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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  Great little truck - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By dlr - January 31 - 2:09 am

  I have owned small trucks for 30 years, starting with Datsun, 2 Mazdas, a Toyota, and now an S-10. This truck has been great so far....everything works, its economical (over 23mpg in town, with canopy), very comfortable (Im 61", 250lbs), and fun to drive. The rig also came with more accessories as standard then any other truck Ive owned. I used my GM card to discount it to $8000 cash....I have been offered more than I paid for it by my brother, who is also impressed. The last small truck I had was a 90 Toyota, which was a great little truck too, but didnt have near the amenities and cost $7000 in 90 (after much haggling with the dealer). The Mazdas scored less-so.

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  Great value car - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Larry Caffee - January 30 - 2:06 pm

  Have gotten 32 mpg, live in a rual area. Car rides and drives great, love the 16 inch wheels, I do get road noise on certain highways, but I can live with that. Its a great value for the buck, will buy another. Have owned Chevys before.

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  I love this truck.. - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Xplorer021 - January 29 - 3:50 pm

  This truck is awesome. You get so much versatility with it. I bought the tent to go caming in and it works great. On long road trips with friends the waterproof bed is more than enough to keep everyones luggage dry and there is more than enough room for all of the luggage. I can load it up with a trailer of 3 ATVs and have six people ride comfortably and still have room for 3 dogs in the back with 2 large coolers. The dogs love it. They ride great under the covers sleeping most of the time and you dont have to worry about them jumping out. We take the one closest to the back window off to give them plenty of air. There is plenty of leg room for everyone and cupholders. Great overall buy.

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  A great family vehicle - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By djwildcat19742 - January 29 - 12:44 pm

  Ive owned my Blazer for a little over a year now and when I bought it the truck had over 130,000 miles on it. It still runs and looks like a dream, and as a matter of fact, my husband and I show it. I think its a great value vehicle. Big enough for family and friends to ride along, and the ride is comfortable.

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  Best Truck Ive Owned Yet - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By Big Kat - January 29 - 9:19 am

  S-10 Crew Cab LS 4WD! Yes, it is great to drive, and own. After a few full size trucks (and very poor mileage), I was looking for a smaller, more practical family vehicle, and still wanted a truck. My wife has a 98 Astro Van with the 4.3 Vortec V-6. The S-10 Crew Cab was one of my first choices. Great power, loaded with every possible option. I get 16-17 MPG in town, and 20-23 on the highway. Awesome deal as I bought this slightly used lease return (10,000 miles on it), so the deal was great as well! I will keep this one a while. Has plenty of room for family and a fun truck that I can use to haul things around in. I put a fiberglass topper on it, looks like a Tahoe!

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  TRAILBLAZER 2002 - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By CEMKA - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. WAS SO HAPPY WHEN BOUGHT IT, BUT VERY SOON BECAME VERY DISSAPOINTED WITH ALL PROBLEMS - EVERY TIME SOMETHING NEW. HOPEFULLY,ONLY THIS PARTICULAR CAR IS BAD.

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  Satisfied Trailblazer owner - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By genemo3 - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I special ordered the car and it arrived with the exact equipment ordered with not a scratch or blemish. I got the 3.42 rear end and the milage has been +-18.0 from the start with 1,500 miles of suburban driving. Just a great car to drive.

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  97K miles and going strong - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By JNM - January 28 - 10:18 pm

  I purchased my car in 2000 w/ 27000 miles on it. I have been in two front- end accidents with this car (one being quite major). After reading the other reviews, I thought to myself that I must have the best 98 Malibu ever built. I have NEVER had anything major wrong with this car. The most I have ever had to spend in the shop at one time is $200, and that was just recently for high mileage maintence. This car has 97K miles on it now. The only reason why Im selling it is because of the mileage factor. This car has treated me very well, and I drive like a maniac!

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  Dont Judge a Book by its Cover - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Frasier - January 28 - 8:53 pm

  I purchased my Lumina in 2013 at 200,000 miles for $1100. I put another $500 in to replace the tie rods and rotors. 3 Years and 35,000 miles later, I have only had to replace the spark plugs and oxygen sensor. In terms of reliability and maintenance cost, this car is positively wonderful. The car itself will fall apart before the engine ever dies out on you as long as you take care of it. It does burn oil, but that is to be expected for a car with this many miles on it. If you have the opportunity to pick up a high mileage Lumina for cheap without major engine problems, I would highly recommend it.

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  Great pickup, strong drivetrain - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By RyanZ - January 28 - 1:26 pm

  Excellent truck. Good strong drivetrain with acceptable fuel mileage. Useability is great with the longbed. A standard cd player would have been nice, but its a good transportation truck that is great on long trips. Cant wait for deer season. Gas mileage will increase as time goes on and mileage piles on.