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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  02 Ride - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By kmanion - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Good all around vehicle. Excellent work vehicle.

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  Excellent Vehicle! - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By avusblue - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Fantastic all around vehicle! Great design, great styling, great power. Very comfortable seats, tall riding position, and easy to see out of. Terrific blend of a manageable size (200" length is less than many cars), with great passenger space and cargo utility. Also, the Tahoe turns very tightly in parking situations - very impressive for a large vehicle. The Z71 trim brings a firmer, more solid ride (which I like) and a more unique look. My only regret is that I didnt get a Tahoe earlier.

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  Do Not Purchase if you Live in Your Car - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Kim D - October 24 - 7:34 pm

  I bought this car because it was a good deal and had good ratings. However, I drive a lot and thus have made a lot of repairs to this car. In its first five years, I had a sensor go out, a major oil leak, a major radiator leak, and a passenger windshield wiper quit working. I was recently in a minor car accident, and while I would consider this car a safe car, it basically folded in the trunk and was deemed a total loss. I think the MPG was great, and the car was roomy--especially the trunk. The car is NOT good in snow. I always fishtailed. Keeping a bag of kitty litter or sand in the trunk during the winter months is a must.

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  #1Truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By JAMES - October 24 - 5:40 am

  I love every thing about this truck.

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  Transmission problems - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By bittle - October 24 - 2:00 am

  Have had to replace parts of the transmission three different times in the last two years. Head gasket replaced twice in same time. Timing chain replaced. EGR valve gone bad twice, and replaced 3 of 4 o2 sensors and still have trouble. Other than that, we like our Tahoe.

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  ? - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Richie Beard - October 24 - 2:00 am

  i love the chevrolet suburban because it is a nice luxirous car and fun to drive and fun to have. i only to plan to buy suburbans for the rest of my life.

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  90 day review - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By scotth - October 23 - 9:46 pm

  No problems, plenty of get up and go. Just carried a load of sand and mulch with no problems. Engine runs smooth. Nothing fancy, just a nice little truck. About $4K less than a Tacoma. MPG 17-21, with very little highway driving. Time will tell if it will last the 8-10 years I keep my vehicles.

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  2003 SUBURBAN SOUTHERN COMFORT CONVERSION - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Randy Butcher - October 23 - 3:26 pm

  Southern Comfort advertised this conversion as the "Ultimate". I agree. I have 197,000 miles on this Suburban and feel I could get another 190,000 miles out of it. I wax the car every 9 months with Maguiers Carnauba Wax and the Suburban looks nearly new. The ride is superb. Only average 13 MPG. I traveled for a living before I retired and put 130,000 miles on the road. The Suburban is absolutely beautiful. I purchased the Conversion from Moritz Chevrolet in Ft. Worth and their service was tremendous. They dont make conversions like this Suburban any more.

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  Just love my Impala - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By JMW13 - October 23 - 2:00 am

  i bought my impala new in 2000, it has given me very few problems. I had a click in the steering sector that apparently is common on these cars. That was fixed $80 bill from service station. I also had to have intake gaskets replaced at 140,000. Thats about it for problems. My car burns no oil. I go about 6000 miles between oil changes & have never had to add any oil in between changes. The suspension on this thing is something else.I am still riding on the original uniroyals at 163,000. There is still some tread to wear off of them yet but am thinking for the upcoming MN winter i will

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  as advertised - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By bigporkchop2000 - October 23 - 2:00 am

  Surprisingly roomy, my wife and I are both over 6 ft, and we both fit comfortably with both kids in the car also. Im still waiting to get more than 32 or 33 MPG, although that may not happen as I always have a full car with either my family, or my carpool buddies. Also, I regularly drive elevated freeway speeds (80-90MPH) when en route to my full time job, or am otherwise driving around town at a fast clip as I work as a pizza delivery guy as my second job. Particularly thoughtful touches abound with the sunglasses holder and the I.D. holder. I had an aftermarket body kit installed at the dealership that obviously makes the car look much faster than it really is. Ha Ha!