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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  Had Problems from the start - 1991 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Arianna - October 9 - 2:00 am

  I love my car however it has been nothing but problems since I bought it. I had to put new calipers on it, my seat belt doesnt work and the hood release broke as well plus it didnt have heat. My door handles broke off and it cost me 50.00 a piece for them. I had to put a new belt on it plus I have a few hole in my transmission line and my pan gasket keeps leaking.

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  Worst Purchase Ever Made - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Candyce - October 3 - 9:10 pm

  This is the worst decision I ever made. $18,000 down the drain. 3 days after I drove the Cobalt off of the lot, one of the fog lights went out. 2 weeks later, the other went out. The CD player often reads "ERR" and refuses to work, or says "NONE" when there is a CD in there, and wont eject the CD. A month after buying it, the front rims fell apart and my front grill is hanging half-way off. My emergency break and high beams lights flash/stay-on randomly when NEITHER are in use. And after only 17,000 k mi, the transmission went up. This car is of the cheapest quality and was the poorest investment I have ever made. Two thumbs down to the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt.

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  beware of this truck - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Pinky - October 1 - 2:00 am

  if your buying a used blazer from a dealer take it else were to get it certified, the one that i bought (supposed to have been cerified) had next to no brakes.....changed the fuel pump, egr valve.oxygene sensor,now my abs is acting up.........i DO NOT trust this truck to go out of town with....but it looks good and that is it...so beware people.not a good investment.....

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  Dont Buy a ZR-2 - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By Frenum - September 23 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has been a disappointment. Although it looks like a rugged offroad vehicle, it is still a weak S-10 underneath. To have any significant performance, several aftermarket engine mods (intake, exhaust) are required. The oversized tires put too much stress on the undersigned suspension, leading to frequent ball joint replacements, as well as idler, pitman arms, cv joints, etc. The springs quickly sag, and the small wheel wells will rub against the tires when turning. I am trading in my truck after 36,000 miles, with almost $3,000 in repairs.

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  lots of problems - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By chevywoman77 - September 22 - 2:00 am

  I bought this 1995 blazer... within a month of the purchase, i spent over $2000 dollars on it.........first of all, the brakes where very soft, so i replaced the master cylinder, again same problem....then the water pump, then EGR valve,,,then the oxygene sensor,,,,then upper lower ball joints...god knows what is next, very unreliable vehicule,,,,,,i guess i bought a lemon :-(

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  Gm has better lawyers than cars - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jim Magin - September 21 - 2:00 am

  Transmission went at low milage. Arnold Cheverolet put in salesmans car used transmission and gave me a bill saying they fixed mine. Still NG Remote door locks never worked Compass / temp doesnt work Rattles and squeeks

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  Junk! - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By nascarfan - September 13 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle ate batteries, ball joints fuel injecters and fuel pumps. Had to fix several oil leaks. It rides like a lumber truck, which makes the interor ratal and squeek and fall apart.

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  not worth it - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By alb - September 11 - 2:00 am

  Bought the truck new. Loved the way it felt and road at first.Then things started to break. Had 5-7 recalls. Rear end went out at 60,000. Fuel injectors at 80,000. Cat. converter at 8500. Egr valve went out. I would get rid of it, but everytime I start to, something else breaks(water pump, alternator) and I fix it and keep it awhile longer.

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  Friends dont let friends drive Cavaliers - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By kray - September 8 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car for a little over a year, and I hate it. It looks good, but the transmission and clutch dont work well together. This is the only car I ever had that I wish was an automatic. The seats and other interier bits are cheap and wearing too fast. It doesnt handle very well, and it has far too many rattles and squeaks. I wish I would have spent more money on a better car.

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  dont waste your time - 1990 Chevrolet Beretta
  By nomorechevys - September 2 - 2:00 am

  i have never seen so many problems with a car within 3 years! i have had the brakes changed(pads and rotors) fuel pump, 4 of the 6 fuel injectors had to be changed, the altenator, and the transmission 2x. i finally got rid of the piece of junk when the thing wouldnt pass the emmissions test. it also just started getting transmission problems again. do a favor and look into foreign cars. HONDA. i disliked them at first(only because i was all for american) but now am a total believer in them.