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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  Not worth the money - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Shirley - February 15 - 9:10 am

  The only good about the trailblazer was the space I had the third row seat for the kids !!! Bought it with only 16,000 miles and had some problems soon as we paid it off the tranny went at only 58,000 miles didnt fix it got rid of it end of story!!!!!

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  Not Bad - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Pancho - February 15 - 2:00 am

  My family purchased the car used in 1994. Since then, the Lumina has been a pretty good car. It now has around 75000 miles. The 3.1 engine is still strong. The speedometer only goes to 85, but it can probably do 105-110. We have recently had to replace: struts, a computer chip, part of the torque converter, etc. The drivers seatbelt recently broke, but I was amazed to hear that it would be under warranty. I really like the car because of its dependability.

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  Worst Chevy Ever Owned - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Ken Harper - February 15 - 2:00 am

  Im on my-no less than-5th EGR valve! And 4 or 5 other problems related to carbon build-up. Talks with GM determined that they just dont care that they produced a lemon. They extended warr on egr to 75,000 miles, but wont solve the cause of the problem. Bought new and babied. Wish some good lawyer would file suit against Chevy and GM. re:EGR problem!!!

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  Fun little ragtop for the money - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By fradel61 - February 15 - 2:00 am

  This wasnt my first choice for a replacement vehicle, but in retrospec I really enjoy this little car. It has some zip to it. Nicely equipped anti-locks, cd player pw/w/l ect. The front end has a tendency to pitch on curves and handling is only so-so.You feel every bump in the road, but for the money dont expect the handling of a Viper. Great car to just drive with the top down and the music playing. Would I buy it again....yeah I think so.

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  Lots Of Fun To Drive - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By JD 1 - February 15 - 2:00 am

  Total Rush To Drive

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  2002 Z28 - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Ken D - February 15 - 2:00 am

  Love it Big improvement over 2nd & 3rd gen. cars, Fun to drive. Great to cruise w/t-tops off. Runs in mid 13 second 1/4 ml. in stock form. great for a car that starts under 25 grand. To bad they stoped making them.

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  magnectic red rag top - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By zabel - February 15 - 2:00 am

  great car great on gas fun to drive gets lots of looks and smiles but not as much on my face as I drive it it handles so good nothing like having the wind and the sun

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  SOLD IT AFTER A YEAR. NOT WORTH THE $$$$ - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Towing 4 a living - February 14 - 8:56 pm

  NOT WORTH THE MONEY. Was not happy with the following; the interior started rattling, air draft on driver side door which the dealer couldnt fix, terrible fuel economy, recall and RANCHO MTRS. in Victorville has poor customer service. So does the Chevy Hotline. I sold mine. Still got my 5.9 Dodge Ram 2500. DONT BUY THE NEW CHEVY.

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  Love it! - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By L.R. - February 14 - 3:50 pm

  I traded my Tahoe for this car - Im going back to school, so I needed something more affordable and better on gas. I was worried about sacrificing some of the roominess and convenience that Id grown accustomed to in my Tahoe, but I dont feel deprived at all in this car. Its spacious, well designed, and flexible. I fit myself, two teenagers, a car seat, and a 50 lb dog in it easily and no one feels cramped. It also has many of the convenience features that I like, such as auto headlights. Standard ABS and traction control are also greatly appreciated. Bottom line, Im so happy to have found a fun, stylish car that fits my new budget without compomising the safety or comfort of my family.

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  4th ZO6 since 2001..Now Ive got a 2009 ZO6 CSR ED - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Scooter - February 14 - 9:32 am

  Highway Fuel economy at 80+ mph is really great considering the engine size, performance and car overall, just drove 4- 400+ mile trips back to back and averaged 26.3 mpg. If you dont mind a 6 speed for everyday driving, this car really has it all! Oil temp only runs around 162 degrees during high speed highway driving (in Texas during the summer). The older ZO6 (2001,2002,2004) that I had during the same trip at the same speeds ran up to 220 degrees+. Advise..Change all your fluids at the scheduled intervals and dont skimp...the car will run trouble free indefinately. Tires are probably the most expensive but have come down drastically over the last 4 years.. This car is really worth a look if you want a vehicle that will out run 96% of cars on the road today, is a great value, if you buy used really doesnt depreciate much, cost of ownership minimal