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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  Corsica=The sequel - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Daveyboy - January 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is not a car that is for a family of more than 4. Chevy has not figured out that car seats do not sit well in the back seat, in particularly the middle. At 12$ a pop for the platinum spark plugs, that is not a cheap fixer either. Interior is very cheaply put together. Why wont the window visor clips stay in place? Sqeaks and rattles. Not room for anything inside. This is not yesterdays Chevy. Being on a limited income, Im stuck with this sled.

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  Broken at 600 miles - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By NunyaBiznas - December 31 - 8:53 pm

  Driving down the highway in 2 wheel drive and the Service 4wd light came on. Took it to the dealer and the part is on back order! It is comfortable but that doesnt help while it is in the shop.

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  Stray away from this lemon - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By dont buy gm - December 30 - 2:00 am

  What a pile this truck is. I got the base model with the 4 cylinder and 5 speed. The tach goes to 6000 rpm, but once you hit about 4300 rpm, the engine sounds like its going to blow up. The tranny grinds gears constantly and sounds like it has 200K miles on it. Annoying as hell shift light. Rattles since new. Front suspensions squeaks. ONLY about 22 MPG, though its rated higher. There was a tether to the gas cap, but that broke off after about 20 tanks of gas.

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  Stay Away from the Blazer - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Rennie - December 28 - 2:00 am

  I have had nothing but troubles with my Chevy Blazer LT 4WD. The truck has been to the dealership so many times I should have my own parking space. Be prepared for engine leaks, transmission leaks, coolant leaks, transfer case leaks, and on and on. I have replaced 6 air pumps in the emmissions system, and my Chev dealer cannot find the problem. Fuel economy is an average of 16 mpg. The only positive is that GM offered me a $1000 manufactures rebate off the next GM vehicle I buy, because of the endless problems. Do your homework, this is not the vehicle for you. 2 years in with 100k miles.

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  Tried, Tested and Truly Poor Quality! - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Klobo - December 24 - 2:00 am

  I am very disappointed in this vehicle. It developed a series of problems after only 9,000 miles. They included pinion seal failures (7 times). Rear Differential was rebuilt at 27,000 miles. The oil cooler lines were replaced twice. The transfer case leaked. The cab has numerous rattles. Very poor build quality. GM should be ashamed of itself for producing a vehicle like this. It has approximately 33,000 miles on it now. I should get rid off it before the warrenty runs out. I do not recommend this vehicle as I have read other consumers complaints, and believe that there are numerous design faults with the truck that have never been solved.

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  Dont buy chevy - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Darrell - December 21 - 10:41 pm

  Bought brand new in 2008. Still have in 2016 only 29k miles on it, garage kept and lots of problems. A/C quit working already, lift gate wont open unless you use screw driver to unlatch it. Turn signal will not self cancel, mpg not as good as claimed. Almost have to lay in passenger seat to see traffic light. Sun visor wont stay in place. Will never buy a Chevrolet again!

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  what a piece of junk - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By tbirdfive0 - December 19 - 2:00 am

  I bought this truck in 2001. It had 80,000 miles on it when i bought it. I have hated it ever since. I have replaced: starter, fuel pump, and many gaskets. It had left me stranded multiple times and the locks ice up every time the temp drops below 20. The tranny grinds when put into 1st gear. This truck has been nothing but a headache.... and the clutch as a squeek that i cant find.

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  Good beginner car - 1996 Chevrolet Corsica
  By J. G. - December 17 - 2:00 am

  ---County assigned vehicle-- I make several business contacts daily and fall victim to comments that describe the car as "White trash" and/or "Gheto". Secondly, after reading several safety reviews (NHTSA and NCAP to name a few) was surprised at how unsafe the vehicle is. According to reports, if your in a frontal crash the front passenger has a great likelyhood of sustaining severe head injury. Third, the handling on the car sucks!!!! The suspension is very weak, causing alot of weight transfer. The interior is cramped and appears cheap(And no Im not fat).

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  Dont buy a Blazer - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By HombreSecreto - December 16 - 10:00 am

  I have had this vehicle for almost 3 years. I am very happy that my lease is almost up. It has been in the shop approximately 11 times (twice for the 4WD mechanism). I am not sure what the lemon laws in this state are, but if I had bought it, I would be finding out.

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  Dont do it! - 1996 Chevrolet Suburban
  By BigJohn - December 15 - 2:00 am

  If your thinking about buying a Chevy Suburban....Dont do it. Chevy has really gone down hill the past few years. My main complaint is the intake manifold gasket start leaking at about 75-80,000 miles. It did it to me in the middle of eastrern Colorado and stranded me in a little town called La Junta. $800 buck later the new gaskets were installed, but 8,000 miles later they blew again. This time I let a REAL mechanic fix the problem. He went with third part FelPro gaskets and the thing hasne leaked in 40,000 miles.