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:

• 

  Great Value, Sharp... - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Dave Landry - March 28 - 2:00 am

  My 3rd Suburban....so you get the point. Great family hauler, handsome design (exterior), nice options / extras..like DVD & Roof Combo - finally! Nice lines, excellent power...fun to drive. 2nd Row Buckets a plus!

• 

  Marthas RS - 1992 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Martha Tate - March 27 - 2:00 am

  Very good expierence. No Complaints

• 

  Overall Good Car - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By MrEddie - March 27 - 2:00 am

  The Lumina has served its purpose for me. AT 177K miles, Im about to sell it. Its been a reliable car with very few problems. For a 6-cylinder, the gas mileage is not bad. Ive gotten my moneys worth here, and am only on the second set of tires with tread left. (Mostly highway miles though). Manifold leak seems to be a common problem however.

• 

  Fun SUV - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Karl Powers - March 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 1998 Blazer with only 56,000 miles exatcly one year ago (March 2003) and I have had no problems. The back seat is kind of uncomfortable though.

• 

  A plum of a car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By SBS - March 26 - 6:26 pm

  After 6 months of driving my Cobalt, I still love it. I was somewhat disappointed in the gas mileage but since I drive only 5-10 miles a day it doesnt show the possibilities plus we have not taken it on any long drives. However we have gotten 24-25 mpg on a 60-80 mile trip. So time will tell with the gasoline usage! And for those long or short trips the trunk is HUGE and amazing how many bags of groceries I can get in there!

• 

  Chev Traverse 1LT - 2016 Chevrolet Traverse
  By tom roach - March 26 - 12:08 pm

• 

  I will never buy another Chevy Silverado - 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Doug Rockwell - March 26 - 11:27 am

  Google Chevy Silverado Vibrations before buying this truck. Vibrations and other problems that have been going on since 2014 are still not fixed in 2017 model. Dealerships and GM will not stand behind the warranty on the Silverado. After three visits for same problem dealership refused to work on truck anymore. Had to get GM involved and that was a waste of time. Looks like it is time to get a Lemon Lawyer and sue GM. Do not buy the Chevy Silverado there is a reason that Ford F150 is truck of the year again and out sold Silverado by hundreds of thousands of trucks.

• 

  honest opinion - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By usagi - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Costly maintenance. Break does not work well. Dont be decieved by the appearance.

• 

  Simply The BEST!!!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By alias1234 - March 26 - 2:00 am

  I Have nothing bad to say of this vehicle. It has been nothing less than a dream owning thic car.

• 

  A Great Car for the Money - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By EDK - March 26 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Malibu two years ago with 37,000 miles on it. I now have 193,000 miles on it. I use it for deliveries and drive approximately 300 miles a day, so it really gets a workout.It is very comfortable to ride in and has very good space throughout.I have had no problems with this car other than the brakes that seems everyone has had.Chevy dealers charge twice what everyone does for thew brake work... I suggest going to Pep Boys and make sure they put their american made rotors on it, not the Japanese. I am trading this one in for a newer 2001/2002 Malibu with lower mileage.I love it!