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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  Lovin my truck - 1993 Chevrolet S-10
  By ahooters - July 17 - 4:41 am

  Totally in love with this truck, though it needs a little tlc I really am enjoying the time and effort I am putting into this truck. I would of never wanted a better first time truck to learn all my mechanics on. She is totally built to last and take me any where I want to go. I have had to do some routine fixing like brakes and muffler, there was a little bit of a problem with the transmission leaking but it was just a minor fall back. The body on her was immaculate and the interior is beautiful. I have taken out the middle console and am in the midst of changing the bucket seats. I am going to eventually put a bit of a lift on her but just so that 4x4 is a little bit more of an ease.

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  2002 z24 and the mew 2003 model - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Ryan V. - July 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought the 2002 z24 that came with the Ecotec in Canada. Although it lost 10 hp from the previous 2.4L engine, the car still has respectable power from 150 ft lbs of torque. Im pretty sure this model is identical to the new 2003 design; the only differences being the design and some interior bits. The build quality is below average and the materials used is also below par. The tweaked suspension gives it a grippy handle on the road; thats a plus. This car gives you what you paid for. If it was 5,000-7,000 more I wouldnt have bought it.

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  4WD but only have 2WD - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bill Heard - July 13 - 2:00 am

  Engineers still working on this one. At about 350 miles service 4wd light comes on although truck had never been placed in 4WD. Two trip to service dept service tech gives us GM document #1243149 dated 2/14/03, that says there is no permanent fix for this problem at this time, however if you dont use the 4WD you can just unhook it. Bought truck about one month after document. Assure me it will be fixed just dont know when. Very disappointed with lack of help from dealership and Chevrolet.

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  Getting ready to say goodbye... - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Becky - July 12 - 10:31 pm

  Ive had my Malibu for a few years and it is with mixed emotions that I say goodbye. However, my extended warranty is now up and that cant be good! I have 93,000 miles on it and it is overall in good shape minus a few dings. I like the car, but not the problems, especially the brakes! I have had them replaced twice (including rotors) in the 4 years Ive had it, plus the alternator, water pump and various belts. Im sticking with Chevrolet and hoping Ill have less headaches with my new purchase.

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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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  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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  Problems from the word go - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By hatemyventure - July 3 - 12:52 am

  Our van has had problems from the word go. Within two months our driver side window had problems going up and the interior roof liner began sagging. The window, we were always told was due to sand in the track. This is not the case.The liner we were told was a known problem but the engineers dont know how to fix it. Two years and two seasons of owning our van, our condenser for the air conditioning went. We were told it was due to a bad weld but chevy refused to fix it because we were past the warranty in miles. They did offer to fix a head gasket that we were not aware was problematic. In the end before our two year ownership anniversary the van needed $2300 worth of uncovered work.

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  A fair car for the price, BUT. - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Chaps Joo - July 1 - 6:45 pm

  I bought a three-year old car. Now it has 65K miles after driving it for 3 years. The gas pedal is reponsive enough since I have been utilizing it at high RPM. The steering is fairly good up to 85 MPH. Comfort? Are you kidding? It is a compact car. I am not sure about its reliability. It had three times of mechanical maintenance except oil, tire & spark plug changes. 1. The engine light kept on due to carbon built inside the engine chamber. I use Octane 87 gas. 2. The alternate became bad. 3. I replaced the whole A/C compressor and related system (costs over $800). I am expecting more repair works sooner or later. If you want a used Cavalier, please think it again.

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  A Good Value to Date - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By spudislander - June 30 - 1:17 am

  I purchased my Cavalier new in 2004. I felt the GM discount price incentive was too good to pass up. I used part of the discount to purchase 160,000 km powertrain warranty. I now have 30,000 kms on the car, have had no problems and am quite satisfied with my purchase for the money.

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  Wish there were no problems - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Denise - June 29 - 5:02 pm

  My car has had some issues. My windows needed to be repaired two times under initial warranty. Make rear seat came off tracking and needed repair. My trunk latch has issues and needs to be closed several times before latching. With all the shutting, the spoiler has cracked and need to take it into the dealership. I got a nice blue color which I loved but the car has so many scratches, it looks pathetic. This was the first brand new car I purchased and have been very disappointed. BTW - wheels on sports model are VERY expensive to replace if a flat hurts rim. The car also uses special oil filter which some places charge an extra $10 to change.