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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  weak trans - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By Geoff 1954 - May 18 - 2:00 am

  1st problem, battery went dead and had to replace it under warrenty,2ed transmition problem, overdrive burns out needing a major rebuilt.

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  I could have done better... - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By What was I thinking? - May 16 - 2:00 am

  My gut instinct was not to buy this truck, but somehow that day I kinda liked it. The possibility of a few quirks would have been acceptable since I only needed it for home ownership purposes. When I took it to an independent mechanic I learned it couldnt even pass a simple state safety inspection. Poor build quality had sent it to be traded in, and the dealer wouldnt give it the help it needed without added cost. There are several, better choices out there for the consumer to choose from.

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  Want something squeky?? - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Thor7775 - May 12 - 2:00 am

  I have had my truck for 6 months and had no mechanical problems but hate the interior. It squeks soooo bad inside and havent gotten a chance to fix it.

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  Good Experience Turns Sour - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Fiji111 - May 9 - 2:00 am

  My car performed great until around 17,000 miles. Heater core cracked and soaked my passenger carpet with coolant. A number of rattles have developed. Bad odor coming from vents required the dealership to install a special blower fan (aparently there is a GM bulletin on this issue so it is not unique to me). Ride is bouncy. Road/tire notice is too extensive for a vehicle in this price range.

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  Poor Gas Mileage - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Don stroud - May 7 - 10:23 am

  Gas mileage is poor from 19.6 miles to the gallon in city driving.To 23 miles to the gallon driving on the open road.

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  Johns review - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By tankerman83 - May 7 - 2:00 am

  Its a good truck im happy with what I got for the price but it needs a little more leg room and power but other that that its a all around good truck I suggest you buy it but get an extracab.

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  Needs some tweaking, but could be awesome! - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By teresab - May 6 - 1:30 pm

  Expected better mileage on the highway. Window sticker shows 27, not even getting 20 as of right now. Engine wants to stall at stop lights with air on max. Water gets inside door frame when washing car, have to dry out inside of door frame. Sometimes theres lifter or valve rattling. Too much power for a front wheel drive vehicle, can get away on you if not careful.

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  excellent, but very bad. - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By thomasde - May 6 - 2:00 am

  Seems that what this vehicle does well, it does very well, and what it does poorly it does very poorly. I bought the vehicle with the extended road trip in mind, and it eats up highway miles very well. The car is very confortable, the seats provide good back support and the highway ride is quite smooth. Also, the fuel economy is as good as it gets for a mid-sized SUV. However, I have replaced my most of my front-end and cooling system components. Also, the car is too narrow and hence, too unstable, making city driving difficult and wind treacherous.

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  Last in a long line of Chevys - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By arrjr - May 5 - 7:26 pm

  After owning five previous Silverado models and getting over 200,000 miles on each without problems, I am disappointed in the 2008. At about 50K miles, the door locks began to work intermittantly. Now three of them do not work at all. The passenger side mirror has been fixed under warranty when it stopped adjusting, now it is not working again. The transmission has always clunked into first when stopping or lags to downshift until you take off. Dealer said this was normal but it acts just like a sticking torque converter. Painted surfaces on interior is sub-standard and flaking off. Latest problem is the vent selenoid on the fuel system...only $160.00. This may be my last Chevy!

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  Tired of Rental Cars - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By fjm11516 - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I loved this car more than any I had ever owned. Then the second year came around. This car spends more time in the shop than it does at my home. Ive had 3 major problem that were covered under warrenty. My warrenty ends in 700 miles and I am scared to death of what is going to happen next. Great comfort which is why I bought it. The most unreliable car ever. Run away.