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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  Sleek Malibu - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Spunky 911 - March 17 - 2:18 pm

  Ive had this car a little over two years and I havent had one problem.The v6 engine is powerful, it rides very smooth, and its very easy to work on. The only money I have had to put in to this car was gas, oil change, brakes, and a tail light bulb. The A/C blows ice cold and if you take car of it, I recommend this car to anyone.

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  Pauls 96 SS - 1996 Chevrolet Impala
  By Pauls96ss - March 17 - 1:48 pm

  I love this car! I have owned this car for 11.5 years. This car won runner up at the 2003 Super Chevy Show and many first, second, and third place trophies at other car shows and bracket racing events. Odometer is at 148,000 miles and I would not hesitate to take it on a cross country trip.

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  Piece of Junk - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Patrick - March 17 - 9:45 am

  My Blazer had some good attributes, but quality of manufacture was not one of them. Overall this vehicle was junk! It rattled almost from the day I bought it. The dealer never could find out what was causing it. I had a Toyota before this and I only bought this vehicle because the dealer made me a good offer. In the end, I really paid for that good deal. I meticulously maintained my Blazer, but I don’t think that it really helped. At 102,000 miles, the transmission went bad and I went back to Toyota and I will never buy another American car again.

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  First and Last GM vehicle - 2015 Chevrolet Colorado
  By P. Mackin - March 17 - 6:59 am

  I like most everything about my Colorado with one MAJOR exception. The automatic transmission will not downshift when attempting to accelerate from low RPMs. It bogs and acts like a manual transmission that is in too high a gear. This is especially frustrating in traffic when you are constantly slowing down and speeding up. When on the highway in cruise control when going uphill it will slow down 2-4 miles per hour before downshifting to maintain the set speed. Both of these issues increase in severity as the ambient outside temperature increases. I have had this truck to the dealer four times for this issue and have been told that everything is operating normally. Not only is it very frustrating but it is also a safety issue.

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  Power Steering Problems - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Beware! - March 16 - 10:56 pm

  I have had several problems with it. Some arent life threatening (like the power windows not working and the brake light flashing), but Ive had a MAF Sensor short which caused the car to stop running while I was doing 60-65 MPH and the steering locked up. Fortunately, the car started back up. Ive recently dealt with another steering issue. I was driving down an uneven/bumpy road and a "power steering" message came up on the information panel and the speedometer went out. The steering became very mushy and it was difficult to control the car. Ive also dealt with the car not starting and the cab filling with gas fumes. There has been severe hesitation and loss of power when the A/C is on.

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  What an improvement - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By nuerburgring - March 16 - 9:37 pm

  I owned a 2002 Avalanche which was flawless and a great vehicle. It is hard to believe that the 2007 is even better in every respect. The heated leather seats now have two stages, seat cushion and seat back. Nice touch. The two tone seats in the Z71 are awesome. The truck negotiates curves very well, no longer as top heavy as the 2002. It seems to hug the road -- no easy feat for such a big vehicle. The seat to steering wheel ratio is now perfect for a 6.4 person. The tailgate is now much lighter and it locks automatically. The 6 changer with MP3 is great as well. The speakers are in the wrong place and do provide a stereo sound when the seat is all the way back.

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  I recommend Cruze - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Chris Wilson - March 16 - 9:01 pm

  This car performs well in reliability, good ride, low cost, safety and efficiency.

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  This Truck is the Greatest - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By CHEVY FOR LIFE - March 16 - 8:32 pm

  Havent had truck that long, had a few simple fixes (blinkers, rear windsheild wiper motor) and engine has a high idle when at operating temp. Other than that I love that little truck and it packs a lot more power than Explorers. They have no power whatsoever. My Dad has a 93 with 280,000 and tranny just began to slip in overdrive. Amazing trucks

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  I Love My Aveo - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Bruce - March 16 - 5:37 am

  I have 14,000 miles on my vehicle and I love it. The passenger compartment is roomy and extremely comfortable.All features and additions all have worked perfectly from day one. The heater and airconditioning are more than adequet. The car rides and handles well along with the suprising sound deadening insulation. You can actually hear your radio at high speeds. The mileage Ive gotten was also impressive, 28mpg cobination (city & highway), 33mpg highway (thats at 70mph to 75mph). Went on a trip within three days of purchase and found the trunk is more than large enough for its size. Im totally pleased with my Aveo.

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  2 cents worth - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By BriD - March 15 - 9:40 pm

  Five yrs owned, have been super pleased with reliability and comfort. Well over 100k now and only cat cvtr. and TPS sensor replaced. Gets 19/26 real-world mpg. 4cyl gets you up to speed if you rev it high enough. Would definitely look for V6 if you plan any hauling or commute using freeways. Ride is rough with ZQ8 suspension and doesnt really give you above and beyond cornering abilities. Softer shocks help if you dont mind the more freqent bottom outs. Cabin:spacious. Im well over 6ft/200# with plenty of headroom and side room. Ergonomics good. Minor knock: spark plug wires a headache to change. Overall:Unique look, sharp but basic truck with outside speedy look.