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:

• 

  Bought New in 1999 - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By passedu - March 30 - 4:52 pm

  I purchased this truck new in 1999, trading in a 1997 Monte Carlo. The truck has been reliable and comfortable for over 165,000 miles. Within the last month the gear selector and mileage indicator LED failed. Repair requires replacement of the entire gauge assembly. Early on I had to have the ABS manifold replaced, under warranty. Since then, starter at 158,000, drivers window electric motor at 156,000, and I had the front end rebuilt at 159,000. I replaced the orginal rear shocks within the last two weeks (Jan 11). There was no leakage, but rear end bouce was noticeable.

• 

  Great sport truck! - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Will - March 30 - 4:10 pm

  I have only had the truck for a week, but I am very pleased with it so far. It is VERY comfortable to ride in. I especially like the heated leather seats. The Bose sound system is better than I expected. Even though this truck is not as powerful as a Lightning or the Ram SRT-10, it still gets up and moves for a 5K lb. truck. The 4.11 final drive, is a neck snapper with a VERY quick throttle response. It is a quick truck that unlike the Ford and the Dodge can be driven in the inclement weather.

• 

  best SUV out there - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
  By SF bay area - March 30 - 8:30 am

  This car has performed to all expectations. We tow a large ski boat with absolutely no problems and still hold to abut 14 mpg. Regular driving holds around 23 mpg. We have had very few issues in the past year and a half. Power door lock and two recalls. I was apparently one of the first to purchase the vehicle in the area so one or two recalls was normal. Only improvements that had to be done was additional headrest monitors, tranny cooler and removing of the hybrid decals. This car was worth every penny and save me a lot in gas compared to my old Tahoe.

• 

  The Best - 1997 Chevrolet Camaro
  By ann haley - March 30 - 7:10 am

  Exceptional handling due to limited slip differential and performance handling pkg. Effortless to drive and shift. Power was always there when I needed it. The absolute best driving experience I have ever had. Couldnt help but smile every time she took a curve the control you could always count on. Love the look of the 97. Problems - leaky transmission seal-GM Fixed. Spark plug wires - I fixed before the notice from GM regarding the problem. Transmission noise at around 50,000+ miles which the warranty should have covered but Wylers warranty would not due to dispute between dealer that fixed problem and Wylers warranty - I had to pay. Still, I adore that car! Hands down - the best!

• 

  Very Thrilled - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Dotagnon - March 29 - 8:04 pm

  I have never driven a car that has been so fun to drive as the Aveo. I studied up on it to look for the problem areas before buying. I found them to not be a problem. The engine is a little loud (what the testers said) for a new car, but is still competitive with all others. Either way, my sound system covers all of that up. Ive also never driven something so manueverable as this. It looks tiny from the outside, but inside it fits four large people comfortably. Its incredible and an awesome buy.

• 

  Best starter car ever! - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By John - March 29 - 5:37 pm

  This is my first car. My dream car was always a Z28/SS Camaro with a 6-speed. Well I didnt get that, but I got my 2002 silver Camaro with black stripes. And a 5-speed. This car is so fun to drive. The mileage is amazing. On the way up from seeing my sister I got 28 mpg. It is very easy to get the tires lit up also. If I had the choice Id go for the V8 any day, but the cost of gas and tires these days the V6 is just more practical.

• 

  Gets it done - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By John - March 29 - 3:07 pm

  Highly versatile truck does everything well. Just reached 50,000 miles with only a few cosmetic problems. Motor does a good job. Peppy, but no speed demon. Driver/front passenger in comfortable well laid out interior. Back seat room for children/ short trips only. 4.3L V-6 good torque/hp but geared for low-speed power & economy. Wide turning radius can be a problem in tight areas. Doesnt like quick turns either. Having bought the vehicle in one of its later years of production. I expected to have less fit & finish problems already worked out. Slightly disappointed with that. Still this highly versatile vehicle just "Getser done.

• 

  Worst mistake of my life - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Eric Maiden - March 29 - 2:20 pm

  At first I was excited to have my first brand new car but once the test drive was over and the paperwork was signed the nightmare began. My first day with the car I had a service airbag warning appear. Took it to the dealer they flashed the computer everything was OK or so I thought. Just before my first service I had noticed a bunch of extra wind noise in the cabin so when I talked to the dealership they said no problem we will fix it. However during the visit to the shop my brand new car was backed into a pole ... They tried to fix the damage but only caused more problems scratches in the plastic dents in the rocker panels paint runs ... It took over 9 months to get it back to brand new status and the noise in the cockpit was still there. The car will surge when it is first started until it gets up to operating temperature. I have had several oil leaks and it took 4 tries to get the intake manifold gasket fixed properly. The paint is flaking off that started at 40k miles the trunk button stopped working at 50k miles, have replaced all of the light bulbs (currently have 80k on the odometer) and at 78k miles the ac stopped working... Tried to get help from general motors but they refuse to admit I got a lemon I am currently in the market but will never buy another Chevy again

• 

  2003 Z71 4X4 - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By z71 - March 28 - 7:15 pm

  First off, not going to complain about MPG because I knew it when I bought it. 18 hwy, 14 city. 17 hwy with 6 passengers and a weeks worth of luggage. Drives great, like sitting up high. I have the Z71 package, handling is better than expected, parking is easy. We have two minivans as well, 4 kids and the Suburban is the vehicle of choice for long trips - only one that can hold all our luggage. Have the 2nd row captain chairs which makes it easier to access the third row, but not as easy as the minivans. That is the only advantage the minivans have. My wife preferred the minivan because of ease of access, but now she wants a Suburban when we replace hers, probably in 08.

• 

  Chevy Lumina - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Mike Munson - March 28 - 4:07 pm

  Car was essentially problem free till it had 120,000 miles on it then it required replacement of accessories. Engine and transmission was problem free other than valve cover gaskets started to leak at 70k. Limited passing power but gas mileage good. Plenty of headroom but could use more legroom. Nice large trunk. Good visability. Seats have almost no padding.