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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  Our own personal Limo - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By W.D. - January 9 - 2:00 am

  Since Day 1 this truck has been joy to drive. It eats road miles with NO problems at all. Around town isnt super but for a heavy vehicle its very OK. We like it so much my wife has refused a New Suburban!

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  First 500 miles - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By Twocoast - January 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought this 99 at the end of 2002. So far so good, I see reviews of a gasket problem and hope that is an anomoly.

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  Great ride - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By airman - January 9 - 2:00 am

  It is a Lazy Boy on wheels. Very confortable and smooth ride. An absolute ideal road vehicle. Great getting around in the snow and very solid feel.

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  Amazing - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By sirwillo - January 8 - 9:50 pm

  The HHR has been a huge surprise. I paid 14k for a new 2008 ls. It is far suprior to other cars in its class when it comes to usablility and comfort. The most impressive part of this vehicle is how smooth and comfortable the ride is. I travel about 30k a year so I needed a vehicle that would get great gas mileage (i avg 33 on highway) and was comfortable enought to drive for 5 - 6 hours in. On top of that the storage area is awesome. Lots of space in the rear witha great changing configuration.

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  Perfect! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Tina - January 8 - 6:03 pm

  This truck is perfect! I love eveything about it! Fast and great on gas! I get 21 MPG average most of the time. I have the 5.3 with 315 horsepower. I have gotten up to 24 MPG on a tank of gas a couple of times.

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  EXCELLENT OVERALL - 1991 Chevrolet Lumina
  By SOLOMOND - January 8 - 2:00 am

  NOW AHVE 220000 MILES AND STILL NO PROBLEMS. HAVE REPLACED ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, AND BRAKES (NORMAL WEAR). GREAT MILEAGE, VERY RELIABLE AND CHEAP TO RUN.

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  never a problem - 1990 Chevrolet Lumina
  By allthatndoritoes - January 8 - 2:00 am

  Of all the years Ive drove this car I never had any major problems. Ive had the fuel pump go but that was all. The car is roomy, comfortable and has an good trunk size.

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  Ok - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Mr. Todd - January 8 - 2:00 am

  I have had motor mounts replaced twice , Blinkers have not worked beforew do not work now.

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  TRACKER, NOT WHAT I BARGAINED FOR - 2000 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Corey565 - January 8 - 2:00 am

  I BOUGHT MY TRACKER 2 YEARS, AND I WISH I WOULD HAVE MADE A MORE INFORMED DECISION. I DONT LIKE THE WAY IT DRIVES. I CALL IT MY SUPED UP GOLF CART. IT SOUNDS REALLY NOISY WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THE RESALE VALUE IS NILL. I OWE 2500 MORE ON IT THAN WHAT IT IS WORTH. THE COMFORT LEVEL INSIDE IS NON-EXISTENT ALSO. THE SEATS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE, AND YOU CAN REALLY FEEL EVERY BUMP. I STILL HAVE 3 MORE YEARS LEFT ON THE LOAN, IM COUNTING THE DAYS UNTIL ITS PAID. A LONG AND EXPENSIVE LESSON....RESEARCH YOUR PURCHASE BEFORE YOU BUY. NEXT TIME GETTING AN ALTIMA.

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  Inexpensive Fun - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Pyramid Scheme - January 8 - 2:00 am

  I would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone who wants a fun car to drive at a moderate price. The 3.8 V-6 is plenty of power and the interior is chock full of features. I paid $6000 for a 99 w/ 80,000 miles on it. High miles, but have only had to replace the alternator and it has 102,000 miles now. I did routine maintenance (plugs, wires, fuel filter, serpentine belt, etc), but that all just normal