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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  Garbage Motors - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Garbage Motors - June 6 - 1:10 am

  DItto, on the complaints, The american car manufactures, just lost me permanently, first i would not chrysler crap, ford screwed me badly in the 80s havent owned since. All I drove till now was GM, Guess what dummies, no more. Objects and vehicles disappear behind the review mirror, the windshield view area is too shallow (dash to roofline) break squeaks below 5 mph, sloshing fuel tank, drive line clunks, bumps thumps, and the hollow core feeling mush seats lousy.

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  Transmission & Wiring Disaster - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By disgusted - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Automatic transmission problems one mile from dealer after purchase new at Lou Wollam Chevrolet. Dealer unable to fix after 8 visits. Went to another Chevrolet dealer who told me the vehicle was unsafe to drive. This dealer replaced the transmission under warranty at 3000 miles. Numerous problems with wiring shorted out causing complete failure to operate.

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  Oh My God!!! - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By gcd - June 1 - 2:00 am

  I have had everyhting break that you can imagine. Water pump, 3 alternators, exhaust pipe, universal joint, power seat, blower motor, fuel pump, a/c compressor, wiper switch, and a coolant leak on the intake manifold. And of course it all happened after the warranty. JUNK!!!!! Only has 70K miles.

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  Need better Quality - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By T.Longino - May 31 - 10:00 am

  I repair many vehicles in my area. I have always been a GM owner, But GM is getting to much electronic junk on their vehicles. The GM dealers are having trouble keeping them running. Delphi company is killing GM. Vehicles need to be rated by serviceability.Check the hours it takes to replace a/c evaporator core in new trucks. I tell my customers to check labor time on most frequent replaced parts. Thank you

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  nothing but trouble - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jeb11233234 - May 28 - 2:00 am

  I would highly recommend that you do not buy a cavalier. Maybe the newer models are better but I bought mine, a 95 a year ago and its worth about $1500 - $1900 because it has 128000 miles on it. The it takes a lot of oil and has leaked antifreeze into the engine. This costs between $800 and $1200 to fix so I plan on maybe selling it to a junkyard for a couple hundred dollars. It has been nothing but a pain in the ass to pay for the upkeep of this car. Get a honda.

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  Dont buy this truck without a diesel - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Robert - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Truck constantly hunts for gears while going up a hill. I notified dealer immediately and they told me to let it break in. Notified GM and they said speak to the dealer. Dealer transmission guy plugged truck into computer and took it on a test drive and was able to experience the same issue. GM says that the vehicle is operating as designed! I guess the Toyotas were operating as designed too when the accelerators stuck and killed people! Poor design. GM needs to fix this. Do not buy this truck with a gas engine!

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  old ladys car - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By joeyjoejimbob - May 16 - 2:00 am

  I have but 2 comment this vehicle is for people who are not endowed with height or overly big because there is very little space between the two front seat occupants. This vehicle also lacks any type of pick-up and at times feels that there are 2 squirrels on a treadmill underneath the front hood.

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  crap! - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By lbs - May 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car to take back and forth to college. Every time i get in it i get a headache from the wind noise. The car is not well insulated and every little noise is heard. I have to keep the radio loud to even hear it over the noise. i have had to replace the alternator and the starter and a few batteries. I also had major problems with the AC like five times. All around it is more trouble than it is worth.

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  BAD BLAZER - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By jecreech - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I am a mechanic and this is my wifes primary vehicle I am amazed these things sell like they do considering the common problems I see with them the cooling system is a major problem which GM denies they have also used faulty materials in the manufacturing such as the transmisson dipsticks and tubes that are very prone to rust at this point in time I have no desire to own any more GM vehicles

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  A Real Disappointment - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By BHK - May 9 - 2:00 am

  I have never had a car with more problems than the Suburban. In 3 years, we have replaced a transmission, power steering (twice), speed sensor, manifold gasket (the list goes on and on). It is amazing that in 40+ years of making this car, it still has so many shortcomings. And, by the way, dont believe the mileage estimates -- youll get 12mpg if you are lucky!