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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  Love this truck - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By cabonx - September 30 - 10:00 am

  Ive had no problems at all. This is my first Silverado and I couldnt be happier

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  Great Car - 1991 Chevrolet Lumina
  By pjkt01 - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I just bought my 1991 Chevy Lumina Eurosport w/ TURBO, its a nice ride with excellent gas mileage. I just put new brakes and rotors on it and thats all it needed. The brakes arent as touchy as I am used to but oh well, Other than that it rides great, killer pick up and excellent gas mileage.

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  This things a Beast - 1993 Chevrolet Blazer
  By JoeOffroad - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I have just bought a 93 Blazer 2 Door Z71. It is red, and i love it. It just had a new engine and transmission put in, and i put a few engine mods and exhasut mods on to make it better. Now it makes about 300 hp and about 415 ft lbs of torgue. It is awesome to drive...can smoke alot of people off the line..and handles off road like a monster! i highly recommend one of these for your teens first car!

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  Rating the 1990 Chevy Astro Minivan - 1990 Chevrolet Astro
  By Marjuvan - September 30 - 2:00 am

  At 98000 miles the hydraulic control system for the ABS malfunctioned with an estimated repairs of $2500. At 120000 miles the automatic transmission is slipping from 2nd to 3rd gear and the recommended replacement of a rebuilt transmission would cost $3500. Exterior paint has been gradually peeling off at less than 8 years old.

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  The LTZ Truth - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Nolen - September 30 - 2:00 am

  Nice powerful,smooth running, smooth riding , very roomy machine. A pleasure.

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  Great Family Car - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By SFRAZIE - September 30 - 2:00 am

  This is the first car Ive owned that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. Five adults fit comfortably in this vehicle. There is plenty of leg room (even in the back seat). I have a single car garage that is a little on the small size, but this vehicle fits with room to spare. There are plenty of cup holders, and a large glove box. If you have small children, this is a great car because it has three anchors for car seats.

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  Same problems as the rest..... - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By foerst1 - September 30 - 2:00 am

  My blazer is turning 4 and its been a rough relationship...Ive pretty much replaced everything on this SUV...front ball bearings twice, front ball joints, broken passenger seat lever, replace passenger window motor, new shocks, It seams many people are having the same problems, what can be done??? Anything??? I can say this is my last domestic auto....terrible build quality.

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  Cheap in more ways than 1 - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By replica48 - September 30 - 2:00 am

  For the $9k I paid for the car, I wasnt expecting anything fantastic. For the most part, I was right. Ive taken it back to have the horn fixed, along with the trunk lock. A tail light went out after 3 months. On occasion, the RPMs will drop to below 500 and come back up, and sometimes stalls, so I now have a new reason to take it in to the dealership again. When you put down the sun visors, they usually hit the rear view mirror. Installing an aftermarket stereo is VERY time consuming, as the whole dash must be removed. Its a good thing theyre dropping the line in 2005. GM needs a new design.

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  Bad Ride - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Kingtiger - September 30 - 2:00 am

  This is my 22nd Corvette. My 66 427 was not near the league the performance of this Vette is in. This is the most perfectly balanced sports car I have ever owned, Ferarris included. The rev limiter needs to be about 7,000 rpms to really make the car scream, but an absolute joy to drive. Life is too short people, get one and never settle just to be settling. What a blast!

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  What an awesome truck - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By fosty47 - September 30 - 2:00 am

  You must drive an Avalanche to experience the excellent ride and handling.