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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  My Venture - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Saydee - September 3 - 2:00 am

  I havent had any problems yet. Nice size, comfortable and runs well.

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  03 Avalanche - Soooo Fun! - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Tony K. - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Our Avalanche came with the WBH option (Without Body Hardware). We decided that less is more in this case because the body hardware, also called side cladding, on the Avalanche is an awful lot of extra surface area to Armor- All. Our vehicle is a dark charcoal, and looks very coordinated with the windows tinted (Las Vegas weather). This truck/SUV is fantastic. It is beautiful, rides very smoothly, rides high for excellent freeway visibility, is very quiet, and is extremely powerful, even with the 1500 5.3 litre engine!

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  Corvette gets top marks - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Toyz - September 3 - 2:00 am

  At two years now and every day is like the first. Fun to drive, great performance and total reliability.

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  1Fun Z06 - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 1Fun Z06 - September 3 - 2:00 am

  This is my first vette and a Z06 at that. Its my daily driver and Ive had it 8 months. Its like being at Disney World every day. Never had so much fun driving. I can pass 99% of cars at will and its a beautiful car also. I call it my "stress-buster". After a tough day at work, I just have fun on the way home. Never knew driving could be such fun. Worth every penny!

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  50th Anniversary Vet is SWEET - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Steve L - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Waited a LONG time to buy my Vet, and it was definitely worth the wait! It handles great, runs smoothly, and definitely makes heads turn!

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  Lift it UP!!!! - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Lacie - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Have only had one problem with the Tahoe. The air conditioner went out with about 3000 miles.

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  GMs best-kept secret - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Erik Smith - September 3 - 1:43 am

  As a car salesman, I sold these for years, and just purchased one for myself. The 2000-2007 Monte Carlo was a standout in the GM lineup, and used models are a bargain in SS trim (avoid base models). The car, unfortunately, was misunderstood -- witness the reviews here. It was really one of the last "personal luxury" cruisers -- stylish, extremely economical with the 3.8, roomy, and as powerful as it needed to be. A better performer than most 4-cyl cars, cheaper to operate than many, cheap to repair. If maintained, expect 200K-plus miles. Only drawback is the endemic GM midsize steering shaft problem, which can be solved cheaply ($5 or so) with DIY lubing. A wonderful car, a classic.

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  Best Truck ever owned - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By shorty - September 2 - 7:56 am

  This is the most comfortable truck, and no body roll in corners, it is almost like a big car. I love this truck!

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  robust car - 2000 Chevrolet Lumina
  By yuyi - September 2 - 2:00 am

  drove for more than two years without any problem. Very reliable car, especially on highway.

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  Red LS - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ptopia - September 2 - 2:00 am

  We are very happy with our Impala LS and have had minimal problems with it. Slight rattle after three months, but the dealer fixed and it hasnt been back since. Leather around side air back kept popping off, but fixed by the dealer and problem hasnt returned. After 26 months the altenator shorted out, but was replaced under warranty. The steering wheel was lubed at 27 months for noise. Otherwise no other problems. The car is torch red and receives many compliments from other motorists. Gas mileage is excellent, 17 mpg around town(heavy traffic) and 30 mpg on the highway. The ride is good and the interior and trunk are very roomy.