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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  Bad to the Bone - 1996 Chevrolet Impala
  By fisclf - September 11 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Impala SS new and it has been my daily driver. Now has 83K miles and I have never had any significant problem with it. The 5.7 liter engine makes lots of torque. It has huge 255/50R17 tires, but you can gently goose it and shred those 200 dollar g-force tires anytime you are in the mood. Or, touch the accelerator gently and let the low rumble from your exhaust shake up the Toyota in the next lane. Handles and stops well for a 4200 pound car. An excellent highway cruiser, stable yet responsive. Very practical, with lots of interior room, a large trunk and normal insurance rates. I consistently get 20 MPG with regular gas.

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  Brakes, front end, A/C just plain poor - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By JAH - September 11 - 2:00 am

  Bought new. Price was right and seemed nice at the time, reviews were good. However, have replaced brakes too many times to count-calipers, rotors, pads- the works. A/C switch turns on-off at random fan doesnt work on 1 and 2. Control arms clunk on every bump. Bad power lock switch design. Paint scratches easily. Fit of glove box poor. Original tires were terrible.

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  EXPERIENCE OF OWNERSHIP - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By MLUZECKY - September 11 - 2:00 am

  ELECTRIC WINDOWS HAVE BROKEN ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS DESPITE MINIMAL USE. REMOVING REAR SEAT REMAINS DIFFICULT. BRAKING REMAINS MARGINAL.

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  Love myAvalanche - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Denis Croteau - September 11 - 2:00 am

  I have had my avalanche for 2 years now and I realy love just about every thing about it the ride is very nice and you can have 4 to 5 adults sitting comfortabley and if you need a pickup truck you have it in about 5 min.

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  Awesome - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 2fast 4u - September 11 - 2:00 am

  Looks great and runs even better. High styling with power to spare. The 50th Anniversary color is beautiful, especially in the sun. This model is very quite on the road except for the great sound from the exhaust system. Its a keeper.

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  2003 Tahoe LT - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Creekman - September 11 - 2:00 am

  I owned an Explorer since 98 and was never pleased with it. I was not even planing on buying this Tahoe until I saw it in a dealers lot. I thought about it a few days and went and bought it. I will tell you this, I will never buy another Ford. I love this vehicle. It looks good sitting beside my 1991 Chevy truck. I feel like I have come home.

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  Love it - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Shell - September 10 - 5:00 am

  I love this car. We recently got rid of my husbands pickup and I went from driving a Tahoe to this and I think it is great

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  Still Kicking - 1991 Chevrolet S-10
  By cbod - September 10 - 2:00 am

  Bought this truck brand new. A/C has gone out twice. Freeze plugs went bad before 70,000 miles. Transmission is finally about to go. But overall, one of the best vehicles I have every bought.

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  a pretty good little suv - 2001 Chevrolet Tracker
  By gary barber - September 10 - 2:00 am

  I find this to be a dependable, fun to drive, inexpensive suv. Its not world class, but within its price and size range its a good buy

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  New veh review - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Billk - September 10 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle gets around very easily and is responsive to driver inputs.The acceleration is quite adequate for a vehicle of this size.Having driven a Windstar with a larger engine during my evaluation process, I find the smaller engine very adequate and the fuel economy offers a savings in fuel costs.