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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  I still love my suburban - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Bob B - April 14 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd suburban. The 6 ltr engine is great. No problem hauling my 30 travel trailer. The styling is nice, although there is way too much plastic for a $40-50K vehicle. Several pieces have broken, while my 93 Suburban has yet to have any broken interior components. It is also interesting that I started to see rust spots on the finish after owning it only 6 months. Road noise is a little high, but this is a 3/4 ton truck. It has a tight turning radius, but hard to move if the wheels are cranked. The ride is decent. I still love suburbans, but hope GM will take another look at interior quality.

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  Excellent Truck! - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mitchel - April 13 - 11:03 am

  I have been nothing but thrilled with my truck. It has been wonderful to own and drive. I will definitely purchase another Chevrolet truck when I am in the market again.

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  Good Truck - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jim Pettersen - April 13 - 8:36 am

  Nice ride, very comfortable, quiet truck. My only issues are small ones. The 20" factory tires rub on the GM mudflaps when you turn sharp, the dealer tells me there is nothing more they can do. Some of the double faced tape that holds the body side moldings to the doors was too long and I had to trim off. I have to agree with some of the other reviews that the active fuel management system seems to be a joke. I just returned from a 3600 mile trip and averaged 18 mpg. My 2006 Silverado with 3:42 gears averaged 19 on the same route. Overall I do not believe there is an truck that compares to the 2008 Silverado.

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  Best small truck - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By DECline - April 13 - 2:00 am

  It was sad to see it go...

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  Better than a Saturn! - 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Krammer - April 13 - 2:00 am

  The Car is 12 years old w/ 230000+ miles on it. Ive replaced heater core (150 bucks). Replaced water pump (20 bucks). Spark plug fell out (200 bucks). Maybe a thermostat (2 bucks). This was a great investment. Z24 brand new was 14,000.

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  Happy w/ 99 Venture - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By jmp1970 - April 13 - 2:00 am

  We love our Venture. We have had it almost a year, purchased new. We previously had Caravan and had an Odyssey for about 1 yr and had major problems that I was told were normal, NOT! I would buy another Venture when the time comes.

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  Dont buy a Blazer - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Paula Kays - April 13 - 2:00 am

  After 50,000 miles major things start to go wrong!

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  Poor Performance Impala - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By kj123abc - April 13 - 2:00 am

  When my husband and I found out we were expecting our first child, we decided to purchase an Impala LS for reliability. What a poor choice we made. It had to be towed for problems twice within the first six months, and it has been nothing but trouble ever since. Both the coolant system and the electronic system had multiple problems. Chevrolet has not stood behind the product at all. This is my first and last Chevrolet.

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  Not So Hot - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Ralf Suater - April 13 - 2:00 am

  Very poor quality for the price.

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  Ok car wish it had cruise control. - 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Justin Talley - April 12 - 1:19 pm

  Whats a Cruze without cruise