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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  1998 4wd Blazer - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Conrad - August 23 - 11:37 pm

  I keep thinking just one more repair and it will last me awhile. Door hinges replaced, oil lines replaced, intake manifold gaskets replaced , cat replaced, air cond replaced, blinker switch replaced, O2 sensor bad now the air conditioner is acting up again. Besides that, a decent auto, ha ha, Thinking of getting a full size. Gas mileage for the Blazer is the same as a full size truck these days. The newer 5.3 v-8s are getting close to 19 mpg on the highway, my Blazer is only 18 at best. I might as well have the room and power if the gas mileage is going to stink.

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  First review - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Marv Smith - August 19 - 3:43 am

  Sportside good looking.I have had many trucks, Chevys, fords, jeeps and dodge. I think the assembly quality has gone way down. Mostly interior fit is bad from the side window post to the driver door trim is not good. Outside front wheel whell is 1 inch different from right side. Splash covers are not the same. Center cup holder is a pain where it is.

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  Hot Radio/Drive Train Problems - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Debi - August 16 - 11:38 pm

  I have owned my Tahoe since December 2004. From the first day, both radios have been extrememly hot. So hot to the point you cannot keep your hands on them. Now for the past 3 months, the transmission slips, sometimes it sticks between neutral and drive. Sometimes the transmission kicks into drive, then slips back into neutral. This has been a horrible experience. The dealership cannot find any transmission problems. I have no idea why it is doing this, but, I am ready to end this Tahoe nightmare.

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  Trailin Blazer - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By "Trailin Blazer" - August 15 - 7:23 pm

  Its all in the name. I just bought this vehicle (my 1st Chevy or GM product) and everything about the way this car screams cruising. Yes it has the horses but it takes forever to get up there. The car does not accelerate. Its like being dragged out of bed to go to school when we were kids. It starts off VRRRRRR (do I really have to?) RRRROOOM. Once it gets there, its cruisin. This vehicle is for cruising only and its great for that purpose only. I have the EXT version LS equipped with the basics. Its about as long as a SUV can get. I was surprised at the horsepower this thing has. After owning nothing but foreign SUVs, this GM product has changed my thinking about domestic products.

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  2000 blazer - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By lavanah - August 15 - 1:02 pm

  It is in the shop for a lot of repairs. Bells and whistles means there is a lot to break. The tranny is gone at 113,000 and I have a porous engine block.

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  Wouldnt buy a Chevrolet - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Denise Cagle - August 10 - 12:35 pm

  I purchased my Malibu 3 years ago. I have not been happy at all. The first 2 weeks I had a flat tire. The next 3 months I broke down at a dealership and had to get an alternator and battery. Cost $587.00. I have had problems after problems. I just put 3 gaskets on in Feb of this year because I broke down on the road and the car overheated. I had someone that could do the work. NOT! Now 6 months later I have to get 3 new gaskets put on as the mechanic said he could fix it. That was $580.00 in February of 2005 and now I need new gaskets for $470.00. I just put on 2 new tires and had a vacuum leak because of these 3 gaskets. I spent $650.00 in July 2005. At the dealer they want to sell me a new car.

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  Cheap and Easy - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Jeff - August 9 - 12:46 pm

  I bought this vehicle used with 169k and have had no problems to date. I wanted a cheap SUV that was still in good condition. The body is good with no rust, the engine runs great, and the interior is still in very good condition. For $2,700, I know I got a great deal.

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  Impala Mechanical Quality - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mark - August 9 - 2:01 am

  Even though it was maintained to factory specs by the Chevy dealer and not driven hard, it has required a new transmission at 75,000 miles, new radiator fans at 70,000 miles, numerous power window motors and numerous batteries. The interior build quality is poor, especially the plastic trim pieces.

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  Bad Chevy - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By Bill - August 7 - 10:06 am

  This has been the minivan from hell. GM put in a new kind of head gasket. The bad news is that it has to be changed when you get a coolant leak anywhere from 40,000 to 60,000 miles. All kinds of electrical probiems. Stay away from the Ventures. If you have one, Good luck. Mine is in the shop now. This is going to be the 4th alternator put on in a year.

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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.