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:

• 

  Im Keeping Mine - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By bret - July 1 - 8:36 am

  I got a deal on mine because it was the last 2007 on the lot. It is fully loaded and its really a luxury truck. The LTZ model has a great interior. I have to park outside and let me tell you having remote start with heated seats is da bomb during winter. I wont own another vehicle that doesnt have it. I got the standard bed size and have moved twice with it. Very roomy even though I put a half-height truck box in the front. The Bose stero is kickin, and I had an aftermarket iPod adapter wired in that is a must have for audiophiles. The truck rides great, you sit really high up, and most important of all, you feel real safe out there on a street full of idiots.

• 

  don not buy for gas mileage - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Sanny - June 30 - 7:38 pm

  traded in my 08 Tahoe because having alot of problems with it. Thought the Traverse looked cool, but the only seat that is comfortable is the drivers seat and gas mileage thus far has been well below advertised, 12-14 mpg in city. I see others say they get better mpg, so hopefully it will get better over time.

• 

  Not As Great - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Not As Great - June 30 - 11:54 am

  Hello bought mine used in Jan.09 love how is looks but there has been a few problems since then, found out in the inline 5 motor it overheats or runs hot when you are towing, happened a few times to me already. Motor runs loud, tire pressure sensors always need to be reset. Gas mileage is not as good as I was lead to belief for a 5 cyl it should be a lot better. I love the interior room very comfortable on long trips. Bed lights are always going out but I still Love my Colorado. One suggestion invests in a spray on bed liner the stuff that it comes with stinks. Hope this helps

• 

  Switched to Extended Cab - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By RoeberR - June 30 - 10:00 am

  No problems. I do mostly city driving and get about the same gas mileage with the the big v8 as I did with the small v6. I switched from the regular cab to extended to get more space, and got the v8 because the v6 just didnt feel right. Ive only had 2 issues with the truck. 1. Its too long. It doesnt fit in my garage. 2. It doesnt turn sharp enough, but Chevy sells an option to fix that problem.

• 

  Looking for another one - 1997 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Gene Anniversary SS - June 29 - 8:51 pm

  I traded my one year old 1996 Z28 for the spectacular white with Huggar orange striped 1997 Anniversary SS 6 speed coupe. It had all SLP options sans the extra set of racing wheels that had slicks. With only 3k miles on the car, I decided to install the GMPP LT4 Hot Cam Kit with a set pf ported heads and JBA headers. Got a custom tune for the cam. WOW. That was one hot, quick and beautiful SS. I sold this car only a couple years after buying it to get the new SVT F150 Lightning. I am now waxing nostalgic for another 97 LT1 SS. Ive already got my eyes on one that is low mileage. If you want the ultimate 97 SS, look for the limited 100 produced SS with the LT4 engine. Those were $40 grand.

• 

  GM was dumb to discontinue this line - 1994 Chevrolet Caprice
  By LT1 Fan - June 29 - 11:17 am

  I had 2 Caprices - an ex-cop car and a wagon. Both were equipped with the now- legendary LT1. My Cop car was purchased with 58K on the odo and the only necessary repair during its life was a starter which was cheap and installed in less than a half an hour. Car was bulletproof and with the plethora of bolt-on aftermarket parts was an absolute blast to drive. Engine was flawless and never leaked, missed or failed to start. My wagon, after being beaten for 90K miles road like a Caddy with a simple, $600 overhaul of the entire suspension. My buddys Caprice has over 220K on it and the valve covers have never been removed. Superb cars that GM shouldve kept refining.

• 

  z71 decent - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By z71 - June 28 - 3:10 pm

  Bought the truck new in 04 and now it has 136,000+ miles but the first 30,000 werent trouble free. In the first 30,000 half the engine had to be rebuilt, it overheater numerous times, and some electrical components shorted- out. Also the 4wd gave out right after the warranty ended, and also the water pump had to be replaced at 100k and the windshield wiper fuild motors. Also the Speedometer doesnt work anymore and it is a recall that the dealers wont honor. Although after the 30k make the truck has held up well mechanically. The exterior has held up great and the interior as well with the exception of the paint coming of the radio dials. Normal leather seat wear. Next car will be a ford.

• 

  2005 Whistler - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Jim - June 28 - 6:06 am

  The first problem I had was the XM radio cable was broken and had to be replaced. Next I have a LOT of wind noise around the dash. The dealer pulled the windshield and found the sealant had dripped away from the windshied. Next they found a clip broke on the door seal. All this and I still have a lot of wind noise. I guess now that the radio works I can turn it up to hide the wind noise I feel that the qualitity is NOT UP to GM Standards

• 

  2002 Trailblazer problems - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By N{SAMBI - June 27 - 2:00 am

  We received the vehicle and the bolts came off a electrical module connected to the engine. There were several rattles not yet fixed or found. The steering wheel was crooked and the dealership tried to say it was because all roads slanted to the right. There is a loud rattle in the engine when the vehicle is switching out of 1st gear.

• 

  Cobalt supercharged - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By ladybug1701 - June 26 - 4:07 pm

  I loved this car when I first got it 5 yrs. Ago. Now I hate it the sunroof is messing up. I have had to replace 2nd gear already and that was at 50,000 miles. Now the transmission is going out and that is at 52,284 miles. Also my abs light is coming on and a mechanic informed me that it was my body control module, and there are 17 bcms on the car. The speakers have static. The glove box makes a noise. Also something in the door rattles. Plus to top it off it has a Saab transmission so you can no longer get parts without a huge hassle. It took me 3 weeks to get parts and that was before gm did away with Saab. Do not buy this car!