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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  Its a money pit!!! - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By loyd629 - August 17 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has needed more repairs than any other car I have ever owned. I too have had problems with oil leaks requiring high cost repairs. AC, engine, transmission problems. Each time I say I will sell it, another costly repair is required and then I keep it only to get back a little of what I put into it. I am very good about doing the routine maintenance so it is not that I just let this car go. I wil not buy one again, nor would I ever recommend it. --I also get poor gas mileage.

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  not worth the money - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By malibu junk - August 17 - 2:00 am

  constant electrical problems. knocking in engine on col start. dealer claims inherant with the 3.1 engine. chevy malibu ls

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  great auto - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By ronbo - August 17 - 2:00 am

  great auto delux model have 42000 on and going strong , never been back for any major problem . would recomend it to anyone

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  Fun and comfortable for the family - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By tlm - August 17 - 2:00 am

  My experience with my Malibu LS V6 has been wonderful. It is fun to drive and also gives our family a sporty look without the expensive price tag. My fifteen year old is looking forward to learning to drive in our Malibu.

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  Love my Vette - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Herschel - August 17 - 2:00 am

  If you want a "true American sports car," then the Corvette is for you. It has the best ride, style, and confort for the price.

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  Review 2003 - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Neal Boynton - August 17 - 2:00 am

  The 2003 is lighter and handles a little better than the 2000. The 2003 does not get as good as milage as the 2000, in fact it is exactly 2.3 miles less per gallon than the 2000.Do not know why but I suspect it is the different transmission. Also GM has all kinds of little nickle and dime short cuts in the 2003, like no tail gate key entry, cheaper paint in the door jams, lots of little cheap cut backs that are surprising for a vehicle that has one of the most loyal customer followings.

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  Great vehicle - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By greaves - August 17 - 2:00 am

  could not be happier with this vehicle

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  Highs and Lows - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By DBF - August 17 - 2:00 am

  I use the vehicle for both business and family transport (4 kids). Highs = people and gear fit nicely, ride/performance is good, fuel economy suprising Lows = build/design drivers seat has squeaked since last year (annoying), engine rattles when first started (dealer/others claim its a design problem with pistons!!! no fix short of a rebuild) Overall, I like the size and performance I just wish Ford would make one this size as GMs quality is suspect (Ive had "0" problems with 3 F150s owned)

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  Always wanted one - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By mountain - August 17 - 2:00 am

  I always wanted one and now I know why. The smooth quiet ride and handling blow away, the Fords and Dodges. The style and dependability are outstanding. My 1996 3500 Chevy Crew Cab has 96,541 miles on it and the only thing I ever replaced was the fuel pump. I also just gave my 1989 Chevy S-10 4x4 Blazer to my father, it is running great with 241,000 miles on it. Chevrolet truck quality is head and shoulders above the market competition. I expect the same performance from my Suburban. Plenty of room and comfort for my family and friends.

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  2014 Cruze diesel Best mpg in my life! Fantastic! - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Al - August 16 - 7:34 pm

  We have owned this car since Oct. 2014. It has done a mix of driving with some long road trips. getting 60 mpg with the low rolling resistance tires in the summer was a fantastic plus. But we have also seen 44 mpg mixed city driving. It goes down when we change to winter tires for driving conditions in Minnesota but is still 3 to 8 mpg above the EPA "estimates". The only way to get the mileage under 25 is letting it idle in the winter with the heat on while waiting for someone in a store! Getting into the car is a little difficult for a 62" tall man, it reminds me of my exotic sports car I used to own, but once in the car it is great! The handling is something other small car owners dream about for the engine gives the car just the right amount of weight. Acceleration is great for an economy car plus braking is great. the steering is a little twitchy at freeway speed but the driver is supposed to be paying attention at higher speed! I like the parking assist and backup camera. I have loaded all kinds of stuff in to the car through the backseat, even 8 foot 2 x 4s and 10 foot pipe. back seat room behind me is just not there. But it is ok when my wife is driving. I found when I was shopping cars in 2014 that this was the most comfortable inside for a large man. We have the leather interior and all the options but the price of the car new was not at all high. About $8k under the infamous car company that lied about their diesels. Chevy is up front about what the owner should do for maintenance and we like the 2 years free oil changes. I was waiting for a car that would get over 30 mpg in mixed city driving and our average of 38 is great. I knew I wanted either electric or diesel and diesel won in every way. Update 11-14-2016. This year this car hit a new milestone(pun intended) with its mileage at 61.3 MPG on a short trip of 150 miles. I had filled up before leaving and had to wait most of the trip to see the fuel gauge move off the full mark. OUTSTANDING!! Around town mileage for short trips has gone to about the EPA level of 26 mpg but the part of the system that measures fuel economy between fill ups is constantly showing 31 to 33 mpg average. A full tank of almost 15 gallons lasts a LONG time. We have yet to drive over 500 miles round trip with the car but highway mileage in the high 50s to low 60s is normal. If you balance this diesel with gas car maintenance and fuel costs compared to Premium gas required in lots of turbo engined small cars our costs are at least 25% lower but we are experiencing about 50% lower. I expect that when the 2017 1.6L diesel comes out I would think drivers could get into the 70s and if you tried really hard even to 80 MPG. GM is doing the right thing with their diesels.