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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  2005 Z71 Silverado Ext Cab - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bruce - May 6 - 3:33 am

  Great ride, comfortable interior, and good gas mileage, but I dont like the new 3.42 gears. Would like my old 3.73s back.

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  96 Chevy S-10 - 1996 Chevrolet S-10
  By Singleton - May 6 - 2:00 am

  After owning my S-10 for about four years, I would recommend it to anyone. I have taken it places you would never believe and if you enjoy smaller trucks, dont overlook this one.

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  4 dr police package - 1995 Chevrolet Caprice
  By cskribbles - May 6 - 2:00 am

  great car. chevrolet really did it with this car...150,000 miles on the body. all major components replaced at 70,000. fast and fun to drive. no problems to this day.

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  Dissapointing - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By fjvwj - May 6 - 2:00 am

  My first brand spankin new car/truck. Treated it like a baby. After only 21000 miles, the car feels slugish, until you smash the gas pedal. Clicking noise from underneath the car. Seats are squeaking. Outside air comes into the cabin, whether you like it or not. Anti-lock brakes engage too easily. Because of that, I almost got into so many accidents. More of a liability than an asset. Chevy will have to do better than this to get me to buy another one of their cars.

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  the zed - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By morbid zed - May 6 - 2:00 am

  Bought the car wrecked and has been one of the best investments Ive made. ---FIX FOR THE GETRAG 5SPD RATTLE--- USE 2.5-3 QUARTS OF B&M TRICKSHIFT OR STICKSHIFT SYNTHETIC WITH .5 QUART OF SATURN

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  Not bad! - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Little Jenn - May 6 - 2:00 am

  This was my first "new" car and I was thrilled when I bought it. After 3 years I had to have the transmission replaced! Thankfully I opted for the extended warranty because it came in handy. Ever since then Ive had to do minor repairs here and there but the car keeps on going. Since my Chevy is stick I get EXCELLENT gas mileage! Its small enough to park on city streets but big enough to carry anything I need to stuff in there!! I would recomend it to anyone who needs a nice size car with a sportier look.

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  excellent, but very bad. - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By thomasde - May 6 - 2:00 am

  Seems that what this vehicle does well, it does very well, and what it does poorly it does very poorly. I bought the vehicle with the extended road trip in mind, and it eats up highway miles very well. The car is very confortable, the seats provide good back support and the highway ride is quite smooth. Also, the fuel economy is as good as it gets for a mid-sized SUV. However, I have replaced my most of my front-end and cooling system components. Also, the car is too narrow and hence, too unstable, making city driving difficult and wind treacherous.

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  its a chevrolet - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By bink7 - May 6 - 2:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CAR, HAVE NOT HAD ONE PROBLEM WITH IT IN THE LAST 2 AND 1/2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. RIDES GREAT LOOKS SHARP AND IT PERFORMS WELL IN ALL AREAS AS LONG AS COMMON SENSE IS USED WHEN DRIVING. MY ONLY BEEF (MINOR) IS THAT I THOUGHT THE GAS MILAGE WOULD BE A LITTLE BETTER, GETS ABOUT 28 TO 30 MILES PER GALLON. MY WIFE HAS A 2000 SATURN AND SHE LOVES IT, BUT TO ME THIS CAVALIER IS A MUCH MORE SOLIDLY BUILT AUTOMOBILE.

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  Chevy Wins Again - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Huryinhawks - May 6 - 2:00 am

  Dont be swayed by people who say "they dont like their Blazer" They are few and far between. I am 31 years old and my wife and i leased our 2001 white Xtreme Blazer. The only time we had to take it in to the shop was when the brake light switch went out, they had a recall and it was fixed. This is a great vehicle and we will most defintely buy another one when this lease is up, its nice seeing kids and grown adults admiring your vehicle when your out and about.

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  Still going - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ad199030 - May 6 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Tahoe for over 2 years and for the most part I have had only a couple of items go bad. I would say they are normal wear. I would have to say when something goes wrong it can get expensive to fix.