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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  1999 Chevrolet Metro LSI Sedan - 1999 Chevrolet Metro
  By Mike Nomura - May 7 - 2:00 am

  For a small car, the ride, handling, paint finish, and interior are liveable. Equipt with a A/C, the car has one whole engine cylinder of four devoted just to turn the compressor. I had to turn off the unit when anticipating a hill on the freeway. Further more, when decending down the same hill required me the press the accelerator down one-forth down just to overcome the high gear ratio that engine brakes.Also the A/C temperature, never got cold. When climbing up the hill without the A/C, the car has more than enough power. The only warranty service done was to replace a leaking A/C compressor shaft seal. Still the A/C preformed the same as above. It averaged only forty MPG.

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  Great investment - 1996 Chevrolet Impala
  By Morgan White - May 7 - 2:00 am

  keeps its value and should go up in price over the next few years!

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  2000 Chevrolet Metro HB, STD - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By Mike Nomura - May 7 - 2:00 am

  For someone who needs only basic, no frill transportation, this car served me just fine. This 1800 pound, three cylinder car keeps up with any freeway traffic. With no A/C and equipted with a manual transmission, all of the energy goes to the wheels. The fifth gear overdrive allows me to coast down a hill without touching the gas pedal and provided me with fifty-seven MPG.

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  Love My Tahoe - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Teen Driver - May 7 - 2:00 am

  My parents bought this car for me at christmas time. It has 90 thousand miles on it and still runs great. I am 16 years old and love being able to drive it when ever I want. The only problem that I have had with it is the transfer case began to leak so I had to get it sealed. The gas milage is not great, but once you get used to filling up every few days, its ok.

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  corvette z06 review - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By awfrwet - May 7 - 2:00 am

  the corvette is fast fun to drive and is a real realible car to own

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  Gotta Love It - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By ready to go - May 6 - 2:00 am

  We have a 5 person family and we absolutely love our Suburban, we traded our 95 Volvo for it and never regretted it. We have had no mechanical or body problems and have enjoyed its reliability. We look forward to weekend trips and family vacations because the Burb is always ready to go. Load the bags, ie luggage, kids wife and mother-in-law and were off. There is plenty of room for the whole family, and the Burb can take anything we throw at it. We love it.

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  OK Truck - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By TW - May 6 - 2:00 am

  Ive had a 2000 4WD S-10 for about 30 months and have no complaints. Got a fairly good deal on it from the local Chevy store. Rides and drives with high degree of comfort and stability. I added shades over the side windows which upped the wind noise considerably. Have gotten over 25 mpg on long highway trips. It has been a good investment so far.

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  1999 astro van - 1999 Chevrolet Astro
  By mike strini - May 6 - 2:00 am

  vehicle is sound and towing capabilty a big plus. i would recommend this van , and would purchase the same again

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  A true "bang for the buck" - 1996 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Aaron - May 6 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my camaro about a year and a half ago, it had 43,000 miles on it. It now has 51,000 miles on it, with little complaints. So far it has been a great reliable fun car to drive. The only things that needed to be replaced was a new front headlight, and a new battery, plus I put brand new tires on it, I have come to realize with just purchasing those few things that parts for a camaro are not cheap. Overall it is a great car with a lot of power, and not to pricey, but you pay for it with its rather pricey insurance. But if you want a car that promises looks, power and reliability,I suggest the Chevrolet Camaro.

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  Very, Very Satisfied Corvette Owner - 1994 Chevrolet Corvette
  By ziny - May 6 - 2:00 am

  I have always desired to own a converti- ble corvette. When I purchased my vehicle 7 years ago, it was everything I had wanted and expected. My experience with this vehicle has been exceptionally great. The speed, handling, and drive of my vehicle is excellent. My cost of mechancal breakdowns have been only for replacing a fuel pump & for cosmetic appearance only - replacing the convertible top by chose & not for defect. Besides the maintenance of this vehicle, I have not had any costly mechanical repairs. I think the corvette is a reliable vehicle and stands up to its name, as being the top muscle car.