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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  Wish I had anouther Truck - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Brian95 - January 29 - 10:00 am

  I own a 2000 Z71 and have had to many problems for such an expensive truck. When I start it up in the morning it knocks for the first minute or so. This started at 15000 miles. The dealer told me it was carbon build up and that there was no recomended repair at this time. What does that mean. Then the Emergency break went out after 32000 miles. The 4WD switch went out at 35000 miles and my A/c freezes up and wont blow any more. The lower lumbar broke and the dash rattles when Im on the Highway.

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  Cant see what all the hype is about! - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Robert A. - January 28 - 7:03 pm

  Mileage rating and drop back to 4 cylinder performance is a joke. My own SUV, which is the LTZ and is fully loaded, had a faulty climate control system and one speaker which didnt work from the start. The windshield has a scratch in the middle of it. The rear hatch had continuous squeaks in it which the dealer corrected. The dash still has a constant squeak in it which I dont know whether or not will ever be found. The polished aluminum wheels and their quality are a joke for the price that GM charges, considering a set of four high end chrome American Racing Rims would cost much less. The spare tire is a different brand than the four driving tires which is another waste of money.

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  bad car - 1995 Chevrolet Beretta
  By jmm22 - January 26 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car thinking it would last em for a long time, but that was not the case. Ive had this car for 7 months and have put close to 900 dollars into it. You name its been replaced, such as the heater coil, fan belt, battery, alternator, powerwindor, power lock, egr vavle, spark plugs, radiator. This final straw is a cracked block and blown head gasket.

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  So its kind of fun to drive, but..... - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By realcarguy - January 24 - 4:46 pm

  I have never had a car that promised so much, but delivered so little! The design, fit and finish on the exterior is ridiculous. Side door trim pieces falling off and roof trim poping up are more than just an aggrevation. The rear drivers inner wheel welll now has an ugly screw in it to keep it from gaping away from the fender. Both heated seats still dont work (they are working on it folks - I expect a "software" fix in summer since the hardware change didnt). The windshield washer still sprays low after two replacements. You would think a real 40K drivers car would come with complete gauges. The gas mileage stinks at 22 hwy on a good day downhill with a tail wind and a drafting partner!

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  Reliabilty - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Cindy Ann - January 24 - 10:00 am

  with less than 500 hundred miles it has been in the servcie repair twice due to stalling when stopping at traffic light, no one can seem to find the problem. The dealship states this is the second Malibu to come in with the problem. the dealership is being very helpful and nice and doing there best to correct the problem. Genral Motors is not helping them though.

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  Junk from the Get-Go - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Honest Abe - January 24 - 2:00 am

  This truck broke down day one. Within the first three months all of the fuel injectors were replaces, with multiple visits. The power assisted steerting took three visits to repair. A bunch of minor problems, but a trip to the dealership is still a problem. The front disc brakes are gone every 6 months. At 100,000 the real costs started to add up, new transimission, radiator, engine and the list goes on. Its fair to say that $15K in repairs have been done to this truck inside 150,000 miles.

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  I am getting chevy cars anymore - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By LAdude - January 24 - 2:00 am

  This car is not that reliable. It broke down in four months. Six month later, I found the cars temperature gauge went all the up. My mechanic found that the coolant system was OK, yet the temperature gauge showed overheating (until now). Last year, the engine started to "cough" and the car shake. Also last year, I started my car, and the engine was racing like when the gas pedal is hit hard, the engine idle control went out. I have only 35,000 miles on that minivan, and three months ago, I had to replace the transmission. Last month, my car started leaking a lot of oil, and I already have it fixed. Next year I’m getting Honda Odyssey.

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  Fine for the money, but could use work - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By MDE - January 23 - 2:00 am

  Decent enough gas mileage for an SUV. Good power, but not great. The main problems with this SUV are its extremely narrow stance, when compared to its height and length. When passed by a large truck, this vehicle will shimmy and sway on the road - something the newer Explorer doesnt do. Very scary. Also, if you have to brake suddenly, this vehicle tends to veer. Definitely a very high center of gravity, even for an SUV. No sudden movement feels safe. Its a decent low-end SUV but careful how you drive it!

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  ugly but works - 2003 Chevrolet Astro
  By Sponge - January 22 - 2:00 am

  The van is a bit ugly but it gets the job done it have expictnial take off power and maxes out aroung 130mph. There hasnt be any majour problems with it and it workes good to tow a trailer.

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  Crappy quality, stay away - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By zezaaa - January 20 - 10:00 am

  At the test drive I explain to the dealer that there is strange noise, the answer--this is a different car, engine sounds different. At 400 miles has several problems--including severe one: needs major transmission work! Dealership gives me headaches with repair--they would give me a rental car, but only for the first three days, and repairs will take longer. Not to "waste" my three days over the weekend, they let me take back my car but I "should drive the car as little as possible not to cause more damage"! GM customer service explained to me how I can ask coworkers/friends to drive me around or get a taxi!!! This is my fourth GM car in a row and this was my last GM one, end of story!