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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  One bad buy - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By fishguy - September 5 - 5:28 pm

  Bought this car as a manager model with 2000+ miles. I dont know how a car can be built in this day that has such lousy brakes?! How can GM not know how to make brakes?! This car is loud and scratches with every bump. It has simply been one of the worst buys of my life time and Chevy will not see my money when I make my next purchase.

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  If you can keep it running, its great! - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By indy mom - September 3 - 3:08 am

  The Blazer has a lot of interior room & is easy to drive (when it is not being worked on). 4WD works great however, engine uses environmentally friendly (orange colored) coolant, which historically causes problems with the gaskets - I ended up dropping a new engine in it at 90,000 miles & now the computer is history at (110,000 miles). Good luck.

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  What happened General? - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By bob larson - September 1 - 5:17 pm

  In a little over 2 years, I have had all 4 window motors fail, the power drivers seat motor fail (glad I bought an extended warranty) and both tail light lenses replaced , which were on a recall. The ride is very comfortable, and the transmission is smooth. I would recommend the V-8. The inline 6 loses too much speed going uphill, as well as any incline. Overall, I have always owned General Motors products, but the experience Ive had since owning this vehicle have made me realize why the American manufacturers continue to lose market share.

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  Not bad considering... - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By ChevyOwner - August 31 - 11:47 pm

  Ive been mostly pleased with my S-10. The biggest problems have been having to replace both front wheel bearings twice--apparently a design flaw that has cost me $2400. And the gas gauge has stopped working and I cant see putting another $700 to replace the fuel sending unit to get it to work. Other than that, all major mechanical systems have continued to function to my expectations. It has 94,000 miles and starts every morning without a problem.

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  Colorado - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By bigredman - August 31 - 6:19 pm

  The Colorado is a great looking truck, on the outside that is. I would trade the interior of my truck for an older model S-10 anyday. The seats and door panels are both very cheap in appearance. In fact, the only good thing about the interior is the leg room. Im 65 and I fit very well.

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  Chevy Owner - Never Again! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Unhappy TB Owner - August 30 - 5:00 pm

  This was the worst Chevy I have ever owned. Previously, we were religous Chevy buyers...never again. The air conditioner broke, and it took the dealership 3 weeks to fix, the windshield wipers broke, the fuel tank split, and the engine needed to be replaced after 40K miles. This vehicle spent more time in the shop than it did on the road. We never used it for off-roading, or towing anything, it was mainly used for long highway trips. I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone! Dont be fooled by the nice exterior or interior...it is a piece of junk!

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  Reliability challenged - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By Reliability Issues - August 27 - 1:41 pm

  2 head gaskets and a transmission are a lot of expense. The rest of the car has held up well. We are switching to Mazda because everyone seems to have gone to longer vans, including Chevy.

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  Mediocre at best... - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Cecilia M - August 27 - 1:33 pm

  Im disappointed overall in this vechicle. The acceleration is poor, which affects me greatly as I communte 50 miles/day. Two blind spots in the back of the van when 3rd row seating is in place. Will definitely get rid of this vehicle within one year! Should have purchase the Explorer!

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  Not sure if it will last! - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By 1choice - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Bought mine as a GM certified used vehicle with 34400 on it. And like many others in the reviews, mine has been in the shop alot and I do take care of mine with routine maintenance! Shocks had to be replaced at 35000K, & seals at 36000K, pinion bearing, steering column problems, wheel bearing, rattles at the door trims, etc. The whole vehicle shudders at 60 - 65 MPH, and forget driving really fast like 75-80 MPH, it really shakes then! I bought this vehicle with the intent of keeping it for a long time, however, even with proper maintenance, I find myself wondering if it will last past 60000K!

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  I RECOMMEND BUYING A TOYOTA - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By DENNIS 75 - August 25 - 10:00 am

  All was well with the truck except for the windows, the driver seat,the speakers,the console,andpaint peeling off the ashtray. I didnt have any other problems with it until I decided to do the smart care engine and transmission flush. Since then the truck leaks engine and transmission oil at about a quart a day...,DONT GET IT...,I AM STILL HAVING TO BRING MY TRUCK BACK TO TRY TO GET IT RESOLVED...,ITS BEEN VERY FUSTRATING AND TIME CONSUMING...,THIS IS DEFINITELY THE LAST TIME I BUY AMERICAN THANKS TO THE RUDENESS AND POOR ATTITUDE OF TWO DEALER-SHIPS AND THEIR POOR RELATION ETHICS