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:

• 

  The Heavy Chevy! - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By All-around Pleased - July 5 - 2:00 am

  The Cavalier has been a really good car for me and my family. It has a sporty look, but is pretty easy on the wallet. Gets great mileage (thanks to the automatic transmission) and has ample power for long time travel. Only problems Ive had, except for routine maintenance, is head gasket replaced around 80,000 miles, water pump replaced at 81,000 miles, car main computer down around 90,000 miles (replaced with used one), and alternator replaced around 95,000 miles. Sounds like a lot, but was very reasonably priced to fix (especially if you know some good "private" mechanics). All in all, not much to ask for a really hard ridden car.

• 

  best bang for the buck - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Helio Castroneves - July 5 - 2:00 am

  You can take this relatively inexpensive automobile and spend 3 or 4 grand on it to end up with one of the fastest rides on the street. I eat Corvettes, run with and usually away from Vipers, and put most of Europe to shame. Only the tuners with Japanese stuff can hang with me.

• 

  Shaky Brakes - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By RaYcH - July 5 - 2:00 am

  I agree with the person who said there is vibrating feel with the brakes sometimes. Its weird. Overall, I love my car. It looks good and drives well. I had some problems with the Solinoid(not sure of the spelling) when I first bought it. Took the dealership a while to figure out what was wrong. Guess thats what I get for buying a used car. But its a great car for a good price.

• 

  2002 Chevrolet Avalanche Z71 - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Jgordon05 - July 5 - 2:00 am

  When I first got the Avalanche I knew this was going to be a good truck. It looks great from the inside and out. Lots of features and it stands out. There were lots of changes from 2002 to 2003 such as the dash, radio look, heated seats on your back, BOSE stereo, and the stereo controls on the newly designed steering wheel. The convert a cab is great. Didnt even know how to take it apart, with no manual took it apart in under 5 minutes and put it back together in 5 also.

• 

  LOVE THIS TRUCK!!!! - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By rick1733 - July 4 - 2:32 pm

  Bought a 2002 Chevy Silverado in 2004. It had 39,000 miles on it. I was a bit nervous I was paying too much but I was betting the engine would make my deal a sweet one. Ive got a bit over 230,00 miles on it now. Itll be ten years ago this fall I bought it. NEVER had an issue. NOT one. Had to have the fuel injection-stuff cleaned out at about 185k miles... that kinda sucked but I guess it comes with maintenance. Lookn for a vehicle for my twin sons. Seems every vehicle I look up, including this truck, someone has had transmission issues. I felt compelled to write a review on my Chevy. NO ISSUES. EVERRR!!! God Bless this TRUCK!!!

• 

  Bought Used - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By StevL - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Bought this truck used for my 16 year old son. The V6 has good response and is a positive. Transmission had to have work after 5,000 miles. Side mirrors rattle terribly. Cab fairly noisey. Had to replace wiper motor after 3,000 miles. Two O2 sensors after 6,000 miles. At about 7,000 mile (now) the a/c compressor is leaking. This truck had one owner and looked very good for its age. I had it checked out by a Chevy dealership before purchase. Everything was checked to be in "Excellent" condition. Truck had 112,000 miles when purchased.

• 

  Cheap Thrills! - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Car Freak - July 4 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely love these cars - Ive had over 20 different cars and the Red Hot Z has to be one of my favorites. The "marriage" between the engine & trans is flawless -the performance is unmatched in a mid-size category for the cash. The brakes suffer a bit - changed out every 6 months - but GM is to send out some $$$ to offset. Im buying another one in a few days - 212,000 miles on my last one! Recommend highly for the teenager or old dude that needs some cheap thrills. Dont let the price fool ya - Oh, & make sure the you get the front bearings checked around 80K-150K. used cars always need some preventative maintanence! Have Fun!

• 

  Nice Truck - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By bhusarek - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Our 2000 Tahoe has been a great truck for us. It has done everything we have wanted and more, without any problems.

• 

  Worth It! - 1994 Chevrolet S-10
  By Jai - July 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought my S-10 used from a local dealership. So far, it has ran excellently but needed a few minor repairs. A few specks of rust needed painted over (costing approx. $50) and the winshield wiper engine needed replaced.I need to eventually replace the speakers, the sound doesnt always come out of both sides...Other than that, I love this little truck!

• 

  Best Car I Ever Owned - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By wthomas - July 3 - 2:00 am

  This Lumina, which I purchased new, has been a great purchase. The car has been very reliable and the 6 cylinder engine and transmission work very well together. Excellent power performance for weight of car. The radio is top notch and I enjoy the speed/noise sensitive automatic volume control. The AC unit is excellent. Cold is COLD. Overall my best car ever, and not a bad price.