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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  Throwing My Money Away - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By disappointed - July 9 - 12:16 am

  By far the worst car I have ever owned. I bought it with 80,000 miles on it, and it was great for 15,000 miles and then the problems started. Distributor wires, the infamous EGR valve 3 times, fan clutch, tension pulley, power brake booster, master cylinder, exhaust, etc. Pretty much the same problems as others have with this car. It now sits in my driveway waiting to be fixed again. It has a rough idle and almost stalls, the brakes randomly stop working, and the exhaust sounds horrible. Last time I really drove it was in January. This is the first and last GM vehicle I will ever own.

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  Corvette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dallas Trinkle - July 8 - 10:36 pm

  Great mileage for a car of its power and performance. Braking, acceleration and steering are very good.

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  First HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By STU - July 8 - 7:50 pm

  Very peppy ride. This base unit has everything I need for a utility vehicle.

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  99 Monte Z34 well worth the $$$$ - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Marc99GT - July 8 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I bought this car for her in 11/98 and it has been fairly reliable. The glove box hinge support broke, but I was able to fix it. A Few lights on the radio buttons have blown, front rotors warp easily & the transmission slips on take-off. Otherwise, the car has been very reliable with no major problems at alomst 83K miles. It has not been back to the dealer since new and we are looking to buy an Impala LS.

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  Ice Blue Avalanche - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Skyhawk - July 8 - 10:00 am

  The service that I recieved at Jack Schmitt Chevy was excellent. The sales rep was Al Killingsworth, he was very knowledgabe and helpful in all matters. The Avalanche is a blast to drive.

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  Blazed a trail in my wallet - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Frank Perez - July 8 - 10:00 am

  first time buying a new car and less than 6 months 03 tblazer was in shop 2 times for climate control switch or whatever the a/c was not working dealer told me "when this happens again just to make me feel better hit the compressor with something" yeah ok whatever you say sir. very attractive car but something must be done if i am to be a repeat gm buyer

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  Z71 - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Monster - July 8 - 10:00 am

  My previous truck was a Ford Ranger, this truck is far better. Fun 4- wheeling.

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  Loving My SUV! - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By teresa Combs - July 8 - 7:30 am

  I would like to say that I went from a 2001 z28 camaro to this and am loving it. I wanted more room and something big enough fot the family but not to big. This gives me that and still looks sporty! The kids love it as well so I guess I killed 2 birds with one stone! Thank You Chevrolet, you won me over. I grew up in a Ford family but not anymore!

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  Roomy, Gadgeted-up Gas Guzzler Just OK - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Darin Lawson - July 8 - 7:06 am

  I swore Id never drive a Chevy again, but the employee-discount deal made a 2yr lease on this T-Blazer cheaper than the four-year-old Eddie Bauer I was looking at, so I relented. Took it through a car wash the other day; the top windshield molding blew off. My wife opened the door the other day; the inside door seal fell to the ground. Plasticy interior has had a couple rattles already. Biggest complaint is the lack of travel on the seats. Im 63 and cant get the seat low enough to feel like Im riding "in" the car, rather than "on" the car, plus no lumbar or lateral back support- my 96 Ford had a better seat. It aint bad, it just could be better..

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  Very Happy GM Truck Owner - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By C. Taylor - July 8 - 4:35 am

  For this very basic LS, I bought 18" Michelin Pilots (truck came with 16" Goodyears, I believe)- truck now gets average of 20 mpg. I put in many miles per annum - dont just accept the "myth" of poor mileage! Also, the smoother-riding, after-market tires enable my elderly parents to enjoy traveling in this high-riding limo.