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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  Great Car - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Happy_Happy - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Purchased used @ 73000 miles in 1999. Routine maintenance and some repair. 3.1V6 and auto trans. had 189000 miles on it and still reliable and strong. I love this car.

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  Best truck ever - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By 454 ss 725 hp - August 13 - 2:00 am

  very reliable well rounded truck.

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  Cavalier - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Nana83 - August 13 - 2:00 am

  I love my cavalier. It is fun and easy to drive and it is really good on gas.

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  What a Farse - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By Astrotrash - August 13 - 2:00 am

  This van has been lousy since the get go. At 16,000 miles, it died on the freeway. The catalytic converter, oxygen sensor and fuel pump needed replacing. It has broken down numerous times. The fuel pump has been replaced twice, rear AC twice and on and on and on. The cabin had an unlocated water leak which caused the carpet and padding to saturate and produce mold. GM Customer relations had to be brought in to mediate. After paying for new padding and having it happen again, we finally just removed it and put it back in place when we traded the ridiculous thing in. It rides like a mattress suspended on beach balls. First and LAST GM experience.

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  Chevys For Life - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Chevy Man - August 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought my blazer used and it had 45,000 miles on it I have put on 103,000 since then. Within 6 months I had a new tranny, Brake System, and Air Conditioning system. But you cant turn back time and redo what the person before you did. Since then I have had really no problems I have Had to replace the thermostat several times and a battery a couple of times and that is about it. It is Great for a Family.

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  ZR2 2.5V6 - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By e ransbury - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Excellent in snow and ice. travels dirt and mud roads smoothly with its full ladder frame. No body or frame flex on rough roads. Skid plates have been puit to use during play tme. Carries two dogs in kennel in back with rear seats rolled down. v6 is very surprising high revver.

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  What is wrong with these brakes? - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By amdla - August 13 - 2:00 am

  We love this car for comfort, but we are changing brakes every 20,000 miles. We were told by a GMC salesman that there was a glitch in the design which was corrected on later models, but cannot get this confirmed by GM mechanics.

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  satisfied customer - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Sat User - August 13 - 2:00 am

  And all in one vehicletruck, suv, and family vehicle

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  Chevy Hits a Homerun - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Tom - August 12 - 5:23 pm

  After a summer of searching, Im glad I waited for the 2010 Nox. At 67" I couldnt squeeze into the Rav, CRV, Santa Fe..... It came down to VW Tigan vs. NEW Equinox. Chevy won hands down based on expanded cabin size vs. 09, MPG and overall value. It fits in my garage better than my old four door sedan too....an added bonus! Dont expect much off sticker or incents given on other Chevys. But grab one quick before they figure out they put too much into the 2010 for the money. This one competes with SUVs in a larger class.

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  Malibu is fantastic - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By MikeOrangeman88 - August 12 - 1:36 pm

  I love my new Chevy Malibu. I cannot believe how well built it is. Ive always been a Chevy driver and have never been disappointed but, man, Chevy outdid themselves with this vehicle. I wouldnt even think about buying an Accord or Camry. The Malibu LTZ feels and looks like it costs at least $10- $20,000 above what I paid for it. Well done Chevy!