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:

• 

  Moms Car - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By JO - June 12 - 4:15 pm

  I bought my Prizm in 2002 with 33,000 on it. Engine light came on once while under warranty. Regular maintenance. Other than some new tires and a couple of brake jobs, no great expense (knock on wood). I drive 22 round trip to work and have driven to DC and back to MA twice a year for past four years. Handles great on the highway and off. Great car.

• 

  Needs work - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By aplus32 - June 9 - 6:55 pm

  Okay, lets start with whats good about the car. The stereo KICKS. Also like the standard chrome rims, and the apparent attention to detail taken with the design interior. A full tank of gas lasted me SEVEN DAYS, and when I went to fill it up, I still had a quarter of a tank to go. Thats just awesome. Now, the bad. First of all, whos idea was it to put such a tiny armrest in the vehicle?!? I am short, so I have to pull the seat up. I managed to be able to rest the very tip of my elbow on the darned thing, and had to rest my hand on the floor shift. Floor shift not necessary if vehicle is automatic. Suspension needs work, could HEAR and feel every bump hit while driving.

• 

  6 good years together - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Muskokan - June 8 - 7:38 pm

  I just traded in my 2003 Cavalier for a 2009 cobalt. I really enjoyed driving it and had no real issue in the 160000 km. Rotors warped by 20k and again at 40000. Replaced with inexpensive after market brand and never had another problem. Wheel hubs were done while car still under warranty.I did very little maintenance, oil changes every 10-15 k, nothing else the owners manual suggested. It always started even in - 30 Celcius -22F. I got over 800km on a tank several times,38US mpg 6.1 l/100. I never really took good care of it and in 6 years it never let me down. I was impressed by the acceleration, 0- 100 km in 8.5 seconds is not bad for a car that cost 13 grand tax in.

• 

  My Baby - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By R.T. - June 8 - 4:38 pm

  I just love it. Wanted a Blazer 16 years ago, but bought an s10 truck instead. The s10 went almost 200,000k, hope I have that luck again. Knock on wood, no problems as of yet. All regular main. Has been done, including killer 4x4 trans service and differential at 50,000. Try to keep it spotless, hard when on the jobsite, though.

• 

  Love/hate relationship - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By tcup - June 6 - 7:05 pm

  I bought my LS right off the lot, brand new. I loved it, handled great, felt comfortable, felt expensive. At 50000 miles everything went downhill. The fan clutch went out, factory defect, known by GM. I had to replace it twice. AT 60000 miles the shifter would stick and not move, found a broken wire under the console. The fuel pump started spewing gas, after I repaired it, GM sent a letter with an offer to replace it--too late for me. Gas mileage was perfectly awful, I live on a mountain, it took a quarter tank of gas to down then up. The older the car got the worse it became.

• 

  Good Utility - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By homesbytom - June 6 - 1:28 am

  I purchased this 2006 vehicle replacing my 2001 toyota prius in 2005. I have over 53,000 miles on the car, no major work yet. I put synthetic oil in and change it every 5k, just bought new tires and breaks. Only had one tail light go out. Otherwise car runs excellent.

• 

  Going Strong - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Lancer66 - June 5 - 3:24 pm

  My Trailblazer has reached 44000 trouble free miles. The only thing I have had to do is to put rear brakes on about 3 months ago. The fronts were still good so the dealership said I could wait a while on those. Original tires are still in good shape as well. This is actually my second TB. This one was a bit fancier than the first one and has the 4x4, step bars, mud flaps, etc. I have driven this vehicle across country several times as well as towed my trailer with it. It performs well, is comfortable and enjoyable to drive. Over-all I am pleased with the performance and reliability that this truck has provided. I would buy another one but I have heard GM is phasing this model out.

• 

  old man,younger days - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By peter james - June 5 - 12:02 am

  for a sixty year old it brings back memories of graduation 1964 and hot cars,chevy was at the top of the list....with only 50k verified miles it was a very good buy for just under $5000.

• 

  suburban interior conveniences - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By waller - June 4 - 5:05 pm

  A Nice ride, good mileage for a big truck, 18+ around town, 22+ highway @75 mph. Have been on two long trips with no problems. But they left out a lot of little things that made my96 more fun to drive with 165,000on it.

• 

  Built to last - 1994 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Ghess - June 4 - 4:13 pm

  I bought my 94 with 240,000 kms on bf Goodrich mud terrain tires 4 years ago. Now at 306,000 kms and still on same tires, original engine and trans. So much fun to drive. Worth the gas price. Ive had two radiators, an alternator, battery, front ball joints and tie rods and my driveshaft wore out so I had that refurbished. But still a great truck, like no other 2 door truck on the market today. Complaints are rear defog wire breaks off from window, and laying the back seats down for moving stuff its awkward to reach in with the tailgate down. I would prefer "barn" style doors but thats a small complaint. Beware my truck is 6,4" tall on 32" tires. Most rooftop/underground prkg. Is 6,4" to 6,6"