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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  chevy cavalier - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By imac34 - May 31 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle is cramped inside and when My wife and I get out it seems like the shocks cant handle our weight and makes an awful sound. I took it back to dealer they fixed something but it still makes an awful sound when exiting. It simply is to small a vehicle.

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  Poor Brakes / Bad Service - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brake-Broke - May 24 - 2:00 am

  The car was fair to good until having to replace the brakes TWICE in less than 30k miles. Great prices to buy, but service is as bad as it gets with them. Gas mileage is not even close to the 32 Hwy mpg, Im lucky if I get 25- 26. do yourself a favor and DO NOT BUY THIS CAR. I will never get another GM vehicle. Cant wait to get rid of this car.

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  Lemon Nightmare! - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By madmom - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my TrailBlazer in April of 2003, it broke down at least once a month. Both tail lights broke - twice. The car had an electrical short that no one could find. Every time I got out of the car it would shock me. Each time I took it into the dealership they would tell me it was static - yea right. I have never had a car with cloth seats shock me EVERY time I closed the door. The transmission broke - but the dealership didnt think their was a problem. Good news - as long as you dont mind punching it to 4000 rpms everytime you take off it will shift for you.

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  Steer clear of these! - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By TeeSorter - May 9 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Malibu for only 2 years, and in that two years, it has been nothing but problem after problem. I bought the car with only 68,000 miles on it. The dealer I bought it from actually put about 1500 bucks into it during the first 6 months I had it (part of the selling agreement to fix some of the things)....I hate this car, and will never own another Chevy after this. Every fluid the car has in it, other then the brake fluid has leaked at some point. I just received a recall on it. The drivers side power window works when it feels like it.

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  GM take a hint. - 2004 Chevrolet Astro
  By Astro Fan - May 9 - 2:00 am

  The best vehicle in its class. The problem is that its the only one in its class. Because of no competition, GM has treated the Astro like an ugly step child. The last revision was nearly ten years ago. I upgraded to a 2000 model from the 91 I had. The only noticeable difference beside appearance was the reliability of a newer vehicle. After just a few years my new van rattled just like my old one. Ive had many service calls that were fortunately under warranty. Delco batteries only last two years in Florida.I love my van but Im sorry that when Im ready for a new one, GM will have done little to give me a reason to buy.

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  DONT BUY ONE - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By WILLY NILLY - May 9 - 2:00 am

  I like the idea of being the biggest vehicle on the road. I definitely feel safe. I pull my horses and 6 kids and we can just about go anywhere.

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  Shocked with all the positive Reviews - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By edthebuilder - May 3 - 3:53 am

  1st, I have the 8.1L engine. Pulls great but mileage is disgusting. $80 in the tank and the range says 212 miles. Only have 70K on it (who can afford to drive it). Purchased as dealer demo w/ 7K on it, got home & oil was not even on the stick. Found out that you must add a quart of oil every two fill ups. Dealer told me "thats normal". Gages went out & was part of recall & class action suit but that expired & now its $550 for a rebuilt unit...thanks GM. Garage stored but undercarriage is all rusted! Brakes are awful. Lots of confidence w/ 10,000 lbs behind me on a wet road. This thing rides like a dump truck. This is my last GM EVER. Im out... My next truck will be a Toyota

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  Dont buy if you need reliability - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By GJez - May 3 - 2:00 am

  5000 miles, power steering pump failure, 9000 air conditioner failed, 13000 miles rear interior fans shorted out, 30000 started squealing but they dont know why.....35000 dumped!

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  Cant wait to get rid of it!!! - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By mr853 - May 2 - 2:00 am

  Bought this in 02 after my lease of my alero ran out. This is one of the worst cars I have ever owned. The wind moves you all over the road and during the winter it is even worse. Almost went in the ditch a couple of times from the semis gust of wind blowing me over. I am getting an 05 Equinox LT fully loaded in a couple of weeks as I had to special order mine from Chevrolet. I am so looking forward to never driving this ever again. I dont recommend this car at all!!!

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  Guess I got lucky. - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By FuzzyWuzzy - April 28 - 2:00 am

  I have had this vehicle for 3.5 yrs now, and it has 84k miles on it. Up to this point, I have had no major work performed aside from standard maintainance. The levers for both seats did break off and I had a few fuses blow for the power windows. A bit of an inconvenience, but nothing that wasnt easily remedied. The blind spots are aweful, and the suspension is terrible. There is a lot of rattling and the spare tire is positioned terribly. Pretty poor design and not that great of a ride. Im just glad I got one of the good ones.