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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  Holds up alright - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By Smack02 - September 6 - 2:00 am

  The main thing that turned me on to the S10 was the exterior looks. The interior comforts leave much to desire. There have been times where Ive put Chevys (built)Like a Rock statement to the test and the truck came thru boldly. During my course of ownership, there have been certain parts that break, which should never break: rearview mirror fell off, fold-a-way side mirrors break, heater core goes bad and drips antifreeze in cabin, clutch switch. 112K miles

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  0 - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By GD2fast4u - September 6 - 2:00 am

  none, car is just ok, gas hog

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  2004 CHEVY COLORADO 2.8 EXT.CAB - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By JAVI63 - September 1 - 10:00 am

  IVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH,SO FAR I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS,BUT THE SEATS FEEL CHEAP(PADDING NOT VERY FIRM).TRUCK RIDES SMOOTH AND SOLID WITH NO SQEAKS OR RATTLES.ENGINE(4 CYL.) IS SMOOTH BUT LACKS BOTTOM END POWER.TRNSMISSION(5 SPEED MAN.)SHIFT VERY SMOOTH.THE COLORADO IS A GREAT LOOKING TRUCK BUT THE SHEET METAL IS FLEMSY AND THE PAINT IS FULL OF ORANGE PEEL.

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  99 Astrovan - 1999 Chevrolet Astro
  By me123456 - September 1 - 2:00 am

  Mostly good vehicle but had some electrical problems that 3 dealers could not diagnois. Overall it was a good truck and never got stuck in the winter snow.

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  2000 S10 - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By DOOWRAH - August 31 - 2:00 am

  I have only owned this truck for about three months. The truck had 44000 miles when I bought it and I have had to replace many "expensive" parts. Guess GM doesnt build to last. Also the real kicker is this truck has the 4L60E automatic transmission which is total JUNK! It needs to be rebuilt and after doing research on this trans I find that GM has known abouth this problem since 1996 but has failed to improve the design if this trans. So at or about 40000 to 60000 miles you can plan on rebuilding this junk transmission. Guess I would be happier if I didnt have to look forward to paying 1800.00 for a trans rebulid. Start saveing OR BUY A STICK SHIFT.

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  Expected a whole lot more. - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Disapointed__04 - August 27 - 10:00 am

  Besides being fun to drive, I cant say many more good things about this truck. The interior is way under done for being chevys high end truck. The side door panel trim keeps coming undone. The ac fan has become pretty noisy. Smoother acceleration would be nice, its very choppy. It turns heads, and prepare to dish out all the specs, but you cant hold your head up when Dodge and Ford have your number when it comes to overall performance.

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  Fix the engine! - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By gmp000 - August 27 - 2:00 am

  After 3 years and 40000 miles I had engine oil sprayed all over the motor compartment. As it appeared, it was upper/lower intake leaking, also engine coolant was leaking. Mechanic said it was very common. And the warranty has just expired... Other miscelanous defects include: rear hatch handle broken, battery leaking - acid corroded the paint inside, rear wiper broken once.

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  Perpetual Rent-a-Car - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By julmak - August 27 - 2:00 am

  This car will get you from point A to point B, but there is nothing special occupy you while you’re in transit. Only one problem - the catalytic converter went bad. The front driver- side tire "chirps" as I drive, but no one has been able to fix it. Cavalier has been consistently listed as the worst passenger/family sedan in terms of safety by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_rating s/ce/html/summary_midinexp.htm# http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_rating s/ce/html/photo_comp_midinexp.htm According to CR, if you were T-boned in a Caviler on the drivers side, youre almost certain to have a permanent or fatal injury.

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  Not very good off road - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By sft - August 26 - 2:00 am

  I work at a university and we have used suburbans as field research vehicles so we really need good, stock 4X4 trucks. Old (1980s) suburbans were very good off road, lots of clearance, tough, simple. Our 2002 suburban is very comfortable but not very good off road. It has about 1/2 the ground clearance of our old suburban and it has way too many bells and gadgets that wont hold up to off road use. Its a big station wagon that is built as a highway cruiser.

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  My 1997 Astro - 1997 Chevrolet Astro
  By Carstan - August 25 - 2:00 am

  Very reliable, lotsa cargo space. Have had it for 5 1/2 years & only major repair has been fuel pump. A couple interior design flaws noted below. No rust, even though driven in sald every winter.