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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  I hate this SUV! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Annoyed - January 20 - 12:46 am

  When we bought this car we loved it. Now we hate it and I am seriously just waiting for it to die on us. This car has been to the Shop 5 times for the same problems. And we get the same response every time, "cant duplicate the problem on site - cant fix it" My husband and I were starting to think we were insane. I dont know how many people we have told not to but an Equinox. Now were are turned off from Chevys and american made cars all together after this junk box.

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  My Third Prizm and NOT a Charm! - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By V. Davis - January 16 - 2:00 am

  This is my third Prizm and it has had alignment problems from the work go. I have spent more on alignments and tire replacements for this car than the other two Prizms combined. Between the repairs and the depreciation, it is hardly worth keeping. It is good in bad weather snow, sleet, etc.

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  1991 lumina euro - 1991 Chevrolet Lumina
  By - January 15 - 2:00 am

  poor fuel pumps should be recalled common problem. Interior falls apart easily. Bad injectors and a feww others bad. Otherwise when it runs good and everything is fine very good car lots of interior room. Recall door handels mine also broke twice!!!

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  Silverado - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By donotbuychevy - January 13 - 6:46 am

  My 2010 Silverado suffers from very poor build quality. The bumper does not fit, and the manager of the dealership told me that was a common problem. They adjusted it and made it better, but he said that even ordering a new bumper would not fix the problem because of the poor design, and even poorer execution. There are a couple of dents that are from the inside out that could only have happened when the truck was built. The transmission is slow to downshift at lower speeds, an attempt to get better mileage by staying in a higher gear? I have 2400 miles on this truck and am in the process of trading for a Tundra. Obama should have done us all a favor and let GM go out of business.

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  Lots of Problems - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Chuckwagon - January 11 - 10:00 am

  Already had in for service 6 times. Rear differential seized requiring entire backend to be replaced. Mileage is maliciously overstated topping out at only 14MPG. Vehicle unstable and steering to sensitive for higher speeds. Nearly flipped vehicle on interstate avoiding road debris. Interior cheap quality, seat does not go back far enough. Shifting lags. Wants to stall if vehicle sits to long or takeoff is uphill/not straight line. Tilt steering positions block instruments at all angles. Chevy has bottomed out on this model and their unaccomidating resolutions to my concerns.

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  buy a ford - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By pdiddy1230 - January 11 - 2:00 am

  whew.. this car just never stops. repair bills after repair bills. i have 75000 miles and had to replace alternator 4 times, not to mention fuel pump, brakes...And WOW WHAT TERRIBLE GAS MILEAGE! i do everything i can to keep the gas mileage down, yet i still average 15mpg. my best advice for you would be to buy a ford, and get your moneys worth, minus the repair bills.

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  Expect High Maint. - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By rickluminajunk - January 10 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Lumina new and have been the only owner. My wife uses it to do small commutes. My car has 49,945 miles. I have replaced the engine once, defective design GM knows about but could care less about customers to admit or repair. My cost $2,000. Brakes 4 sets in 7 years, again poor design GM knows about but doesnt care. 3 sets of tires and 2 exhaust systems. If you can avoid the Lumina DO IT.

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  Suburbans are junk - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By fdl - January 7 - 2:00 am

  Worst vehicle I have ever owned. Ive written Chevrolet letters and they dont even respond. The transmissions in these vehicles are defective and GM just ignores their customers. I will never own a GM vehicle again! Do yourself a favor and spend more on vehicles that have high quality and reliability ratings.

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  I do not like this truck - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By dorothy - January 7 - 2:00 am

  I will never buy anything from GM again. My Tahoe only has 50,000 miles on it and it has needed an excessive amount or expensive repairs. When I tried to call GM to tell them about my complaints I realized they have discontinued their customer service number. That says it all!

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  Gm Junk - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By western6 - January 2 - 2:00 am

  We bought this vehicle used. the trans went out at 38000k and gm would not back it beacause we were the 2nd owners of it, we also ha the alternator go. plus severa brake jobs, o2 sensors. we live on a ranch and the thing rattled apart. we sold it