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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  My Corsica - 1996 Chevrolet Corsica
  By naa0001 - April 30 - 2:00 am

  It was a solid car - took it through hell and back and its still kicking at nearly 200K miles. Not expensive, not much to look at but it will get you to where you need to go.

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  junk truck - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By trebor - April 30 - 2:00 am

  started to fall apart after warenty expired. The transmission is shot at 65000 miles. alterner went out at 38000 miles. anything plastic inside has broken. windows stick shut in the heat.

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  a piece of crap!!! - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By will_never_buy_GM - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Bought it brand new, in less than 3 years and less than 26,000 miles, 3 tires are gone, the fourth is about to give up, one of the aluminum wheel has severe rust on it, the A/C will shut off by itself, sent it to dealership three times, but the problem has never been solved. The warranty is about to expire and GM is not willing to do anything about it, the only thing their customer service did is to ask me to send it back to the dealership again, nothing was said about the warranty.

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  vvviiiibbbbrrraaattttiiiioooonnnnn - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Humpf - April 29 - 10:00 am

  I too have had a problem with vibration in the stearing column. I purchased it used and took it to the local dealer (under warranty) who said they fixed it. To this day I still hear the vibration!!!!! )*^$#)+*!* I took it in again, and they said they would have to "really look into it" to find the problem. Hmmmm. Seems to be a common problem, but also a service departement flake-out.

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  awesome car - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Connie S. - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Comfort on long trips A++++! We love our Impala for its style, speed and performance. It took me a while to get used to the quick acceleration at traffic signals! Wow! The heated seats are WONDERFUL in the winter. The only thing I find a bother is the emergency brake pedal. My foot hits it when entering and exiting m

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  Eh.... - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By volcomfreak - April 29 - 2:00 am

  All in all, I would *not* buy this truck again if I had the chocie. The wheels are DANGEROUS. Ive hydroplaned hardcore 2 times already, the second one resulting in the near destruction of my truck and my life. They are constantly requiring my attention with air. The suspension is very fun though, taking curves at 90mph+ totally works with this little truck. The 2.2L in heat is absolutley horrid. The engine will make a thunderous roaring noise when accelerating from a complete stop...the engine sounds like itll explode sometimes.

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  1998 Vette - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Stros - April 29 - 2:00 am

  Bought my Vette about 6 months ago. Prices are really coming down, since this is a 5 year old car still the most current body style though! The performance is awesome, totally fast enough stock, with enough potential for modifications, if you want to take it to the track. Will outhandle me no problem (I dont have a death wish). Gas mileage is great and the car is MUCH more comfortable than the C4. One of the prettiest cars on the road.

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  Dont Buy a Cavalier - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cgehlich - April 29 - 2:00 am

  I have had many problems with my Cavalier. This month alone, I have put over $700 into the car, not including my car payment or insurance. Granted, I drive the car a lot. But, many things continuously go wrong with it that shouldnt (Engine Light goes on, Emergency Brake dont always hold, there is a crack in the dashboard - no one ever since in the passenger seat, so I have no idea how this came out, etc.). Ive done everything to keep the car well-maintained, but nothing seems to be working.

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  My first new car. - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bryan C - April 28 - 5:43 pm

  Ive driven a 1988 Chevy Monte Carlo for 7 years, and Ive loved it. Every car Ive driven thats been built since 1995 I have hated. It never felt like you could just sit back and relax in it. Im 6ft 1 and would either have my knees in the dash or head in the roof. Finally the ol Monte Carlo became undependable and I am thankful to have found a car that fits the bill! I have the v-4 which is suprisingly quick and averaged 35 mpg on a four hour highway trip. I feel like this is the Apple Computer of cars, everything just works like youd naturally expect it to.The brakes feel right, the automatic functions are perfect and the drive is fun!

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  Beautiful car with underlying defect - 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Amy - April 28 - 3:27 am

  I purchased my car with 55,000 miles on it and a cracked dash. After being told by the dealer that "those trucks get cracks on their dashes all the time," I decided to do some research. $650 for a new dash in Texas. Local dealership was willing to replace at no cost, even though my truck was out of its warranty period. However, there are thousands of owners who have not been as lucky. There is an entire Facebook page and class action lawsuit in place due to GMa unwillingness to acknowledge the defect in the 07-13 dashes. The cracks always present behind the instrument panel and in the upper left hand side of the airbag compartment. This will be my last Tahoe until GM does the right thing and recalls these dashes.