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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  Best Truck Ever! - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Andrew - April 10 - 10:13 am

  I love my 2003 Avalanche. It is the Northface Package with the cool grey leather and the grey metallic paint. My truck has everything and I bought a superchip and programed it. Also I put some nice tires on the stock rims, looks sweet. Also I chromed all the stock stuff out. For example, the back Chevy letters bought on ebay. MPG is pretty good in city, stays around 14, and highway about 19. The chip seems to help with my MPG.

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  Too many problems, going to Honda - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Brad - April 10 - 10:06 am

  We have had to replace the A/C condensor at 60,000 miles. The rocker panels are both rusted due to open seams at the welds. My local dealer says that nothing can be done because it is past the warranty although it is a defect. It is currently losing oil at about 2 quarts per 4000 miles. Probably a bad head gasket. I am trying to trade it, but the trade in offers are only around $4300. Terrible for a vehicle that stickered for $26000 4.5 years ago. We had a Montana previously that had to be towed three times. The last time was for a shot transmission at 37000 miles while I was 600 miles from home. I must say that after a nasty discussion, GM did replace the transmission at no cost.

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  Great over 30 weekend car - 1997 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jeff Holbrook LI - April 10 - 5:55 am

  I have little to complain and a lot to praise about this car. Its a 6-speed. All the power, handling, and looks are better than any other car Ive owened or driven. Rides like a Buick and gas mileage is better than my wifes 04 Accord. Love the car.

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  There are better choices - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Dokken - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Squeaks and rattles after 8000 lbs. Low residual value. Poor brakes. Poor steering. Power window and lock buttons feel sloppy, junky. Sour odor from HVAC vents due to mold in ducts.

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  Brand new 98 - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By des7823 - April 9 - 9:16 pm

  I just bought a 98 Vette. It is a great looking car and is very, very fun to drive. The performance is awesome. A couple of negatives are the drivers seat doesnt quite lock in place all the time, the passenger window doesnt seal really well and lets in air noise around 90mph. Also, the check engine light has come on after I drove it hard. I plan to fix up these minor issues, because I love the car and the looks and performance make up for any other flaws.

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  Excelent Vehicle - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Job Taker - April 9 - 4:38 pm

  I have owned this truck for a little under a year. I have put nearly 11,000 miles on this with no problems. Great power band very smooth for an SUV. Very capable off road, but still refined enough that you wont look dumb at nice events either. When you step on the gas its very quiet inside but it sounds very nice outside. Most people think of the Blazer as a slow rig, I can tell you its not!

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  Long Term Test Drive of 9 yrs, 102k mi - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By dave8697 - April 9 - 2:50 pm

  I got lucky compared to some on here. I havent yet spent $600 on repairs in 9 yrs. Bought new and has been less reliable than my previous Astro in some ways. Transmission needed a $170 repair and rear A/C line is not properly supported, wore a leak and needed $350 repair. Water pump going at 80k not impressive. Battery was defective and died from terminal rot out disease that was designed into it to save a few cents. The trans trouble was from an alum part in place of cast iron that was tried and failed. Interior and paint have held up great. No rattles, fade, or things getting loose. Engine like new. Van was well built and gets 23 mpg on trips. Road handling is a weak spot.

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  On demand power and high mileage, too. - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Dave - April 9 - 11:10 am

  Traded my 2000 Impala LS last month on a new 2006 Impala SS. Loved the sporty look of the new chevy. Got a black one with the neutral interior. The dealer said that the neutral interior is hard to get in this model but I just loved the light color. Very classy upscale look. Had no problems with the car. Tons of power when you need it but drive it soft and you will get 30 miles to the gallon. I test drove the LTZ model but I didnt think the 3.9 liter engine performed near as well as 3.8 Buick built engine that the older Impala LS had. Not as much power and lower MPG. Then, I drove the SS and it had the power I wanted with mileage and the sporty look. Drive it and buy it.

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  I am very pleased with my ZR2 - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By J Ryan - April 9 - 10:19 am

  I really have nothing bad to say about the ZR2. It is everything I had expected it to be. Its an SUV so the gas mileage wont be the greatest, I, along with other reviewers have had gas gauge problems but as long as I count the mileage I know how much gas is in the tank. I have had to replace the ball joints on each side, and put new brakes 2 years ago. Other than that I havent had a problem with the truck. It just turned over 100,000 miles, a couple years ago I saw a Ford F-250 stuck on a guys lawn trying to pull out his tractor that was on a Big Tex Trailer. I asked him if he needed any help and my Blazer pulled both the truck and the Big Tex(with tractor on it) right out of the mud.

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  2002 S-10 Crew 4x4 - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By jdkan1 - April 9 - 9:11 am

  Problems with the front end (4x4) front suspension. At 60,000 miles it had to be re-built. Problems with vacuum system and actuators, had to be re- built at 55,000. Nice truck, too many problems.