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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  Good so far - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Dbinie - January 30 - 9:25 pm

  Have had good luck with this vehicle. Gas mileage has been less than expected. I average about 15 MPG town or highway. Hood cable and passenger reclining handle broke but from reading the reviews I am not the only one with these problems. A little rough on the off road travel but it gets the job done. I think that it is a great vehicle for the price.

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  Best of the Best - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By bizmgr - January 30 - 4:42 pm

  I am 62 years young and this is the 17th vette that I have owned, and is the best yet. You can spend a whole lot more for a sports car, but dollar for dollar, the Vette is by for the best value for true performance, looks and fun to drive car. I never get tired of driving it and not to mention that it makes me feel a lot younger than I am. I guess that is why I am on my 17th one. I refuse to grow up and act like some of my old friends. If you have never owned one, you owe it to yourself to enjoy life a little more.

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  Piece of Junk - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Junky chevy owner - January 30 - 3:32 pm

  What a piece of junk. Had nothing but problems with this truck. Transmission went at 55K, both door hinges had to be replaced, windows get stuck, never know when its going to die on me.

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  Costly Van - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By james - January 30 - 8:04 am

  We have owned an Astro since 1999, bought at 2K miles. We have paid for repair after repair since then. Some of the repairs have been for the same thing over and over. If I were to put together all of the repair reciepts, I think the total might even shock us. Watch out for idler arm problems! Again and again- its just poorly designed. Also, weve had multiple problems with the electrical system, little motors and switches, etc. In contrast, we also own Toyota products, which havent needed nearly the amount of expensive and redundant repair. Beware!

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  2007 LT3 - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By RKind1 - January 30 - 4:00 am

  Got my Avalanche on the 4th of July. Looking to get a deal on a 2006, but looked inside a 2007 and was swayed. I have Ebony leather interior, and it is stunning. The woodgrain dash makes you think youre in the Escalade. It handles suberbly and has good acceleration. The electronics are amazing, and I even got a Verizon line for my in car phone. I have been looking at the Avs for a while, and am glad I waited.

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  Wish I didnt have to give this car even 1 star - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Hugh Jazz - January 30 - 3:52 am

  From the looks of the car, interior and exterior and all the hot specs it included when I bought it back in 2012, fairly new with 13k miles on it. Just graduated high school. Seemed like a good buy for me and a car that would last me at least a decade. Didnt take long for that old man at the dealership to get me home in this car. But oh boy, if I had only known then, how much of a headache this car was gonna be.. After a month with the car in my hands, it went in for its first recall, where they sawed off the "engine shield" below the engine due to reports of the car catching fire from leaking oil down there. Awesome!! Not to mention those recalls on the car prior to the purchase of the car that the salesman failed to mention. From there it was nothing but downhill. This car has been in the shop on average probably a week of every month since Ive owned it. If not, close to it. Ive lost track of the amount times its needed service. Currently with 101k miles, The biggest issue me and my mechanic have had with this car is the cooling system. We cant seem to get a hold of the issue. Numerous hoses and lines have been replaced. It seems as though we fix one hose, and another goes. Including the the thermostat twice. Weve recently replaced the coolant bucket/bottle and hose leading out of it. Now were repairing the hose and lines going into the turbo. Which were thinking the turbo is next on the long list of past/present/future parts to be replaced, along with some relevant parts behind there at the same time to hopefully span out my visits to him. Some other things Ive fixed on this car include a coil Pack(@60k) because a spark plug exploded and caused damage to its housing that it needed to be replaced. Ive replaced the spark plugs a second time since then. Throttle body was replaced along with MAF sensor. Trans oil lines replaced. AT LEAST a handful of other issues have as well been addressed. Current unresolved problems include...... the drivers side heated seat which went a long time ago and the dealership said Id have to buy a whole new seat to fix that, fuhgettaboutit. The trunk latch died a long time ago too, oh well. Middle arm rest and compartment door/cover isnt so durable either.(doesnt stay shut, velcro does wonders). Also seems to be leaking oil from the valve cover and rear main seal. Im sure Ill get around to that someday. Orrr, just let it leak oil and coolant til the car finally gives in aND sets itself on fire and burns up. Really looking forward to that day. Can you blame me? Until then, Ill just keep dreaming about driving it thru the front doors of GeneralMotors with joy. I received a settlement from GM for this car that only paid to get it back from the bank when they repoed it 2 days before the check came in the mail. I was four months behind on payments because that money was paying to keep the car on the road. Shame on who? Clearly this car was the biggest mistake of my life thus far. Financially at least. If you own or owned [non-permissible content removed] car, God bless you.

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  Loving the space! - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By crashjacks - January 29 - 8:51 pm

  This vehicle is a great buy for the price. Bose option is fabulous. Gets in and out of parking like a smaller vehicle. Large rear cargo area. Sits high like a Siverado. Great in traffic.

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  Run Far Far Away! - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Piece of Junk - January 29 - 8:39 pm

  Ive only put 24k miles on this car and have had to replace brakes and rotors twice. Thermostat twice, the temp gauge keeps going out and when that happens the air/heat doesnt work properly. New exhaust system only to find out it was recalled and gm only reimbursed me 60% of the cost. Rattles between 55-65. Performance is horrible. Gas mileage is nowhere near what GM claims. And this week the transmission just went out. I am buying Japanese from now on. This car is completely unreliable and I would recommend you not even test drive it. I now have so much negative equity that I have to buy a much more expensive car to carry it.

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  Shopped around heres what I found - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jamanus - January 29 - 8:30 pm

  I looked at the Yukon, H2 and H3 in hopes of finding a nice clean design with a comfortable interior. I landed on the Tahoe and was sold. This is the nicest Chevy I have ever owned, and I have owned 9 since I was in high school. It drives smooth and quietly, and is loaded with every feature a person could possibly want. Love the remote start on those cold mornings, and my ipod attaches with a simple $5 plug from Radio Shack. The leather is similar to what my freinds have in their Mercedes and Lexus vehicles, and the woodgrain follows suit. All around this is a much better deal than any of the other vehicles I considered, and I hope it is as reliable as the 2004 Z71 I traded in to get it.

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  Big Truck Feel - Luxury Ride and Control - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Chevyguy - January 29 - 2:02 pm

  I bought this Suburban used from a private party and Ive had a few normal maintenance issues, but overall this thing is a beast that never dies. I tow a camper back and forth for a total of 120 miles every weekend in the summer and I have no problems and get over 10 mpg (6000 lbs camper). The ride feels like a car and it handles like a car. I love my Suburban!