September 19 - 1:25 pm

  Having owned my 1998 Tahoe for ten years now, and continuously working it every day, I would have expectd it to break down around 100000 miles. Now Im pushing 200,000, and the only thing that ever went wrong with it was a radiator leak at 193,000 miles. Im still riding on the same shocks I did when I drove it out of the dealer ten years ago. The exterior has held up under the toughest conditions: from the Arizona desert heat to the humidity of Atlanta, Florida, and St. Louis. I have no reason to complain whatsoever.