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:

• 

  Just bought it! - 1999 Chevrolet Metro
  By TiJon - January 27 - 11:18 pm

  I just purchased a 1999 Chevy Metro LSi 2-dr hatchback, it had 97400 miles on it at purchase. I got it because I needed a car that gets good gas mileage. So far, I am averaging 32.5 mpg. I have had to put in some work into it (i.e. tune up). For the mileage it has on it, the body & interior are in good shape no rust & a few dings. I got what I expected to buy for $3000 USD. I will keep track and update this site.

• 

  A very poor van - 2005 Chevrolet Venture
  By doowopdempsey - January 27 - 7:12 pm

  We have always leased vans and when we needed an 8 seater the Dodge Caravan didnt cut it. This car cant make it up gentle grades in the winter where the Dodge Caravan flew up them! It is way too low to the ground so when there is a bump in the road you hear a loud screech from the floor. It is very un- comfortable too.

• 

  TRAILBLAZER 101 - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Kemp Morris - January 27 - 6:46 pm

  I have put 60K on this truck.. it has never been in the shop for anything except the scheduled recalls. I have been off road 4x4 worked fine. This has been a great truck dependable. The key to these 4x4s is proper maitenence you must change your fluids.. I change all the fluids in the entire vehicle every 30k example rear diffs, transfer case, trans. etc (oil every 3500)and have used synthetic since day one. This has been a great vehicle. In comparison to everything in its class it has the best ride (smooth) of any of the SUV with solid rear axles

• 

  Cursed - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By StopDropRoll - January 27 - 4:06 pm

  I bought mine with 30,000 miles. Initially, it performed well. At 56,000 miles altinator, starter replaced, heater quit. Heater, despite repeated repair remains unreliable. Many problems detected related to the coolant GM used. Most of the interior plastic moldings have worked themselves loose. Both front doors sagged and had to have pins replaced. Car jack rattles in storage. Brake rotors warped, were difficult and expensive to replace. Substantial play has developed in the steering. The engine is strong, but not efficent. Averages 16 mpg. Mass flow sensor replaced at 90,000 miles. Catalytic converter replaced at 96,000 miles. Lifters had to be replaced at 112,000 miles.

• 

  so-so - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By db - January 27 - 12:06 pm

  Have owned my 2wd Blazer almost 5yrs. Will probably not own another. Love the performance and comfort. Gas mileage has slipped (22 17mpg). Had to have oil lines fixed, lost handle to pass.seat first wk I owned it. Hate the placement of the roof pillers. Drivers door hinge always loose. I take immaculate care of this car. Always drove GM cars. Will not buy this one again. GM can do better.

• 

  "Found On Road Dead" was meant for Chevy, not Ford - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Sierra - January 27 - 5:23 am

  I have a 2004 Chevrolet Impala with just over 100,000 miles. This was a 1 owner car at purchase & I am the second owner. In the beginning this car I felt like I was getting a great deal and a great car all in one. WRONG! If I could give this 0 stars all across the board, I would. Ive owned this car less than a year, and am on my SECOND transmission. Thats just the start. This year is notorious for a hard shift & a whole lot of jerking when shifting. Ive taken the car to multiple shops only to be told theres nothing to fix that problem. Anytime I take off, the car wants to do a burn out after first hesitating to go. As I reach 1st 2nd and 3rd gear, you can expect a kick from the transmission EVERY SINGLE TIME. As I said, 2nd transmission, still does the jerk & hard shift just as the 1st one did. This is a very common issue & one that shouldve been recalled and taken care of. The body isnt too bad until it starts rusting all over the place all of the sudden, rust here, there, and everywhere all within a month. Went from a great body to a rust bucket quickly. If thats not enough already, each time I put gas in the car doesnt want to start (also a common issue). Dont let me forget that when I push the TRUNK button, the ALARM sounds & the DOORS LOCK. Window motors have gone out 3 times all within the 1 yeah of ownership. Chevrolet has done nothing about any of these problems not only for me but for mostly anyone that has had this model & year. To say the least, Id buy a bicycle before I would EVER own another Chevrolet. Theyve lost a customer for life on this one.

• 

  IM A GIRL AND I LOVE MY MONSTER!!!!! - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By edyta - January 27 - 2:33 am

  CAMARO 2 LT/RS package.Im driving it for 2 months now and I love it !!!!!! However Im planning to get 2SS/RS to have even more fun.

• 

  Not getting close to the mpg rating - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By poormpg - January 26 - 10:59 pm

  I have almost 3K miles on the car. I get between 24 and 28mpg. I do 85% highway driving. I am calculating this based on the amount of fuel used not the on board computer. This car will never see mpg in the 30s. I am taking it back a second time to the dealer for this issue. Either something is wrong with it or they need to be sued for lying about the mpg this car supposedly gets. I drive 100miles per day and the mpg is the only thing I care about in a car. I exchanged this for an Audi A4 quatrro which is much more fun to drive and gets better mpg... I got 28mpg with it doing the same commute. I owned the Jetta TDI before and may go back to it if I cant at least get into the 30s....

• 

  What I never knew! - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Michael O - January 26 - 10:39 pm

  Here I am in the 40s ownering the best of the best, meaning Ive always believed foreign cars were the best no matter what it was. So after the last foreign vehicle I experience (Isuzu) with breaking down and losing time from work, finally decided to buy American! And let me tell you what a different, the ride the performance the look the feeling and very proud of owning an american builded suv s-10 blazer 4wd zr2. Going on 3.5 years strong and recommend it to anyone whos planning on buying a car or truck!

• 

  I love my car! - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By lia - January 26 - 2:00 pm

  I had a great experience with my Cavalier. I love its design. I have made some really long trips recently and motor is still excellent. I highly recommend it.