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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  Good drive, great looks - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By ashbellini - March 28 - 6:47 pm

  We bought this car after almost a month of hunting. With two small children it was not my first choice of vehicles, but I have grown to love the roomy interior and reliability. Plus we constantly get compliments on the how nice it looks. Now that we are hunting for another car we first check out the other Blazers on the lot.

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  Mine is a lemon - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Santha - March 28 - 2:22 pm

  I bought my 2003 Chevrolet Blazer in July of 2003. My exhaust pops when it cools down, every single time you turn the car off. There is no "fix" for this problem. I am dealing with GM and the better business bureau. I am totally unhappy with GM and my Blazer. I have had the radio replaced. Terrible for blind spots.

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  My First Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Dan Marshall - March 27 - 5:13 pm

  Excellent and fun truck to drive. Fell in love with it when I first saw it.

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  My daily driver still makes me smile. - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dean - March 27 - 2:38 am

  I had always wanted a Corvette, so when I could finally afford and justify one, I bought a loaded 1999 Coupe 6-speed Z-51 model. It has been my daily driver and I put on an average of 18,000 miles a year. I have never had any problems with the car except for a steering column lock problem that was corrected with a recall. I have had absolutely no repair or mechanical costs for the car outside of fuel and regular maintenance (oil changes, tires, air/fuel filter, battery replacement). This car has been an absolute breeze to take care of and has been extremely reliable. It is smooth as silk on the highway and is a blast to drive. I will always drive a Corvette.

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  Still new - no problems - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By JTL - March 26 - 6:05 pm

  Like it alot but a little loose in the handling. Quiet and a great turning radius. Gas mileage average for an SUV. No surprise. In line 6 very quiet. Rides well - seats hard but that is good.

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  Not that great - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Scott - March 26 - 4:13 pm

  My wife and I love the look and feel of our Trailblazer but the reliability is what brings us down. Transmission went out at 25,000 miles and dealership kept car for 3 weeks to fix it. ENORMOUS amount of AC problems over the last 1 1/2 years. Dealership can sometimes "duplicate" problem and they just keep replacing parts but nothing on the AC gets fixed. Also, the clock will sometimes change to a totally different time by itself (jump ahead a few hours and minutes). One time, the complete dashboard electrical system just went out (all the displays and the speedomoter). I got it to come back on after I turned the engine off and on again. Car sometimes has trouble starting too.

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  Its Maxximum Love - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By oldntired1950 - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Ive only had the Maxx for a couple of weeks, but so far its lived up to every expectation. The interior is comfortable and well thought out. The seat, steering and pedal adjustments mean that anyone, including my 49" wife can find a comfortable position. The engine has plenty of power and the brakes are great. Even the electric steering that I had heard such terrible things about provides ease in parking and decent feel on the highway. I love the bells and whistles like the automatic climate control, automatic light control, the XM radio and OnStar. I think that the General has finally given us a winner!

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  rachels cavalier - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rachel belcher - March 26 - 2:00 am

  its great, i love it

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  great truck - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By john brady - March 26 - 2:00 am

  first chevy in 40 years,boy I Been missing out on a great ride

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  Great van, handles great. - 2004 Chevrolet Express
  By Tim - March 26 - 1:03 am

  This van rides and handles great. Bought a new 2004 Express Low top Chariot conversion. Very comfortable on trips or around town. Average highway mpg is over 20. Not bad for a big van. Only suggestion is they replace cheap plastic arm rest on door with a padded material.