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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  Great Value - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By James OSullivan - August 3 - 6:28 pm

  Our TrailBlazer is two years old and has not required anything other than routine maintenance. The TrailBlazer has great pick-up, and is a very comfortable vehicle to transport the family around town. The stereo is the only thing that needs improvement.

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  Fun Ride - 2006 Chevrolet SSR
  By imHarley - August 3 - 6:19 pm

  This Little pickup is just as cool as my Chevy 1948 pro-street rod. I have owned a 2004 Vette and this truck feels better in the turns. Its just a blast to drive on winding roads. And the way it seems like GM put it together, upgrades should be a snap ( ram-air )

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  Great car for the money - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By ramond chiaramonte - August 3 - 1:06 pm

  My experience with the 2003 Impala LS is great. I would absolutely purchase another in the future. I find the ride and comfort of the car compare very well with much more expensive foreign cars, as well as the appearance. The upgraded stereo is the best I have ever heard in a car. The car also has great trunk space. I continually get positive comments about the car from my associates, many who own foreign cars. They are usally suprised when I tell them what kind of car it is. Often they do not realize it is a Chevrolet Impala. I would recomend this car to anyone without hesitation.

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  Love to drive it-just dont hit anything - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Paula Morra - August 3 - 4:55 am

  I am the second owner of my 2000 Malibu LS and I love it. The multi-adjustable drivers seat makes for very comfortable driving. It is a 6 cylinder so has good pickup and the engine runs quietly. The interior is nice and has extra storage in the console. However, the front end of this car has been wrecked twice, once by my daughter and once by myself. Both times we were traveling under 25 MPH. The other cars involved sustained very minimal damage. The Malibu however, sustained an awful lot of damage for the impact it incurred. The front bumper is plastic, therefore damages (falls partially off) very easily, along with some other parts of the front end, both times topping $3000 in damage.

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  Buy the Extended Warranty - 2003 Chevrolet Express
  By Bill - August 3 - 12:04 am

  I bought this vehicle to haul our six kids around, and had many problems due to poor GM quality (just get it through the bumper-to-bumper wty). For over $30,000 you dont get much for your money except a big 6.0L V8 engine: no rear cupholders, no rear headrests, rear bench seats uncomfortable for adults, poor fit and finish, and plastic parts break easily. Even with rear A/C it struggles to keep cool on 90 degree days. OEM tires needed replacing at less than 30K miles. Been recalled three times. Problems before 36K miles: radio failed, plastic window latch broke, door switch broke, door latch broke. Front bearings separated at 37K miles. A/C leak at 38K, rotors warped at 40K, window switch fail at 42K

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  The Corvette C-6 cant be compared - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Mary - August 2 - 6:40 pm

  Chevrolete made all the changes on the C-6 that I would like to have seen on my 2000 C-5 and them some. This car exceeds my expectations as a Corvette lover. The moment I saw the C-6 in person I was trading up. Way up. It is no doubt the most sports car for the price. The pictures and TV ads do not do adequate justice to the appearance of the car in person. My car insurance went down due to the additional safety features. The C-6 is a head turner.

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  OK, but no big trophy - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Dale Dzielski - August 2 - 5:20 pm

  When we drove it off the lot we had problems. The tire was bad to begin with, the OnStar antenna was missing, the lug covers were missing. We had messages coming up on the dash several times for brake sensor problems. The air conditioner went bad in only over 20K miles. Cargo area is nicely converted from 6 passenger to open hull. Didnt like the turn off switch for backing warning. My daughter turned off the warning because it was beeping and my wife backed into a wall. I believe there was a recall for the automatic doors. We seemed to constantly have something wrong with it. Rides nice on interestate. Washy handling around curves (live in WV). Overall OK, but not the best auto.

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  Love this truck - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By kel - August 2 - 4:03 pm

  So far I am very happy with this SUV. Its very roomy. It handles well, although turning radius is not that great. The gas mileage is good considering the size. My only cons are the window controls, and the cheap cupholders.

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  Call it a Cavalier, No Comparison - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Itsnotacavalier - August 2 - 4:00 pm

  Great mileage, powerful 4 cyl. I absolutelyy recomend the Pioneer Sound for a measly $150.00. Could use a little less body roll. but that is easily fixed. Excellent ride, quiet, great interior, White face gauges are quite nice. This is the best small car for the money. Electric steering rocks. Interior fabric has a spendy sport car feel!!

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  This is an expensive car to take care of - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Stacey Klein - August 2 - 12:48 pm

  I bought a Blazer when I was pregnant with my first child. At first it was comfortable. Not a month went by that the Check Engine LIght didnt come on. This SUV has been in and out of the garage for so many things that we had to open up a savings account just to put money aside for repairs. The 4x4 doesnt work, heater core went twice, ABS is horrible in snow. The only thing I can say is that the leather interior was nice and the outside was sharp looking. The thing just was a money pit and I had to get rid of it.