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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  Safety Downfall - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By laje - November 21 - 2:00 am

  I was in a low speed (approx. 15-25mph) side impact accident and the car fliped and it was a total loss.

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  Its dead - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Guano2 - November 20 - 2:00 am

  With 129,600 miles on the clock my little Cavy bit the dust. For 9 years it was reliable and never stranded me until the end. Valve spring broke in 3 places and bent and dropped the valve into the #2cyl.-wrecking the piston. The sound it made was about as horrific as my desciption. $2500 new engine on an $1100 car? Nope. I will miss it. If only I had a garage & a junk car engine, I would keep it.

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  avoid like the plague - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jrrbznsn - November 19 - 2:00 am

  Brakes are bad. Worn out rotors too soon - weaqring out again. GNM dealers do not do required repairs until after warranty expires. GM does not care if some one dies.

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  Chev Cav 2000, aka, LEMON - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Pavel - November 19 - 2:00 am

  My 2000 Chev Cavalier gave me problems right from the first 15,000 miles. In that time I had replaced all 4 Goodyear Tires..they all developed holes in the sidewall...my fault even though it had not happened to me in my 20 yrs of auto ownership. Goodyear would not prorate any tires. At 40K, the radio went out. Fortunately, I had an extended warranty, but I had to fight w/Robert Levis Chev in Slidell, La to get it fixed. While fixing the radio, they damaged the digital oddometer (they wouldnt admit it!). After this incident, Ive had to repair the fuel pump, battery and alternator, and other stuff Im forgetting. Im buying a new car, thank God.

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  CAR FROM HELL - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Melissa Brown - November 18 - 9:48 pm

  This car has been giving me nothing but issues. Ive had it for about a year and a half. The first 6 months were fantastic, everything worked great! Then the worst came. My car kept trying to overheat, no idea why. I had to keep adding coolant, but I had no leaks. Then, I changed the thermostat and coolant sensor. Still not working. I shortly found out that I needed a new water pump. These three repairs cost me almost $1000. My car was okay for 3 months, then it started running a high temperature once again. I found out that I had an air pocket, and then I was okay for about a week and a half. Now my car is still over heating and I have no idea why. In conclusion, if you want this car, then you better be willing to put more money than its worth in it.

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  Somebodys full of Hooey! - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Old Coot - November 18 - 2:00 am

  Have had this vehicle since new. Has all the bells and whistles. Never have gotten better than 20 mpg. Cruise control usually doesnt upshift after a downshift.. dealer unable to fix after 4 tries. Lots of wind noise. Barely suitable for Interstate highways of 70 mph or greater. Interior finish very poor quality fabrix/plastic. Wife loves it!

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  My 90 Crapiece Wagon - 1990 Chevrolet Caprice
  By KnowMoreBowTies - November 18 - 2:00 am

  Bought w/ 73K miles from a private seller who ran a body shop where the car was repaired after being sideswiped. Runs well but in seven years, the paint has dulled, the headliner has detached from the ceiling, the dash cover has split apart, weatherstripping has torn, and electrical problems have developed. On cold days, the wipers wont come on for a minute or more and they continue sweeping when you shut them. The engine nearly stalls each time you come to a stop but you get used to that. I have replaced engine gaskets, carburetor, tranny, exhaust, brakes, tires, springs, shocks, alternator, water pump, radiator, in the 40K that I have owned this thing.

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  Aggravating seats - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By Robert Denney - November 14 - 2:00 am

  No problems with the engine, transmission, or rear end. V-6 Vortec engine runs good and has plenty of power. Front driver seat is poorly designed. I have replaced the seat adjusters twice, and the backrest adjustment is broke again. None of the drivers weigh over 150lbs. The lumber adjustment is broken. Just recently had problems with rust in the gas tank. Turns out the tank is completely rusted, and had to be shot peened and recoated. Ruined two fuel pumps before the problem was properly diagnosed and corrected. I did not expect these kinds of problems with less than 55000 miles on the truck.

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  Not again - 2000 Chevrolet Suburban
  By mradford - November 10 - 2:00 am

  I have the 5.3 liter engine. From the factor it used 1-2 quarts of oil per 4000 miles. Chevy says this is normal. Rattles to beat the band. Window motors have failed twice each. yada yada yada. I love the size and comfort but the quality is poor.

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  2000 cavalier z24 - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jlo411 - November 10 - 2:00 am

  ok for first car