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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  Wont do it again - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By sabdsbu - June 15 - 2:00 am

  Over all I like the truck it is just little problems that have irritated me. Broken reline handle on driver seat, broken lumbar support cable. Paint chipping off behind tires and I dont drive dirt roads, Rattles inside, doors leak water in a good rain storm, wind whistles. Also starting to find gasket problems, what is next??

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  Chevrolet 1500 V6 Long Bed, Work Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Nick - June 15 - 12:43 am

  I purchased this truck to complete home projects which I am working on. It is a two wheel drive with a standard transmission. This truck has an excellent ride and surprising power from the V6 engine. My biggest surprise has been the 20 mpg I am averaging. Ill take the fuel efficiency over a V8 engine any day. The cab is quiet, without much wind/road noise at highway speeds. I also like the floor shifter, although it becomes awkward with three passengers. Turning radius is excellent. It is a good-looking truck as well. I would highly recommend this tuck to someone that simply needs a regular, long-bed pick up truck without all the bells and whistles.

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  They got it right - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By OKC Buyer - June 14 - 10:53 am

  08 red LTZ with all avialable options. Wow. I can honestly say that driving a mid-size sedan really can be fun and comfortable and done in a well appointed interior. The ride is amazing. Cabin noise is the first thing I noticed, in that there was hardly any. Smooth and responsive,its just a blast to be in. Styling, both interior and exterior are eye catching. Creatue comforts abound in this car, many of them standard.

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  199 subur4ban - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By RNA - June 14 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car with 35k miles and have spent $1000 on brakes, The rotors are nearly gone, they squeal when new and old and everything in between and have never worked very well. But the worst is the rear differential.I pull a trailer, about 5000 lbs,and the differential has gone out twice. It definitely can not handle the load claimed by the factory for towing and the factory wont stand behind it. Also the gas gauge stopped working at 80k miles and the dealer says it is $750 to fix and no offers from the factory. I have talked to other people who have had the same problem with chevy trucks gas gauges.

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  not impressed - 1999 Chevrolet Metro
  By stix - June 14 - 2:00 am

  this car sux, if its just u and a friend and you have about 3,000,000 miles to drive and about $5 to spend on gas, this is the car to drive......its crappy overall but at least itll get u from 1 point to the other.....

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  Z-24 Review - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Joe Hydralics - June 14 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for two years now. I can say that it is a reliable car that is sporty and fun to drive. I have put 29000 miles on it so far, and it now has 85000 miles. No major mechanical problems have come up yet, though the struts are in need of replacing. The 5-speed manual is easy to opperate, but it will slip out of reverse from time to time.

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  Super Car! - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By CJC - June 14 - 2:00 am

  My Prism looks just like the one shown on the web site. It is an excellent auto. Love the mileage. Comfortable, quite, peppy, crisp handling, low maintenance. What more could you ask for?

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  Lemmmmon - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By HenrytheDog - June 14 - 2:00 am

  It seems chevy put explosive bolts in this thing. After 36k miles its undependable. Compressor, transmission, alt., coil, ign switch, electronic trans case, etc.. This thing has been towed 4 times to the dealer.

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  What a Lemon - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Theresa Stephenson - June 14 - 2:00 am

  This car is in the shop every 3 - 6 months even during the warranty period. We have spend over 4000.00 on repairs since then and now an additional 1500.00 is required. Getting rid of it and will not buy another chevorlet product. My husband says they were drunk when they built my car. Non of my family or friends will buy this product after watching us shell out so much money on such a sorry product. Chevrolet should be ashamed of themselves.

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  i like it! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By pyroj1 - June 14 - 2:00 am

  I like this car alot. I wish it had a little more power. But you cant beat the value.