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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  Chevrolet Malibu Base - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Sabrina Gainey - December 3 - 8:01 am

  I purchased my vehicle used. I have only had this vehicle for 3 months and I have already experienced problems with the steering. When I am making a left turn the car makes a very disturbing noise. I have also had problems when starting the car. It makes a noise as if the battery is dead.

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  Evaluate is reality, not emotion - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Buzz - November 29 - 4:58 pm

  A shaved down model from previous years. Intenseley cheapened. Interior noise is excessive. Placement of switches inconvenient, difficult to actuate because of positioning. Guage background in near black with dark sootlike numbers blend into an almost invisible display. Great effort to see speed, gas remaining and the like. This is the poorest of poor. Add sun glasses and the display is unreadable. The sun lightens the top of the dash which in turn reflects from the inside of the windshield, limiting your vision. The garage door opener buttons require a copilot to actuate them.

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  Well... - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Denver Broncos Fan - November 26 - 2:00 am

  Im a little disapointed for the money I spent. The sticker was 33K+. For that much cash it should include a walnut dash, power seats, a decent sounding XM/multi-CD radio, etc...I find the base seats to be miserable on any trips over an hour. NO MANUAL LUMBAR ADJUSTMENT! Hell, even Kia has adjustable lumbar in their cheapest models.

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  Should have went to Toyota - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By charles schell - November 25 - 7:19 am

  Ride is great, but if you demand a smooth ride, dont go over 70mph. Steering feels like you need a good tire balance. They put new tires on after 500 miles and had to force balance just to get it within specs. I feel like I got a lemon. I hate sitting at long red lights. It feels like at idle that its missing a plug wire. Junk.

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  Hate my TrailBlazer - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By towldy - November 23 - 2:57 pm

  I have always been a Chevy person, but this will be my last one. Bought this SUV new and have had problems with it. At 9,000 miles a rear door started rusting on the inside. I am on my third set of hatch shocks. First time they went bad I almost got my arm caught in hatch. Fan belt squeals every morning and I get 12 miles per gallon. Really dissapointed with this vehicle. It only has 13,000 miles on it. GM quality is a major issue.

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  OK for long distance driving - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By lagrp394 - November 21 - 12:04 pm

  Stiff, uncomfortable seats. Lack of lumbar controls. Has a tendency to hestiate on start. Overall a good car. Could have better gas mileage and more comfortable seats.

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  Very disappointed - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By sweteach - November 21 - 9:06 am

  This is the third Chevrolet minivan we have owned. Unfortunately it has proved very disappointing. The Uplander has had numerous problems. The windsheild seal was bad, power sliding door problems, alternator problems, suspension problems, rotors replaced. There are too many too mention. I have lost confidence in this brand. It looks nice, but the aggravation of all the problems makes it hard to like.

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  Poor replacement for a 94 Dodge - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
  By aei1958 - November 18 - 6:36 pm

  I knew within the first 100 miles driving this truck I had made a poor choice. It is so under powered. It supposed to be 352 HP and 380 lb ft torque. There is no way. Constantly shifts up and down to maintain highway speeds. Any slight grade will send the 6 speed auto to 4th and a little steeper grade will put it in 3rd.This is with no load, just the 12 flatbed. This truck cannot handle a good load.My old 94 Dodge with a 190,000 miles on it will wear this truck out. Trucks pulling real loads pass me on the interstate going up hills and I am empty. First real load I tried pulling the transmission starting slipping. Poor excuse for a truck.

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  Not a durable work truck., - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ken - November 17 - 6:03 pm

  While It has great mileage for a full size truck, there are few other aspects that I like about it. I didnt expect much from the v-6 but this is bad, I can deal without acceleration but it delivers poor torque while loaded or towing. I like a sparse interior, this one feels cheap. Seats are uncomfortable, I hate having the seatbelt in the seat,always seems to ride up to my neck and is not adjustable (it happens to people of different body types as me). Under dash, loose wires everywhere. Minor issues are starting to appear $30 here and $40 there, wont break the bank but annoying. Poor handling, spongy suspension, like a 1976 wagon. Least favorite vehicle Ive ever owned.

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  2003 Venture LT - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Dave - November 17 - 12:40 pm

  Costly! Put in a new transmission, new radiator. Not a happy camper.