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 love my Tahoe! - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Nyckeee - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Great Truck! Bumper to Bumper warantee is amazing!

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  good truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By vcz - January 21 - 10:00 am

  The roof should be stronger, and the paint should be more durable.

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  Doomed from the factory - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By bf23 - January 20 - 10:35 pm

  These Blazers have problems. Cooling problems, engine problems, 4wd problems. They are expensive to fix. Spent over 2000 dollars in 2 months on the cooling system. Almost all Blazers build up coolant sludge, and the cooling system immediatly starts to break down. Not worth it. Do yourself a favor and buy another car. The used sale price may be enticing, but the repairs are ridiculous. Its impossible to work on this car! Almost impossible to change the spark plug wires, and impossible to change the spark plugs. The drivers side has a steering rack running right by the plug, thus you cant get in there with a wrench.

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  Fun car to own and drive - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By vett owner - January 20 - 8:48 pm

  Just back from Florida and had a blast driving it. Its yellow so you cant miss it and it seems like everyone saw it both on the road and off. No matter where I stopped people walked over to look and ask questions.

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  Long term owner - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Lynn Hondo - January 20 - 7:06 pm

  I bought vehicle new in 1998. It has given me many years of almost trouble free performance. Ive only had two problems a sensor in the active handling system failed, which was replaced under warranty, and I encountered a steering wheel lockup. There was a recall for the steering wheel lock up that I had not taken care of, so I was somewhat at fault for having an untimely lock up. Ive read where a number of people have had the lock up. In my case the car was in a parking lot, I got in to leave and the steering wheel would not unlock. Had to tow into dealer for fix. The car is quick, and hard acceleration is a real kick. My driving style results in mileage of 24 miles per gallon.

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  Not sure? - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By raym2 - January 20 - 5:48 pm

  Ive owned both the Zr2 and the 4dr model. Should have kept the Zr2 and got rid of the 4dr. We went to Fla. on vacation in 04 and it got pretty good mileage(avg. 18.5 at an avg of 75 mph). Ive replaced a tie rod end, an idler arm and service engine light was on (under ext. war.), serp. belt, idler pulley and belt tensioner assembly due to sqeeking. Now service engine light is back on and in cold weather the service 4wd light comes on.

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  Colorado - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By colorado - January 20 - 11:34 am

  Starts right up at 20 below 0. Rides good. I will buy another one soon. Family and friends like it very much. Rides like a car on the interstate. Had no trouble going in snow .

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  Best Van Owned Out Of 12 - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By bernie - January 20 - 11:28 am

  This van by far is the most pleasurable to drive on long distances. Since May of 2005 I have logged 17,500 uneventful, trouble free miles. Ive been averaging 25 mpg over all, and as high as 28.5 mpg on are long trips to Florida, averaging 75 mph.

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  Hookem - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By BigHoss45 - January 20 - 4:17 am

  Ive owned my Burnt Orange (okay Sunset Metalic) Z66 for a little over 1 1/2 years now and have about 15,000 miles on it. It rides and handles just fine. And for a big truck the mileage is good. 14-15 mpg city and 17- 18 mgg highway. The popping noise in the front end is a bit disconcerting. But will take it in to my dealer for a fix.

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  Great Family Vehicle - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By ckp - January 19 - 10:47 pm

  Weve had out van for 3 years, and we love it. The dual power sliding doors, DVD entertainment, and 8 passenger seating are awesome. We drove 2006 Toyota and Honda models hoping to upgrade some new features, like the side windows that roll all the way down. There are some nice new toys, but all in all, the ride, comfort, and seating provided by our van cant be beat. We can still fit our family of 5 very comfortably in the van with the rear seat folded flat and loaded down for vacation. We didnt find any other van with seating that compared to the 3 buckets in ours. All the other features are still very similar. Buy a good used Venture, and save your money over the new versions.