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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  Best buy - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Don Trimm - January 18 - 10:00 am

  I would buy it again. I like the truck it has never let me down in any way. It has power to pull my gooseneck horse trailer,it does really well in 4-wheel drive. It hauls hay, feed, lumber, in 80000 miles I have never had any trouble out of it. Put the key in and turn the switch it starts and runs put it in gear and it goes put on the brakes and it stops you cant beat that.

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  First Chevrolet Truck Experience - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By BWSwmr - January 17 - 5:49 pm

  I received this truck in May as a company vehicle, and since picking it up new, it has 25,000 miles on it. Ive experienced only one problem with this vehicle - the coating on the radio buttons chips off, exposing the white plastic behind. All in all, the quality has been un-like that of any other American car Ive ever driven. Its solid, well designed, the interior is well executed, and its extremely quiet. I do find the driver and passenger seats extremely uncomfortable however - all though its a truck, and sits up high, the seats are essentially on the floor - leaving me with my knees in my chest when driving. Perhaps making all seats power would fix this??

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  Well... - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By gruntcrust - January 17 - 5:44 pm

  Considering that my previous car was a 1996 Saturn SL with 202k miles, this was a definite step up. This is a nice size beginner truck that I got at a wonderful price. It handles and rides nicely. However, I have had numerous problems that required 1 minor engine rebuild and two half engine rebuilds. Yikes! Got another problem fixed today. GM threw an additional 75K Major Guard at me, so I am happy. My friends 2K5 Nissan Frontier Crew is an overall nicer vehicle - it has the track system in the truck bed, better interior lighting, sunroof availability and more power. Mpg on Colorado is nice, though. I like my truck a lot, but if I "knew then what I know now", I wouldnt have bought it.

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  Disgusted with GM, Warranty is worthless - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By superb - January 17 - 4:56 pm

  I am totally disgusted with this car and wont purchase another GM product. Corvette was alway my dream car, my dreams were shattered when I bought my brand new 50th anniversary convertible. Many problems, including a leaky roof, 3 different dealers tell me nothing is wrong. After 5 attempts they finally replaced the rubber, guess what, it still leaks. This is just one of many problems with this car. If only the warranty were worth something. I might enjoy it if they would fix it.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Leroy - January 17 - 3:03 pm

  Only had one problem so far and it was in the first 500 miles. Had a bad squeak in the left front due to a dry (no grease) tie rod. Dealer replaced tie rod have had no more problems. Current mileage 13200

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  Great Little Sedan - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Kaysea - January 17 - 9:26 am

  This is a great family car, with enough room for Mom, Dad, and a couple of kids. Came with front dual airbags and there are rear seatbelts with shoulder straps and a special hook-up for an infant carseat. Makes me feel pretty safe. There is plenty of leg room for the average person and a good size trunk for lots of stuff. I find that the car handles very well and is fun to drive on the highway. It has real good pick-up. I like this car and friends that have driven my car have loved it too!!

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  2005 TrailBlazer - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By WRC - January 17 - 3:17 am

  Overall I am extremely satisfied with my TrailBlazer. I think there are a few improvements that could be made to better accomodate the driver and passengers but I am sure that Chevrolet will work out the kinks in years to come. Hopefully Chevrolet will find a way to increase the fuel economy on the TrailBlazer. This is my biggest complaint.

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  Love my Tahoe - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Celtfire - January 17 - 1:24 am

  I have owned my Tahoe for about 2 years. I absolutely LOVE it. The previous owner really rode it hard but she is still truckin. I had to put a rebuilt trany in her when I bought her but Ive had zero problems outside of the normal wear and tear. I just had a baby and I call her my rad mommy wagon. You wont catch me behind the wheel of a minivan. Her interior trim rattles inside at highway speeds and the windshield pops everytime I shut the door. The rear wiper desides when it wants to work and the paint on the top center of the hood is peeling. The CD player will not play when the truck is cold. All very minor problems that are easily corrected.

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  Love my Aveo - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By efrantz - January 16 - 11:50 pm

  I bought this car at the end of summer 2005. When I first saw it I thought it was very small on the outside. But once you get into the Aveo and drive it, youre suprised how much room there is. When i first drove it I was suprised with the spunk of the engine. The little thing is so fun to drive. I bought the LS sedan. I really think there should be more standard options in this Aveo. Like a better sound system, better speaker placement. I also think there needs to be more noise dampening. Road noise in this thing stinks. I will always be a Chevy fan first, but if they want to compete with Toyota and Honda I think there should be more options.

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  Good, but... - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By mattb - January 16 - 11:30 pm

  Overall I love my Impala. However, my transmission has slipped some... the tech said it was a bad solonoid valve that tends to go bad on all of them. The steering shaft had to be repacked and the dex-cool stuff turned into what looked like modeling clay. I converted it to green stuff. On the positive side would be the fuel economy, which is exceptional, the room, and the solidity of the car.