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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  Not worth it - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Go Navy - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I honestly dont know who Chevy was trying to fool. They bring back the Monte Carlo with only a 6 cylinder and FWD. This is not the Carlo of old. The V-6 is lacking in the acceleration department due to the excessive curbweight. For an upgraded performance package the Z34 offers little more than four-wheel disc brakes. The interior falls apart easily, while the engine is a pain to work on. Hiding the battery under the washer fluid makes it a joke. The steering is alright although the turning radius is terrible and handling is typical American making hard cornering a pain.

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  A LEMON!! - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Debs24 - September 25 - 2:00 am

  i owned my car for seven years. and unfortunatlly its paid and i cant buy a new one.but these are the things i have to share. had it two weeks the steering wheel harness shorted,2 sets of control arms,2 alternators,2 manifold gaskets,control board for tail lights,main computer had to b replaced,tracking bar was bent,2batterys,serpentine belt, now tensioner chatters,a/c control head 3 times, paint chipping the room,doesnt hold alignment,a/c doesnt function right,the first 6 months we had it we had to replace half of the interoir trim and seat cloth,now we have a piston slap,radiator cap was craked,4 sets of brakes,2 sets of rotors,leaves stuck in blower

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  Dont Buy First Year Models or Chevys - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By msmiley - September 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in March of 1997 and had problems with it ever since. Lets see...3 lower control arms (they rattled), ABS sensor bad, #1 fuel injector bad, altenator quit, brakes wore prematurely, headlights fogged over, brake pedal pad fell off, rear window seal blew out, interior panelling came off, turn signal wouldnt cancell after making a left turn(took two dealership visits to convinve them it was actually malfucntioning), and numerous other problems. This car is junk, not even rental fleet worthy. I got a divorce and she got this hunk of junk, thank goddness. I bought an import which now has over 35,000 miles on it with NO problems.

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  crap - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By bad choice - September 16 - 2:00 am

  This car is crappy. Not only is it ugly,its crap!!! i hate my cavalier, i have spent 19,600 something, repairing it so far, yes, nearly 20 grand of repairs for this 15 grand car. WHYdo u ask,well i dont know, BUT CAVALIERS ARE THE WORST CARS EVER!!!!!!!!!!

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  Many Problems Too - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By IHateMyBoo - September 14 - 2:00 am

  Bought my 98 Malibu used in late 01. Thought it was great at first. The brakes squeal very loudly and they dont need to be replaced. Had the coolant leak but fixed it w/ leak stopper thing. AC button is VERY annoying. And at 41,000 miles the engine blew. Very unexpected and a bad let down. Have a 2000 Malibu engine, but still having problem w/ cracks in the air plenum. Dont recommend this car anymore. And I owe more than its worth. :P

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  never own a chevrolet - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By kathy lommler - September 11 - 2:00 am

  constant major repairs. 4wdrive, hubs, universal joint, new rear end, on and on. only owner,gentle driver.worst car i ever owned. will never purchase a chevy again,including my children.

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  Its soooooo bad - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By What a lemon - September 7 - 10:00 am

  I have never bought a new car with so many problems. All these problems and it never went off road. All sway bars had to be replaced within the first 3 months to stop the banging noise when I made a turn. The entire left wheel had to be replaced and remounted. The squeeking noise during normal driving is driving me mad. Now the transmition doesnt always shift from 1st to 2nd. It has been in to be repaired at least once per month since I bought it. Im dumping it before the warranty runs out. DO NOT BUY ONE.

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  Unsatisfied Mom of Two - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Traci - September 7 - 9:56 am

  This vehicle looks good but has to many kinks that need worked out. From new shocks and brakes to electronic failure, the Chevy Equinox was not ready for market.

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  No good - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By JS - August 30 - 1:26 am

  What started out to be a nice, new vehicle with AWD has turned into a big pain. My wife has had to take her Equinox to the dealer on many occasions for stupid problems. Around 18,000 miles the struts had to be replaced. The air conditioner wouldnt work properly and had to be fixed on several occasions. More recently, it died with some battery/electrical issues, and to top it off, now at 30,000, the "backend" needs to be replaced after some whining noise from the drive train. I cant wait to unload this junk. My wife is now looking at the Subaru Forester

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  What a piece of junk. - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Gmsick - August 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought this suv from my father, (the first owner) he had problems with it since it was new, It had 35,00 miles on when i took it, well, you name it has broke, transmission had to be replaced,contol switches, the outside mirrors just fell off,rattles,gas gauge dont work,alt,haz button,turn signal switch, window motors,cooling system,ac leaks,paint is peeling off,braking system is weak, washer bottle leaks, the four wheel drive stopped working (two repairs),and too many things to let me list here, it seems that my wife calls me a least once every two weeks and tells me something else is wrong with the blazer. I have always been a chevy fan, not anymore.