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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  Big Block could tow my house! - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By shenandoah75 - November 9 - 7:05 pm

  I had nothing but problems with an 2003 LS C2500 with the 6.0 engine - mostly electrical. Sold it just prior to going out of warranty and went with this as its replacement. GM can engineer a vehicle - they are awesome at at. But they still have quality problems no matter what theyre marketing department puts out in commercials (esp in these vehicles out of Mexico). Air Bag connectors, EBMC (brake controleer), axle seals... Were tlaking basic components here. Quality asside, the 2500 is a niche vehicle meant not for soccer moms, but for families with serious towing/hauling needs. And that it does well, the 8.1 flies even with interior filled and pulling 6000 lbs behind it.

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  gas guzzler - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By bogey54 - November 9 - 1:30 am

  Fairly satisfied with vehicle. Fuel economy is VERY FAR below advertised, and no, I dont have a heavy foot. I average about 18 mpg - the car was advertised as 25-30 mpg. This is including city (40%) and highway (60%) miles.

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  Proud to be a Blazer owner - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Blue Devil - November 9 - 1:00 am

  Purchased it this past week end its a great truck and anyone considering it should look for a low mileage example, which had been taken car of, mine is one of these and it runs great great pick up and go, 4x4 system easy to use, love the compass and temp. display as well as the overhead console. It is a great vehicle that when properly maintained will last a long time

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  No real problems - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Like my car - November 8 - 4:35 pm

  The car is roomy, and reasonably comfortable. I have not had the problems like I have read about but I have had the 1&2 setting on blower switch go out. The car feels solid and has plenty of get up and go for merging into traffic. I would like headlights that I could shut off if I wanted to, but really it automatic lights are a better idea so I dont have to remember. Car has 64000 miles and the water light came on. Took it to shop and they replaced a gasket. It was under warranty so it dod not cost much. The interior seems chintzy. Cheap pastic buttons and switches, but at least it is reliable.

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  Lots for your money - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Doreen - November 8 - 1:53 pm

  If you dont drive a lot of miles, the low MPG wont make too much difference. (This was actually cheaper for me to lease than a less expensive vehicle because of special GM rebates, even with the high gas prices.) Comfortable ride and lots of options and cool little features with the Info Center! The wind noise is noticeable, but the nice sound system will make you forget about it. Drives more like a car than a truck. Has lots of room for people and stuff. The dash controls have more knobs than buttons, so you can turn to your choice directly, instead of pushing a button 10 times to get there. Subtle, but nice. Overall, a great car/truck.

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  Yeah, baby! - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Big E - November 8 - 1:42 pm

  Ive been waiting a long time to be able to buy a Tahoe, and Im not disappointed. The CD player stopped working recently and OnStar did not work when new. Dealer service and satisfaction has been excellent and way more than I expected.

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  Goes in snow - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By VailMtnCar - November 7 - 4:26 pm

  In 135K commercial use only repair was a window motor. Did get it stuck once also (operator-error). Rides like a dream with tons of room but still gets 17mpg. Just bought another one for the fleet. Its a lot of car for 14K in the used market.

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  My truck - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By Gilgal - November 7 - 3:59 pm

  I replaced the rear end twice in the first year I owned it. I have had the have the third door hand replaced and it is broken again. Neither of the seats recline anymore, both handles broke.

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  My first electric car - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By Zacattack - November 7 - 10:47 am

  Just got the car yesterday, to soon to evaluate some of the questions. Very excited to see the economic savings. Will review in three to six months

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  Fun truck - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By LFD54 - November 7 - 3:06 am

  Now with gas prices falling, I went out on a limb and bought a full size. I love the ride, especially the lack of road noise. The gas mileage could be better, but the Silverado is doing better than the others. After recently owning a 2000 Dodge 1500 and a 2003 Ford F150, this Silverado has everything in a much better package. The tranny, throttle and braking are a bit touchy, so something I need to get used to.