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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  My review - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By canddmeyer - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle til 55,000 miles at which time things broke one after another. Luckily, most were warranty items. I got stuck for the throttle body ($800). Already has had two brake jobs & 2 batteries. My buddies Jeep Cherokee will run circles around my Blazer with better handling & higher ground clearance. The Blazer was the best buy for the $ though & luckily I have a fantastic dealer which was 95% of the reason I purchased the vehicle. Turnaround on repairs is same day 90% of the time. Must get an extended warranty when purchased new. Despite the complaints, it was still the best buy for my $ in 1997, & Id buy another today unless Im towing.

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  Piston Slap is not normal! - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ed753 - May 1 - 2:00 am

  Overall liked the truck and held up well, with the exception of the engine. At 16,500 it began knocking on start-up and got worse the next few months. I took it to the dealer because I obviously needed a new motor! Well to my surprise the dealer says "they all do that, that is normal" A day of research on the internet, and a couple sleepless nights, I traded it in to a wholesaler before the end of the week. I take very good care of my trucks and expect them to look/act/rune like new, and hold there resale value, but with a gas engine that sounded like a diesel, this one had to go. I bought a Ford.

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  Eh.... - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By volcomfreak - April 29 - 2:00 am

  All in all, I would *not* buy this truck again if I had the chocie. The wheels are DANGEROUS. Ive hydroplaned hardcore 2 times already, the second one resulting in the near destruction of my truck and my life. They are constantly requiring my attention with air. The suspension is very fun though, taking curves at 90mph+ totally works with this little truck. The 2.2L in heat is absolutley horrid. The engine will make a thunderous roaring noise when accelerating from a complete stop...the engine sounds like itll explode sometimes.

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  Beautiful car with underlying defect - 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Amy - April 28 - 3:27 am

  I purchased my car with 55,000 miles on it and a cracked dash. After being told by the dealer that "those trucks get cracks on their dashes all the time," I decided to do some research. $650 for a new dash in Texas. Local dealership was willing to replace at no cost, even though my truck was out of its warranty period. However, there are thousands of owners who have not been as lucky. There is an entire Facebook page and class action lawsuit in place due to GMa unwillingness to acknowledge the defect in the 07-13 dashes. The cracks always present behind the instrument panel and in the upper left hand side of the airbag compartment. This will be my last Tahoe until GM does the right thing and recalls these dashes.

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  This Aint Like The Old S-10s - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By MGDguy - April 28 - 2:00 am

  Ive have owned a 89 S-10 Reg Cab 4cyl/5spd, a 91 S-10 Reg Cab 4cyl/5spd, and now a 99 S-10 Ext Cab 6cyl/5spd, and by far I liked the two older ones the best. The 99 Ive owned for only 9 months and I already want to get rid of it. Sqeaks and rattles while driving down the street, not to mention the automatic headlights, the radio that stays on after the ignition is turned off, and the interior light that comes on after removing the ignition key are too much. Plus the fact that the newer S-10 are cheaply built. This is by far the worst S-10 Ive owned. Do yourself a favorite if you want a S-10 buy one thats pre-94.

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  This Aint Like The Old S-10s - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By boogerathome - April 28 - 2:00 am

  Ive have owned a 89 S-10 Reg Cab 4cyl/5spd, a 91 S-10 Reg Cab 4cyl/5spd, and now a 99 S-10 Ext Cab 6cyl/5spd, and by far I liked the two older ones the best. The 99 Ive owned for only 9 months and I already want to get rid of it. Sqeaks and rattles while driving down the street, not to mention the automatic headlights, the radio that stays on after the ignition is turned off, and the interior light that comes on after removing the ignition key are too much. Plus the fact that the newer S-10 are cheaply built. This is by far the worst S-10 Ive owned. Do yourself a favorite if you want a S-10 buy one thats pre-94.

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  Well... - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By dreddy - April 27 - 2:00 am

  Lots of power. Reliability left something to be desired (b/c first year for this body style?). Stopping power was atrocious (main reason I got rid of this car). Smooth shifting automatic transmission. If towing heavy trailer (over 2000 lbs), recommend load balancing hitch (rear of car was uncomfortably low with 4600 lb load). Anti-lock brakes sound like a dying moose. Another reason for selling was I missed having a car (better handling, gas mileage).

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  Mixed thoughts - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By NATO - April 26 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this car not only for my commute to school but also I thought it would be a nice car to tune up. In the commuting respect it has fulfilled its duty.In regards to its performance, Im disappointed. I understand its not a Porsche but I was expecting it to be quicker than it is. It feels sluggish and I constantly have the feeling that something is holding it back. Even after installing a few performance parts (K&N air filter, etc) it still feels underpowered. If you are looking for a car to tune, dont buy this! If you want a generic, low fun factor commuting car, this is the one for you.

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  Electrical system nightmare - 1996 Chevrolet Suburban
  By tstorm5 - April 25 - 2:00 am

  Were on our 5th Alternator. We also went through 3 batteries before those problems were resolved. Alternator left me stranded in the California deseret once and left my wife stranded three times locally. The current one on the vehicle is dying as we speak. Fenderwell and area had to be sandblasted and repainted shortly after purchase to repair acid damage. Other than that we have had a pretty good experience. We travel to Colorado from South Texas every year and other than one breakdown we have had good luck. A/C seems to only blow on passenger side vents. Good large vehicle except for reliability problems

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  Disappointed!! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Not Pleased - April 24 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle about a year and a half ago and have had endless problems. The Transmission shifted rough. I brought it into the dealership and they said there wasnt a fix for it at the time of production of my vehicle, but sold them anyway "As Is." I had the computer reprogrammed which helped some. Also there was wind noise, driver floor and accelerator pedal vibration, weather stripping falling off, rain water leaks on the entire driver side into the vehicle, squeaks and rattles, seatbelt locking up, and breaking wasnt smooth. The vehicle would lunge just before stopping. Should have gotten the Lemon Law on this one!