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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  2001 LT Tahoe - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By chemngnr - August 15 - 2:00 am

  Overall I am very happy with my Tahoe. I have a some engine noise and rattle in th front suspension which the dealer takes care of when I go in for service but they seem to come back within a few weeks. The worst part of the vehicle is the automated climate control system (CCS). It seems to do things that are contrary to rational thought. For instance, it could be 30 below and the auto CCS wants to turn on the AC! Ive given up on it and run the system mannually.

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  50th anniversary Edition - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Metlox - August 15 - 2:00 am

  This is my second vette, and this ones just as much fun as the first, except that this one is tight...no squeeks or rattles. It roars off the line, and turns a lot of heads. I cant wait to drive it to work everyday - I just wished I lived farther away!

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  Dream Car - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By BlackVette - August 15 - 2:00 am

  The Corvette has been my dream car since I was 13 years old. Having purchased a black 2003 my dream was realized this year. This car is everything that one could ever hope for a sports car to be. It is sleek, handles beautifully, and is the most comfortable car I have ever driven. The responsiveness of the steering and the powerful acceleration make it a true dream to drive. Yet, the level of comfort that the Corvette exudes gives it a luxurious feel that many sports cars seem to lack. Hats off to Chevrolet for producing such a fine car!

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  Not very impressed. Preferred the VW Jetta - 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Sam - August 14 - 10:42 pm

  Avis at OC John Wayne airport stuck me with a Chevy Cruze on my last trip to SoCalif in May 2017. Bummer. I had fun to drive VW Jetta the last time. The accelerator pedal on the Cruze felt like I was modulating a bungee cord with virtually no acceleration unless I floored it. The brakes were a little grabby but OK. Theres nothing special about this car, not especially fun to drive, not very nimble but acceptable. The auto Stop/Start was a royal pain. The only way I could disable it (sometimes) was if I left the air conditioner ON. Apparently the engine needs to be running in order to power the air conditioner - but that only worked sometimes. I thought I would get better throttle response by shifting the transmission out of Drive and into the next lower setting. If I did that while stopped the engine would just rev up to redline and wouldnt shift as I sped up. If I was already in motion then manually down shifted, it would sometimes stay in the lower setting with better throttle response and not rev up so high. It would shift. Weird. I say shift because Im not sure if this is a real transmission or a CVT. In any case, it was annoying! The VW Jetta is also an inexpensive sedan and I found it be a far better car all around, much more spirited, and no silly quirks like the Chevy Cruze. I ask Avis if I can get the Jetta again on my next trip. Ill try to avoid the Cruze.

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  problems with dexcool and manifold gaske - 1997 Chevrolet Venture
  By no more chevys - August 14 - 2:00 am

  bought new. had to dealer 3 times for muddy antifreeze. Now the manifold gasket is leaking, and waterpump. all problems noted on other reviews. I love driving it, but cant stand the maintenance problems. 6 years old, only 53,000 mi. Why cant chevy build a vehicle to last. Im looking into Toyota next time.

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  A keeper - 1990 Chevrolet Celebrity
  By JCBrent - August 14 - 2:00 am

  Takes a licking and keeps on ticking...

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  hated it - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By jkh6148 - August 14 - 2:00 am

  for me - strickly a younger persons truck - engine and transmission were loud - off road tires areloud and throws slush/mud/water up onto itself - making it impossible to keep clean especially in winter

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  The Best - 1996 Chevrolet Suburban
  By J.R.B. - August 14 - 2:00 am

  I still get compliments on this vehicle 7 years and 157,000+ miles later.It has the regency custom package and has been great on long trips(too many 1,000+ miles to count)as well as around town.I still get 17.5-18.0 mpg on trips,loaded down.

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  awesome car! - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By raceguy333 - August 14 - 2:00 am

  This is my second car (second camaro) and it is great. I originally had a 95 coupe, and after moving up to a 99 z28, i have to say that the power is excellent! The only problem i have had is a dead battery, but i was running a 2000-watt stereo off the factory battery that was 4 years old.. that is to be expected.

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  Cant complain! - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By richard123321 - August 14 - 2:00 am

  Ive had the Z24 since new and have 90,000 miles on it. The only real repair was a front wheel bearing at 70,000 miles. Besides that only normal maintenance costs (fluid changes, tires and brakes) have been required. The car runs like new! Ive changed the oil every 4000 miles and changed the tranny fluid every 40000 miles. I wish that I had a good reason to switch cars since Im kinda getting tired of looking at it! I would consider another GM were it not for their steep depreciation. Makes for a great used car buy!