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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  My Second Impala - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By zmamoo - January 4 - 2:00 am

  I just bought the new 2003 base sedan. It is my second Impala. The 2000 I had I just loved. But it did give me problems with the transmission. But the dealer kept rebuilding it so I have no complaints on my dealer taking care of me. But the problem was more then I could handle so I bought the new one and I love the Impalas they are great for traveling and I put a lot of miles on a car in a year. I have room for everything in this car. And I will always have an Impala as long as they make them.

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  perfect - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By Greendayhbt26 - January 3 - 2:00 am

  i have the 4 cyl with the 5 speed tranny, and all i got to say is it has incredable gas milage and pretty good acclerartion/power. the only problems i have had so far were that my wiper module had to be replaced which wasnt big, and just tonight i found out both my back up lamps arent working. other then that its been great. i bought it with about 33,000 miles on it and it looked new. everytime i change my oil, it looks like its just been changed, ver clean engine. so far the paint is great, very few scratches for being 5 years old, and the only rust is on the undercarrage.

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  Class by itself! - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By aimsbrown - January 3 - 2:00 am

  A friend of mine took it for a test drive, stopped by a store and was returning home when he was pulled over by the police. Eventhough this is really a fast vehicle, the friend was not speeding, the officer just wanted to know what kind of car it was and if it was a concept car or production model. The first time I took it out, I fell in love with it! It is the new muscle truck for the true enthusiast. It drives almost like a vette without being as expensive nor sitting so low.

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  Charlies Tahoe - 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By chabea - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this SUV new and it has never let me down. It is great in snow. I got through 20 inch snow fall in 1996 when nothing else in my neighborhood could. Ive had oil changed every 3.000 miles and basic dealer maintenance - the truck still drives like new!

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  mixed feelings - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By volson71 - January 3 - 2:00 am

  Bought the van 2 1/2 weeks before making a 2000 mile trip 3 days after purchasing, had a problem with the fuel injector, which ended up needing to be replaced. On our trip, the driver side sun visor fell out and needed to be replaced when we returned. Fairly comfortable in the back seats (we have the captains chairs in the middle row), especially with the leather interior. Not crazy about the way it handles, feels like youre tipping when going around corners. Ride is not very smooth, especially going up hills. Brakes seem rough, especially in icy conditions. Handles well on snow, however.

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  I love this car - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By banshee2700 - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I had a 93 cavalier (base model) i loved it so after 2 years of driving it i felt i had enough experience and i wanted a new car.I pulled up on the lot and this was the first car i saw. The next thing i knew i was driving it on the highway loving every minute of it. After that it was sitting in my driveway 5 days later..

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  50th Anniv. Corvette - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By tradesboss - January 3 - 2:00 am

  This is the best car Ive ever owned. To get the same features on a European sports car would cost over 100K. Anyone looking for an awesome driving experience should buy the C5 corvette. A limited number of 50th Anniversery Convertibles exist but you can still find them. This car is fanatastic to drive,ride and look at. What a pleasure to own.

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  EXCELLENT - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By PAUL GILES - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I HAVE OWNED MANY IMPORTS IN MY LIFE INCLUDEING THE NEWLY RELEASED SUV HONDA PILOT. THE FIT AND FINISH AND DRIVEABILITY OF THE SUBURBAN IS UNCOMPARABLY BETTER! THE INTERIOR ROOM, RELIABILITY AND GAS MILEAGE FAR EXCEED ANY IMPORT I HAVE RESERCHED AND OWNED.

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  Great Truck - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Bobby - January 2 - 1:43 pm

  This truck is better than advertised. I cannot say one negative thing. It will flat pull a house off its foundation.

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  What a gift! - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Eric - January 2 - 11:30 am

  My wife and I just received a gorgeous 2002 Pewter C5 "Base" with the AT as a gift from my father-in-law. The past six years he drove it less than 2500 miles. I was never too sure about Corvettes in the past because the ones I had ridden in were older (pre-C5) and felt like a car without shocks. Not this car. The ride is so comfortable I could use it as a daily driver. As it is, I am greatly enjoying this car. There was about $2,500 worth of deferred maintenance, but with a clean bill of health and only 120K miles, this car is in remarkable condition. Not a single ding in the body and the paint is flawless, which says a lot about how GM took care in the factory paint process. The drivetrain is the most responsive of any vehicle I have ever owned, and the handling is very tight. There are a few minor rattles (I would expect this for the age and mileage) and the drivers side window is frozen in the up position, so tomorrow I am taking it to a friend who has done a lot of work on GM vehicles. Apparently the window problem is common with Vettes. I am also doing a complete brake job all around, as I am told that rotors on Vettes arent worth turning, so I have bought all-new parts. Will see how challenging this process is. The Bose sound system is very good, even by todays standards. Be aware that a common problem with the drivers seat is that it is subject to the seam splitting in the door side corner closest to the seatback. Will cost me about $100 to fix, not too bad. Also, the plastic housing of the bottom seat cushion typically separates some over time from the seat bottom cushion. Its not really repairable, and I am told that the sport seat holds up better. As far as maintenance costs go, everything is more expensive than the typical passenger car. Mention that it is a Corvette, and the parts cost is double. But in comparison to other cars in this class, it is a great value. Built-in cup holders are scarce - there is only one that I have found in the short time I have owned this car. I plan on getting another "portable" one for the passenger. So far all the electronics on this car are working flawlessly. My car came without keyless entry fobs, so I was able to order two on e-bay for $25 for the pair, and it only took about 60 seconds to program them myself using the owners manual. This was a pleasant surprise considering that many cars require you to go to a dealer to get fobs programmed and can charge you a substantial (more that $50) amount for such a simple task. As far as overall value, this car is a great surprise and the re-sale values are pretty good. Low-mileage (less than 50K miles) go for over $20K, and some with the same mileage as mine and the same excellent condition and good Carfax are $15K to $20K.