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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  Bad truck, junk at best, lemon - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By HerbINMN - August 4 - 6:23 pm

  We sold our 2001 Z71 after just 8000 miles. After having it in the shop every two weeks for 8 months, we decided to unload it. We took a $10,000 loss on it, but the F150 we then reluctantly bought turned out to be our best vehicle ever. Gas mileage was also poor at 12/14 and it didnt have much power for a V8.

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  Ava-Lemon - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Ryan - August 4 - 3:58 pm

  I love the looks of the truck, but unfortunately it has started to fall apart. So far the front right axle seal had to be replaced, the battery started leaking battery acid all over the windshield washing resevoir causing it to leak the entirety of its fluid, theres a clunking noise in the front end, and theres also something wrong with the steering column. Itll be a miracle if I ever do business with GM ever again. The policies that their dealerships practice are not consumer friendly and at most have left me aggravated.

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  Spare Tire Falls Off! - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By SPARE TIRE FALLS OFF - August 4 - 2:33 pm

  A few months ago, while pulling into my driveway, my spare tire fell off of its holder on the bottom of my van. The cable that holds it on rotted away. I also talked to someone else that said that they actually had one come off of a Venture they were driving behind on the highway, barley avoiding a serious accident! GM told me that they would not take care of me on this because the van is out of warranty and this is normal wear and tear for this vehicle. WOW! The transmission had to be replaced before the 50,000 mile mark. The fuel injectors stick on it. Many mechanics I have talked to say this is a very common problem in this vehicle. I will never buy another GM product!

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  2005 Corvette Convertible - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Ray - August 4 - 2:29 pm

  I have about 4500 miles and the only thing I can find wrong is the way the top fits to the body. Have air noise at about 65 miles an hour. Not really a big deal when you have a car like this. Great car.

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  Less comfortable than my 2016 Equinox - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By RGB - August 4 - 2:26 pm

  Comparing my 2018 1.5L FWD and 2016 2.4L FWD Equinoxes: 2018 is worse for front seat comfort, interior road noise, and ride motions over rough pavement. The 2018 is better for city acceleration. The 2018 may be better for city fuel economy, but I need more miles to evaluate.

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  Nothing But Trouble - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Julie - August 4 - 1:40 pm

  We have had this car for 2 1/2 years now and it has been in the shop 12 times. The last visit was for a chirping noise when accelerating and the dealership said they called the GM headquarters and talked to the engineers and that the problem was "normal" and couldnt be fixed. Have also had electrical problems, preset radio stations disappearing, brake pads needing to be replaced, rotors fixed, and many other recalls. I think 12 times in for problems in only 2 1/2 years is excessive.

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  2005 Chevrolet Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jonathan Grills - August 4 - 10:08 am

  I Got a great deal on this car compared to the competitors. GM incentives saved me 25% off MSRP. Great ride and performance. Extrememly pleased with 200hp 6 cyl engine that gets over 37 mph on highway!

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  Good car, likes gas though - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Phil - August 4 - 3:43 am

  This has been a great car, It handles nicely for an SUV, and it runs like a champ. I love the V6 and 4WD, and the leather interior is awesome. Its my black beauty!

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  2005 Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By CPenn - August 4 - 12:54 am

  The Malibu was not built to last. The brake system should be retested on the 2005 Malibu basic sedan. Some of the interior parts started falling apart. The passenger flap visor fell off the second week of our purchase. The drivers side floor panel is too close to the gas pedal. It constantly became loose if it touched too much. Took a trip to the Washington Zoo from Richmond, Virginia and the ride was smooth, but the drivers seat started getting uncomfortable after an hour and a half of driving.

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  Love it, but major problems - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Pat - August 3 - 7:46 pm

  I love the looks of the car inside and outside. Still gets looks and compliments. However, I have had major repair problems. They began at 68,000 miles when the transmission had to be replaced at a price of $2,800, the entire ingnition system at a price of $700.00, heating thermostat which cost only $30.00, but had labor of $300.00, and lastly a wheel bearing at $200.00. Items that do not work properly are the turn signals, that only work when they want to, the steering wheel that has a vibration and now recently the window switch is going out on the drivers side. Driverss side seat heater quit working at about 50,000 miles.