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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  Not bad really... - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By deezy - December 23 - 2:00 am

  My tacker isnt the prettiest or nicest car in the world however it has room and drvies well. She has good get up and go and is "cute". I cant think of anything bad to say about it all! I have had no problems and it handles well in the snow and rain if I kick it into 4 wheel drive. The only bad thing is the gas mileage but that comes with the territory huh??

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  Problems with Malibu - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By aliall - December 23 - 2:00 am

  Apparently these cars are known to have problems with their manifold intake gaskets. Ours went out at 41000 miles and will cost $1000-1200 to replace. The AC/heater fan also doesnt work on settings 1 and 2 and the seatbelts have broken. All in all a bad experience with the quality and reliability

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  Im In Love - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Youngturk - December 23 - 2:00 am

  I leased this car in Feb 01. Lease is up in Feb 04, and Ill probably buy it. I had an 87 Jaguar Series III and never thought I could love a car like that one. Corvette has proved me wrong. It is an absolute treasure!

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  LEAK LEAK LEAK - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By brokeagain - December 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Avalanche new in 2001. Its been in the shop at least 7 times because the carpets are constantly soaked. The dealer keeps trying to tell me the drains are clogged. WHAT DRAINS and WHY ARE THEY CLOGGED??? The last time it was in they showed me 2 holes in the floor at the front of the bed under a flap . I was told by the SERVICE MANAGER " your not supposed to use it like a truck because its an SUV." I was using it to bring leaf bags to the dump. Nothing major....right?

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  Impressive - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Rob Robertson - December 23 - 2:00 am

  Most fun Ive had driving a car in a long time. Beats my previous `95 LT1 hands down. But, dont know how folks are getting 12.5 second quarter mile times out of this car. Love the car anyway!

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  Kick in the seat! - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Houch - December 23 - 2:00 am

  This is my 7th Corvette and by far the very best of the best. The early cars had the power but lacked the refinement of a daily driver.

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  An update! - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By bigrig - December 23 - 2:00 am

  After another year and a half, I thought an update in order. Only problem has been brake rotors due to heavy road salt but completely covered by warrantee! You could not pry this car away from my wife! I still cant get over the gas mileage (3.4 engine)of 28 to 35 mpg and the great power in everyday driving! Drove it on a 200 mile trip yesterday and had to do some serious passing on icy roads. It handles great! Be sure to get antilock brakes and the power split bench seats! A great car all around! I would buy the base model again with upgrades--who elsehas a power split bench seat with this kind of mileage??

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  great performance - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By w.c. - December 22 - 11:26 pm

  We use our Silverado to pull livestock trailers. The performance has been outstanding. The tow/haul mode provides the power and smooth shifting we desire and the back seat room is much improved from the 95 K1500 we had. The 4WD kicks in immediately and is a pleasure in those tight spots.

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  Love it - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Sexy Mama - December 22 - 7:16 am

  I just recently purchased a new Malibu LTZ. First off, the look of the car is wonderful. Very classy inside and out. GM did everything right with this one. The comfort while driving to the spaciousness of the vehichle is great! I have a 4 month old son, and the space is definitely needed. With raising gas prices the Malibu was a much better bet then the Tahoe I was originally looking at. With this being the 3rd Chevy that I have owned..Cobalt SS, and TrailBlazer SS...Im still completly satisfied with Chevys! For the price range there is nothing more that I can ask for. I have the sunroof, heated seats, remaote start, plenty of places to put stuff. I couldnt ask for anything more.

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  Decent Truck, but room for improvement - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By EC - December 22 - 6:36 am

  Ive had my truck for 7 months, and I like it ok, but its not as good as previous Silverado models. First, the fuel economy is terrible for a V6, and its not responsive enough. Next, the truck has a tremendous amount of wind noise at 50 mph or higher. The ride is way too firm, even for a 4WD. Also, I think the truck is geared way too high. So if you buy one, then definitely get a V8. The seats in this particular model are not very comfortable either. You just about have to get the higher end model to experience the comfort & quality of these trucks. I like Chevrolet better than Ford, but they sometimes leave things off their vehicles that just dont make sense.