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:

• 

  They should pay.... - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mark Ferrer - April 1 - 2:00 am

  I have had nothing but problems with this car in the last six months. Fuel pumps, the timing, but lately, the wonderful theft system keeps cutting on and leaving me and my car stranded on the side of the road. Chevy says this is not their problem, but upon investigation, I have found that this has happened often to this model car. Instead of a recall, chevy continues to stick their head in the sand and pretend they have no liability in this area. I recommend that not only do you stay away from Malibu, but all chevys. They DO NOT stand behind their product.

• 

  Vetteracers review - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By vetteracer - April 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is an engineering and design phenomenon

• 

  best suv on the market - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By itsawlgood - April 1 - 2:00 am

  best on the market for safety. none of the others compare for power, towing capacity, luxury for a fair market price. its the best and lower priced

• 

  Like a Rock - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Andy - March 31 - 10:43 am

  Very nice truck. Extremely quiet interior and very comfortable. It is a pleasure to drive. Stereo sounds great.

• 

  Great truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By LB - March 31 - 9:46 am

  I drive this truck as my primary vehicle. It has plenty of power when towing less then 12000 pounds or so. IFS front suspension is much softer then earlier 3500s. It has a decent ride for a one ton. The 6 speed manual trans. is a lot of fun. First gear is very low and will get even the heaviest trailers rolling. Quiet inside the cab. Radio controls on the steering wheel are very nice to have. 4WD works easily and always locks in fast. Steaeo is nice for a truck. Good fuel economy. About 19 MPG highway (bobtail), and 17 MPG city. You could improve those numbers by staying off the throttle a bit. Brakes are very heavy duty. Worn less then 50% at 86000 miles. Nice truck.

• 

  King of the road - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By hes alive - March 31 - 2:00 am

  Great on the highway.loves to be off road... Very dependable in the snow...Good towing,Have Paint Contracting buisness pull a trailer 10Loaded with gear,can hardly tell its there! Off road in the winter hunting No problems!

• 

  Nice car for the money - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Manifesto11 - March 31 - 2:00 am

  This is a very nice car overall. Very spacious and comfortable. At 110,000 miles, the engine feels strong and sounds healthy, but has some delay when you push on the gas (it goes away if you use premium fuel). I had to replace the head gasket at 75,000 miles and have gone through several problems with the cooling system. Electrical system still works well. Glove box, both sun visors, and center counsole all dont work right because of cheap plastic parts. With this being said, the reliability is much better than any other american car that Ive owned. Not quite as fancy as an Accord or Camry, but this cars at a fraction of the price.

• 

  Average - 2001 Chevrolet Tracker
  By julespro - March 31 - 2:00 am

  This car has been very reliable. However, it is very compact. There is no leg space and not much room for cargo. The interior is made with very economical plastic. Not a good car for family travel. The seats are very uncomfortable. But it ran fairly well.

• 

  Great SUV - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By ganeptum - March 31 - 2:00 am

  I have read some negative rates about this car and I am sorry for that people. My personal experience is great and my blazer is a2001 model and I own it sice new and had to change Oil, Tires, and regular service but NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT. It is just great.

• 

  Just right - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Johnec - March 31 - 2:00 am

  The Toyota and Ford lacked in power, The Dodge felt like a go-cart, The Avalanche felt like a SUV, but had the function of a truck and the room and comfort that only SUVs had. I was hell-bent on buying the New Ford F-150 but after one test drive I was hooked on the Avalanche, this is one decision I am glad I made, WOW what a truck.