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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  Great family hauler - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By whittp - November 25 - 2:00 am

  The Suburban pulls my 4500lb boat effortlessly. I was very impressed with the stability and performance under heavy load. The drive train is very well matched to this size vehicle. I have only had minor problems all of which were addressed by the Chevrolet dealership. They included a freon leak in the a/c system, a rattle in the steering linkage, and a malfunctioing seatbelt.

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  Got Road! - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bajad - November 25 - 2:00 am

  A lot of car for the money and can be overpowering if you do not watch out. Very hard to not go fast as the power is quite addicting. Like driving a Harley...you get membership in a very exclusive club status. Really like the special 50th annv. red color with the shale interior. No problems to date except that we too had the rear shipping shock stuffers left on by the dealer.

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  Purchasing a Honda Accord - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By aseratretrac - November 24 - 2:00 am

  We loved this car when we first purchased it used...read about brake issues, etc. but didnt have any problems with that until after 50,000 (unless those had been repaired before our purchase). Our big problem has been a fuel issue. The car just quits at 65 mph about every 5-6 months. It does that for about two weeks then seems to be fine again. Weve had the fuel pump checked, and it seems to be fine. Mechanic cant find a problem, and its producing no codes...were now trading vehicles.

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  Idle problem - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jimstaff - November 24 - 2:00 am

  Ive really enjoyed the features and performance of my Tahoe however it surges when idling. This summer it would not pull the AC and now it dies sometimes when I turn left. Dealer says it needs "throttle body clean out & reprogrammed - $300+). Im skepital about paying that. This is the second time this has occurred. First time was under warranty. Ive tried different fuel brands and grades. It does seem to run better on premium. Tahoe has 75,000 miles. If this is resolved, all else is satisfactory. Any feedback appreciated.

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  An excellent vehicle - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Don - November 23 - 5:52 pm

  A very nice, well made vehicle. With the V-6 engine it has lots of power. Computer shows a high of 36.4 MPG on recent trip. Mileage around town is between 18 and 22, depending on how must time is spent at traffic lights. I love everything about this vehicle. It has been trouble free and economical to own. The front seats are great for tall people and have great leg room. The only thing I would mark down slightly are the hardness of the front seats. They are not bad, but could be softer for a long trip. This is a well made and reliable car that is fun to drive.

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  HHR Beats Ford Freestar - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By oldindian - November 23 - 2:23 am

  2007 HHR sure beats the 2004 Freestar.The ride is at least as good, performance is about the same, MPG is about double, and its twice the fun to drive and most people love the looks. I sure do enjoy it

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  Z28 Awesome Fun to Drive! - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Jay O - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Awesome power and handling. Acceleration puts you back in the seats and it hugs curves and hills. T- tops are next best thing to motorcycle freedom. Very fun to drive! Only con for me is after two years, sitting so low is getting old (of course so am I). I get nearly 20 MPG city and nearly 30 on the highway with V-8 6- speed (premium fuel only, especially in city). In 2 years and 41K miles, my only maintenance other than oil has been a minor brake adjustment.

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  Cappuccino Frost - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By jem7149 - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Nice car and nice ride for 2003. Can tell the room in back is for short people, but hey, just me and my girlfriend so well kick back and enjoy the sunroof! Performance and handling are tight and smooth.

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  Americas Best! - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Sooo Bad - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Dont bother to look for a better sports car than the Chevrolet Corvette that sells for under $200,000! The General and USA have put it all together with this vehicle. The 50th Anniversary model will go down in history.

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  Comfortable, but poorly made - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Airborne! - November 22 - 11:21 am

  I have a love hate relationship with this vehicle. I love how it drives, feels and looks, but hate its overall quality and dependability. Since 2004 this vehicle has slowly fallen apart due to cheap materials and design. I have another non GM vehicle I have had since 2000 which has fared so much better and looks so much newer. Starting with the big ticket items this vehicle has had 2 new engines and 2 new transmissions, neither under warranty of course. The engine due to main bearing failures and the transmissions due to the fact that one seems to lead to the other.With at least this model of Suburban it seemed like they started designing and building a good vehicle and then gave up at some point and put whatever cheap stuff they could to cut costs. Things that they know you would be touching or handling 50 times a day like the stereo knobs have become broken and badly worn. The electronic controls for the climate system have gone wacky and replaced a couple of times. The overhead DVD system has fallen out of its mount twice due to poor design of the bracket and screws. And not a big deal, but what is with Chevy and offset steering columns on these vehicles? Another very annoying issue is the seat belts. This was the model year that they added the bell to remind you if someone in the front does not have on their seat belt. The thing will jump all over you quickly and incessantly. I have no issue with this except the seat belt themselves can tell you they are latched via the warning sound stopping and then you hit a bump or move around and the belt suddenly becomes unlatched while driving down the road. Not well designed or very safe. The great part is it drives like a dream. It drives much smaller than its size with decent handling and acceleration. Breaking can be a bit weak, but acceptable. It also looks great. At least to me it is one of the better looking Suburban designs. The interior, although very cheaply made overall, has huge space for people with tons of storage room. On a long trip this thing is a dream. Well except for the gas mileage, but for this size of vehicle it is acceptable to me. Overall I would never recommend anyone buy one of these used or even new for that matter unless you plan on buying a new one every 2 to 3 years before they start to come apart. GM seems to design for "initial quality" these days. That is why you hear all the best initial quality awards on TV and in magazines. They design them to last just long enough for you to lease or buy a new one in 3 or so years. If not for the fact I can find other similar vehicles that last much longer then that would be ok.