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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  Love this truck! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By tomk - March 31 - 10:00 am

  Very fun truck. VERY practical truck. My wife drives it all over town haulling kids during the week. And on the weekend I drive it hauling concrete block and wallboard!!!

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  Love this truck! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By TomK - March 31 - 10:00 am

  Very fun truck. VERY practical truck. My wife drives it all over town haulling kids during the week. And on the weekend I drive it hauling concrete block and wallboard!!!

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  Need to work the bugs out! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Sgtpepper - March 31 - 10:00 am

  I am pleased with the vehicle overall but have had problems. I had the vehicle only two weeks when I noticed a whine in the rear. It turned out that the entire rear end needed to be replaced. Problems with electrical system Ive had to have the wiper motor replaced and now the recirculation fan on the a/c isnt working. Im also experiencing trouble with the automatic climate control system. Sometimes it blows cold and sometimes warm when set at 60 the fan speed changes even when it is set to manual control. I have also had occasions where the entire driver information system, including gauges, went dead on me. There is a wind noise issue with this vehicle.

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  malibu - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jamoak - March 31 - 2:00 am

  Solid car. Bought it as a cheap comuter and have been pleasantly surprised.

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  quick daily driver - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By 94impalaSS - March 31 - 2:00 am

  Very fast. Very affordable. Best performance value out there. Never had anything but scheduled maintenance. Yes, it has the stereotypical rattles. Handling and acceleration are extremely important to me. It will beat almost anything on the road. It certainly beats anything under 30 thousand. I use it as a daily driver and a winter car too. With traction control and snow tires, it is great in the winter. I absolutely love it. it is far, far, far, better than previous generation camaros!

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  Love this truck - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By bchamba - March 31 - 2:00 am

  This is the nicest riding auto I have ever owned. I have had a yukon, silverado, t100, and a Landcruiser, and I have to say this is the best riding and to me anyway, best looking truck ever. I got mine with all the bells and whistles, and I have had great luck with it so far.

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  Z71 rocks - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By cramer99 - March 31 - 2:00 am

  I love the truck it make long drives short.

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  Great Value - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Omalon - March 31 - 2:00 am

  Great car for tall people 67" and fun to drive.

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  Huge Mistake - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By onthefly - March 30 - 11:25 pm

  I purchased my Blazer used with only 8,500 miles on it. I had no problems at all until 32K. Alternator, battery, wiper motor, Dex-Cool sludge, engine oil cooler lines started leaking. I did all the repairs except I left the oil lines for the dealer. I really had no other problems until 72K. Oil cooler line leaking again, transmission slipping, brake caliper, 4WD semi engaging on its own, high speed vibration, heater core "crappy Dex-Cool". Spent $2300 and the dealer still cant fix the 4WD problem. I have taken very good care of this car,doing tune ups and fluid changes every year. I know I hate this car.

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  SS Muscle is Back - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Patrick - March 30 - 5:56 pm

  I am very pleased by the performance and handling of this FWD "muscle car" from GM. The ride is very civilized, however the seats are not well bolstered. GM removed about $1500 worth of optional equipment, such as the guage package, leather shifter and boot, and the passenger power seat (to mention a few). I found my 2003 SS to be more comfortable. If they had just left the creature comforts alone, and just added the V-8 and changed the front clip styling, they would have hit a home run. I get between 30 and 35 mpg on the highway/9-12 mpg in city driving. It is touchy keeping the DOD in 4 cyl. mode, but that does improve fuel economy by about 20%.