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:

• 

  Great little truck - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By jpr - April 26 - 9:24 pm

  For the money, my S-10 has been great so far. The 4 cyl 2.2L is shy on horsepower, but great on mileage. I average about 26MPG., with most miles around town. I have had no problems at all, and the rig was 50% less than the comparable Toyota. I would not recommend an automatic with the 2.2L engine. Also, dont drive with the vehicle venting system on defrost if you dont have to, as you are running the compressor, and will reduce mileage by 10%, as well as power. My 5th small truck, and my favorite so far (Mazda, Toyota, Datsun in past, although the Toyota was a great rig too).

• 

  Minivan Comeback - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By Felix - April 26 - 11:31 am

  Great vehicle for family. Handles like a car and good gas economy. Not too sure about the auto-daylights running all the time.

• 

  It was a good choice to buy the Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Marge in Ohio - April 26 - 2:40 am

  After checking several other SUVs I decided to purchase the Equinox and Im very satisfied with its performance.

• 

  Great Truck - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By D. Karl - April 25 - 6:12 pm

  Ive always been a truck owner. Ive had my S-10 for 10 years. I like the ride... handles well enough, but a pleasant ride. Interior is fine for me seat color hides dirt. Just an all round nice vehicle. In 10 years and 150,000 miles the only repairs were EGR valve, alternator and wiper hose.

• 

  Nice Truck - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By Joey Anterola - April 25 - 2:15 pm

  Nice truck, no horsepower... still very nice interior and stylish exterior. No complaints... except no horsepower...

• 

  Its not a van but a SUVan - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Dawn - April 25 - 11:19 am

  I enjoy driving this van it handles good in snow and rain. I love everything about this van!! I love how it gets up and goes when youre trying to get on to the expressway. And its easy on gas (especially with the prices as high as they are).

• 

  Satisfied - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By 06Monte - April 25 - 11:13 am

  I purchased my Monte new while I worked at the dealership. The first 50,000 miles had very few problems with it. The only really thing was that I blew a power steering line and the junk tire pressure sensors. I had the keyless entry system (which reads the tire pressure sensors) replaced twice. And numerous amounts of sensors replaced before it fixed itself. After 50,000 the GMPP warranty paid for itself. Had control arms, wheel bearings, and tie rods replaced all at once. Had oil rings in the engine seize and had 8 new pistons and rings installed. Trust me I take care of this car! Nothing but 92+ octane and synthetic oil every 5,000 miles. All maintanence performed regularly.

• 

  Tried and True - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By comeback - April 25 - 2:57 am

  Basic transportation to be sure, but with good economy, a/c, cd, ps & pb and cruise for a low purchase price. I drive +-30K/yr so Ill drive it for 3-4 years or so. Dont worry about getting door dings or scratches, resale will surely be low on this car - but who cares? Yyou didnt have to mortgage the house to buy it. Trade it in on something else when you need to. It will likely be reliable, economical and safe transportation.

• 

  2005 Corvette w/ Z51 package - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Tucson Firefighter - April 25 - 2:26 am

  This car will amaze you with its ability to track accurately and at high "g" loads in complete comfort and with complete confidence. The engine torque and the gearing of the car are very well matched to the available traction of the tires at a given speed. There are no sudden spikes in power, (spikes that give the sensation of lots of power but actually come at the expense of a loss of overall power),just a constant increase with rpm. There is a "fat" or "sweet spot" of power output from around 5000 to 6500 rpm, however. The car is quiet and powerful. The car is very comfortable and agile. The car is absolutely stunning in Daytona Sunset Orange paint.

• 

  Good car. - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Chevyguy - April 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used at 115,000 miles and was told that the transmission was replaced at 100,000. Other than that the car has had no major repair work done. Two weeks after I bought it however, the alternator went dead. Luckily, it was the LS 3.1 liter (one of GMs best engines I believe) It took me about 30 minutes to replace it with a new alternator. ($90) No problems since. Runs very well.