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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  I love my 95 s-10 4 cyl, normal cab - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By Casey Buck - October 26 - 1:00 am

  I actually bought the truck in mid 99. I have taken good care of the truck and it has taken great care of me. When I bought it, it had 88800 miles now it has 183200, with almost no problems. I replaced the water pump, the upper radiator hose twice( a 10 minute job) and just normal maintence. I never replaced the clutch, I dont think it is original, but it might be. It runs so nice still. It doenst burn or leak a drip of oil. I got it when I was 17, Im now almost 22. It starts up just the same way as the first day I drove it. It is not really fast, but thats ok. It has decent torque. I even delivered pizzas with it for a long time, and it was always great.

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  good trucks - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By scrap-iron - October 26 - 1:00 am

  i have had 7 s-10 trucks they have all been good trucks

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  Excellet Buy - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By jcp238 - October 26 - 1:00 am

  I bought this car a month before heading off for college. It was practical purchase: not a Celica, but no POS either. I have been extremely happy with the car.

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  Fun Car - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By emt524 - October 26 - 1:00 am

  Lots of fun to drive. The convertible is GREAT! Four adults can fit into vehicle. Easy for handicapped people to get in and out of the front seats.

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  Great van - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By copo - October 26 - 1:00 am

  This van drives like a car. Out of the other vans I drove this van gives more bang for the buck. It has good power,yet good gas mileage. I got the Warner Brother package for only $22,400.

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  Z06, A Blast To Drive! - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By jomaja - October 26 - 1:00 am

  I am a sports car nut. I have had Porsche 911s and 930 Turbos,Mercedes SLK 230 and 320 Sports,a Honda S2000,a Prowler and several Harleys. None of them come close to the Z06. This car is like no other! Fast,Fun,and you feel very secure driving it hard.

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  Great vehicle - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By pastordl - October 26 - 1:00 am

  Very good overall. I do have a clunking sound in the front that the dealer has yet to find.

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  Not your Dads Chevrolet - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Zapper - October 26 - 1:00 am

  This is my second Vette (93) and the 2003 Zo6 shows improvement in power, road ability while keeping the Corvette historical looks and feel. The Zo6 seats are very comfortable and offer lots of support--better than the C4 seats. Have had no warranty issues with the car and everything works! The CAGS, which is a major safety issue, should have a defeat switch but most get an after-market by-pass. The Zo6 has the trunk feature that surpasses the glass hatch that now has body panels attached to it. The heads-up display is a cute feature but useless on rougher roads as it gives you a major headache when you try to focus on them.

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  Love My Suburban - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By maureenhj - October 26 - 1:00 am

  We traveled from Florida to Utah to Nevada, all over for 2 weeks and had no problems at all. I feel very safe as far as breaking down.

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  Love our Suburban - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Derrell Gatlin - October 26 - 1:00 am

  Plenty of room and comfort for all 6 of us and all of our "stuff". Great for loading up for ballgames, outings and vacation.