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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  Over priced POS - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By CodyG - December 15 - 2:00 am

  We bought it at 18 months old. It was basically new. Pretty good service until 75000 miles then it turned to a POS (piece os Sh..) The intake manifold gaskets started leaking for no reason. $800 at the GM dealer. Same thing happened to my dads 96 Suburban and my best friends 99 Suburban. 80,000 miles the condenser coil went out. They had to completely disassemble the dash.$667. Never rode the same after that. Then the ERG valve. By the time they got through with us that cost another $500. Like I said...POS

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  poor gas mileage - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By rudedog - December 13 - 2:00 am

  the poor gas mileage is worst thing about this truck for only having 6-cyl. i get about 180 miles on a full tank.

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  Beware this car "could be a lemon! - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Fred H - December 13 - 2:00 am

  Overall this is a great truck. The performance and comfort is exceptional. The reliability and build quality is very poor. Some people have not had to do to much maintainace to their blazers I have. Parts that have been replaced: Alternator 40K, AC (Compressor Condenser)50K, Radiator 56K, Water Pump 60K, Ignition switch and computer 65K. The transmission is rilled with rust that has been deposited by the corosion of the dipstick. Buy at your own risk!!!!!

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  We really wanted to like this car - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By the Dude - December 9 - 5:50 am

  We live in southern California and plug-in electric cars get to use the HOV (car pool) lane even if they are the sole occupant. I drove the Volt twice and my wife drove it twice. Overall I was impressed with the technology and the electric range. But we just could not get over how cramped it felt, especially in the back seat. Just didnt feel safe with your head being just inches from the side window. I am not a Prius fan but I will say that Chevy could learn a thing or two about packaging by looking at the Prius. If this car was bigger and had more room, we likely would have bought it. Seems like Chevy was fixated on giving it a big electric range at the cost of interior space. I would have gladly traded 5-10 miles of range for a car that was bigger.

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  im surprised - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By elijah - December 9 - 2:00 am

  currently have 16000 miles and am still happy

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  Almost got killed - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Geoff Frisch - December 9 - 2:00 am

  Front right speed sensor malfunctioned, causing the brake to lock at 60 MPH, sending me across 5 lanes of traffic. A miracle me, my wife and son are still alive. When the abs light comes on, see your dealer immediately!!

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  Still Runs well - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By nmbk - December 4 - 2:00 am

  I got mime in 1998 as a going to college car. Has run well- only a couple of minor glitches. Ive had to replace the starter twice. The first time we had to replace it the car started on its own and melted battery connections! No major complaints. Its gone up and down the east coast a number of times and is still running strong at 137,000+ miles.

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  Dont buy one - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By MSA - November 29 - 8:20 pm

  This car needed to a new transmission and 34,000 miles. At 52,000 miles the water pump went, and at 55,000 miles the air-conditioning compressor went. Stay away from this car.

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  Made on a Monday?? - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Not so pleased - November 29 - 10:00 am

  The engine light came on one day after I had it. It took 4 tries for the dealership to finally fix it. Since then, the engine light has come on numerous times. Ive had 3 parts replaced in less than 2 years. Thank goodness for OnStar. Im looking for another type of car after only 2 years of having the car to avoid buying the extended warranty. The car looks great, but if Im worried about it getting me where I need to go thats pretty pointless.

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  The S-10 - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By S-10 Owner - November 29 - 2:00 am

  It is a simple truck and I recommend it only for commercial usage for it is not a family car (truck). It is not entirely good looking but once again, this truck is not for the style, but for the dirty and tough jobs. It is like a Blazer minus 3 seats and 1/2 of the roof. Has an old body design (dated back to about 1995). Oh yeah, there is one more thing, check out on this site the 2004 Chevy Colorado.