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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  Best Sports Car Ever! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Zoomie 81 - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Driving the vette is exhileration bar none! Unless a person wants to spend a lot more money--there is no car on the planet that offers the comfort, technology, performance and value all in one awesome automobile! Whether wipping some wanna-be off the line or crusiing with your babe on a sunny day, the Vette has it all. A heads-up display, a Bose sound system, and gut wrentching performance all add up to the best car ever. Go ahead and spend double the money and still have less of a car. Go ahead and be stupid! No car even comes close for the dollar. See you in my rear view!

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  2500HD trailer towing capacity - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By videpoche - August 11 - 5:20 pm

  Towing a nominal 10000 lb 5th wheel trailer is a breeze - the truck is working hard but it is entirely capable to do so. The only problem after 20000 miles is that the rear disc brakes failed (bad rotors), but the dealer made good on the repairs.

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  Nice Truck - 2016 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Larry Schmulling - August 11 - 5:45 am

  Its a little bit of a step to get in and out of. There was no CD player or even an option for one.

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  Best Vehicle Ive ever owned - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dave8697 - August 11 - 4:40 am

  This truck has been perfect in every way. Unfortunately my commute suddenly got 34 miles longer each way 3 years after getting it. I havent yet used it enough to have my first problem. I think I have only waxed it once. I expect it to last me 15 more years or 200k miles. I like the new ones styling better but they are always cutting corners as I noticed the chrome is reduced on the front bumpers and the mirrors.

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  maryland - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By glen brown - August 11 - 2:00 am

  braking system is no good

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  Lots of minor repairs needed - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By adeladime - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Ive been fairly happy with my Blazer that I bought used two and a half years ago until this year (Im approaching 100,000 miles). Its the perfect size for my needs and does really well in snow and ice. This year, however, Ive needed many minor repairs that have started to add up including the water pump, gas lines and alternator. The fuel pump went out the day after I bought it, so that was under the 1 year warranty I bought, luckily. Now Im thinking I want to sell it before anything major happens while its still worth something.

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  2004 Blazer - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By opcharl - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Good SUV for the money

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  LS Sport Coupe - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Funcritter - August 11 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun car to drive! Chevy had finally designed the Cavalier so that it looks great, is fun to drive and has ALL the features one could want in a car. The handling is fine, could have been a bit improved over moderate bumpy roads but otherwise, I have no complaints. Thanks Chevy!

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  good but could be built better - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By billyjcraw - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Great utility and ride, but having multiple service problems. ABS, Tailgate cables,drive shaft U- Joints,steering wheel knocks, bed cover leaks. Im not confident how long it will last.

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  ONE GREAT TRUCK - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Spectracam - August 11 - 2:00 am

  This is one beautiful truck. In fact Its my second Chevy Suburban in a row (the first in 2001). The combination of world class design, styling and build made my choice to go with another Suburban easy. Both vehicles were/are flawless. In my opinion Its the finest example of a SUV on the planet.