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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  mulitple problems - 1994 Chevrolet Astro
  By nelson_c - November 7 - 2:00 am

  Absolutely no leg room for the front seat passanger. The wipers had several problems mostly stemming from cold solder joints on the control board.(this is a $45 fix from the dealer if you change it yourself) The AC fan switch is under-rated for the blower and burns out often. There is also a check valve for the AC system that plugs up about as often and causes the AC to blow out the heater vent when accelerating or driving above 55 MPH. I have also found out that the front seats do not provide enough back and shoulder support on long trips and there is a sharp edge under the front seat foam that will eventually cut a hole in the driver and front passanger seats.

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  Dont buy one of these - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Hate GM - November 6 - 2:00 am

  Ths car was good the first two years then started to have alot of problems. Paint faded and chipped off, A/C went out, and transmission went out. If youre looking for a "throw-away" car this is it.

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  1999 Silverado 1500 - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jerry wilcox - November 4 - 10:00 am

  three factory recalls, dealer (not the seller) reluctant to service recalls) recall repair not adequate. repaired sticking accelerator, it sticks now but warranty will not cover it. The auto trans shifts, noticably rough. (dealer, not the seller) said it was germaine to the year model. "whitewash"

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  Pewter Z28 - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By SpecForceZ28 - November 4 - 2:00 am

  This car is indeed the bang for the buck performance king, no real problems that I have encountered so far, and the T-tops add to the enjoyment of driving this car

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  BAD EXPERIENCE - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By MDAS - November 2 - 2:00 am

  Had transmisison problem 5 time, had transmission work every timeunder warranty. Almost died with my family on the highway after taking the SUV back from the dealership after they said it was fixed. Nothing but problems since, they changed the transmission twice, gaskets once, computer failure once....Chevy would not buy back the car under lemon law said I had to give them official notice before 18K miles. Looking to buy something other than Chevy.

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  Tick tick tick...... - 2000 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Geoff R - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Bought the vehicle for the four wheel drive feature to get into cottage in poor weather. For this it is great. I even pulled out a tree stump with it! However, getting to the cottage on the highway is another matter. I have never felt safe in the thing, especially in windy conditions and on wet or snowy roads. I have also had a tick in the engine since day one- normal according to the dealer- and a belt pulley that is very noisy , even after having it replaced once. Im happy that my three year lease term is up.

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  Representive of all? Or an expection? - 1995 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Dracos - October 29 - 2:00 am

  After much researching and talking to actual drivers I decided to buy a 1995 Chevy Suburban in 8/00 with 67K on the clock. By 12/00 1K in repairs, between 7/01 and 9/01 8K in repairs including a new engine. I love the utility that it gives the family! My problem is with all the maint/repair costs. I thought that JEEP ment: Just Empty Every Pocket! Not Chevy!

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  Last Chevrolet truck Ill buy - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By Jeff&his Pile of %$# - October 24 - 2:00 am

  Was a great truck for the 1st year I owned it, then Look out. Right around that 100,000km mark EVERYTHING went. clutch,balljoints,idlerarm,ujoints, starter,tyerod ends,oil- coolerlines,Interior parts are cheap and rattle like crazy. in 2yrs spent around $4k in Maintanence. Dont really want to but gonna go Honda next. Try to be supportive in the big 3, but Iam going broke trying to keep this thing running.

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  S10 - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By s10user - October 22 - 2:00 am

  Truck has been very reliable. 2WD 4.6 191 hP LACKS POWER to head off road but makes a great in-town small truck.

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  Perfect for a family of 7 - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Robert Millsop - October 20 - 2:00 am

  If you need a large SUV, this is the one to get. Plain and simple yet with everything you need. It can carry 7 people comftorably. The gas mileage and fun to drive factors are horrible though.