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:

• 

  Lumina LTZ is a best buy - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By GM Loyal Customer - August 18 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car for $200 under invoice with 6 miles on the odometer and have enjoyed every mile I put on it since. This car outperforms many cars priced $10K higher... if people didnt have to compensate for their shortcomings with a "name-brand" car, they would save a lot of money! When looking to buy a new car, I researched engines and found that the 3.8 L V6 was highly thought of and I now know why - it is a blast to drive and very reliable. This car has made me a GM customer for life.

• 

  Would only trade for a newer one... - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By HorseofCourse - August 18 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle because of its versatility. I have an 8 truck bed when I need it, or seating for five. Rarely do I ever need both, so this is the perfect truck for our family. We use this for camping, boating, and everything else. Now that our firstborn has arrived, my wife loves the security she feels driving it in the city. Everywhere we go (grocery shopping, camping, etc.) people come up and ask me about this truck. You cant wipe the grin off of my face. Ive probably given the local Chevy dealers 10 easy sales this year by simply telling people about my Avalanche. GM should be giving me a referral bonus.

• 

  Great family car - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By speed diva - August 18 - 2:00 am

  We bought this vehicle a year ago. We have taken it on several road trips with the kids. The ride has been very confortable and fuel economy reasonable given the average speed of our travels. We are extremely happy with it. This vehicle replaced a Camry we had owned which turned out to be a lemon.

• 

  Bigger is Better - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By dyckvk - August 18 - 2:00 am

  We just moved up from a 98 JGC because of newly planned camping trips across the US with our coleman camper. The mid-sized SUVs wed been considering nolonger fit our family and towing capacity needs. Weve only had the Suburban for 2 months, but already wonder if we could ever own anything else. Recent trip from Lansing, MI to Savannah, GA was a breeze. Worst thing about the vehicle is that everyone now wants me to drive.

• 

  Beward of 4WD problems - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By tractorboy - August 18 - 2:00 am

  "Service 4WD" warning constantly comes on. 4WD now doesnt work at all. The truck has already spent 10 days in service departments (Ive only owned it for 3 months). The power windows failed, the radio stopped working, and the A/C went out. Theyve been able to fix everything but the 4WD/Transfer case problems. First it was a "software update". Then it was a "control module". Then it was an "encoder motor". They finally admitted they cant fix it. To make things worse, GM isnt backing it up. This is absolutely the worst truck Ive ever owned and it only has 4,000 miles on it.

• 

  BIG BANG FOR THE BUCK - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mikkara - August 18 - 2:00 am

  I researched this car for months, test drove it, and bargained the price down to where I wanted it. I am very, very pleased with the styling and performance. Bought it in the Galaxy Metallic Silver w/sunroof & spoiler, leather...makes me feel like I am 21 again, only at 21, you cant afford this car! Buy it! Youll like it.

• 

  Nice truck! - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ptown1 - August 18 - 2:00 am

  I started to buy a Ford, but once I drove the Silverado I was sold. It has more than enough power from the 5.3 vortec. The Ford didnt even compare, I couldnt believe the difference. Silverado has the best ride, and is the most plush of the big 3 trucks. Love the looks I get while driving it! Its a very nice looking and well built truck!!!

• 

  high mileage problems - 1990 Chevrolet Beretta
  By eric s - August 17 - 2:00 am

  Although the styling is real nice, there have been too many reliability problems with the on board computer system for a recommendation. I experienced problems with stalling and shutting off after extended highway driving. This does not represent too much of a problem if you are in town with plenty of opportunities to get a quick tow. However, if you are not armed with a cellphone and are in the middle of nowhere, as was my experience, this little auto will leave you high and dry if it decides to act up. The exterior bits are also inferior. The side molding comes off after a few years and the rubber handle to the turn signal tends to slide off.

• 

  Real Nice Lemon! - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By pacificnw - August 17 - 2:00 am

  We bought car at dealer with 56K miles. Soon after we bought, "check engine" light comes on. We were told tranny was bad. Had tranny rebuilt for $1100, but light still came on. After a year, car in shop total of 4 mo., 3 trannys, total of $2500, we got light to stop and quickly traded car in. After some research, found that is very common problem with mid 90s camaros. Tranny is a 4L60-E, and it throws the 1870 code which causes the check engine light to come on. Comfortable, fast, great sound system. Get the manual tranny instead. BTW, called original owner, he said light started coming on at 36K miles, he had also spent $3000 trying to fix!

• 

  Bad transmission - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By ht - August 17 - 2:00 am

  I bought the van used in Feb. 2003,when it had 12,000 miles on it. It now has 25,000 and shifts roughly. I think the tranmission will go out soon.