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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  All Around Fun Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By RowdyRado - December 30 - 9:56 pm

  This truck is the best thing Chevy has come out with in a while. A lot of people knock the I-5 Motor, but its great. Im 65" and I have plenty of room in this truck. Its a real performer on & offroad. Driving 50 miles round trip for school every day isnt so bad in this with the great gas mileage. XM Radio is a great feature too. MP3 Player is really nice as well. This really does put an S-10 to shame. It also rides considerably well considering its a 4x4.

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  Silverado - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
  By Andy - December 30 - 1:40 pm

  It is a very stable truck and it gives you the power to do anything and haul anything you want to.

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  WORST VEHICLE EVER - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Pam - December 30 - 11:24 am

  I bought the car used from Carmax with 35,000 miles on it. Unfortunately I did not do much research, I loved the look of the car and went for it. The first 8 months were good. Then a self destruct button turned on and ever since January of 2016 Ive been in and out of the repair shop. Its never anything minor and all known issues to Chevrolet. However, they dont care about their customers so what the hell. The first incident I was driving in the middle of a snowstorm to pick up a friend from the airport. Out of no where the vehicle refuses to accelerate and some message comes us with stability trac, reduce engine power...turns out the throttle body needed to be replaced. Ok, theres $200 + tax deductible I should be good to go. Nope. The following month Im driving, no warning lights, no nothing and Im backing out of a driveway (I drive for UBER) and my car will not get into gear. Eventually I get out of the driveway and my car goes into limp mode...come to find out the TRANSMISSION went out at 42,000 miles!!!! Another $200 + tax deductible. The following month I get a regular oil change and 2 weeks later new tires and the mechanic tells me I have no oil in my car and suggested I get an oil change. Ummm excuse me, I just got one 2 weeks ago. Fortunately there was a "service bulletin" for this and Chevy replace the Pistons and Timing Chain. I dont understand why a recall was not done as this is a serious issue. Anywho, 2 weeks later I notice a huge oil spot in my parking spot....well one of the gaskets that was replaced was defective and had to go and have that replaced. The Chevy dealer tried charging me my deductible to get that replaced, but after pulling up paper work that this was covered under the repair done just two weeks ago, I should not have to pay. One would think my troubles would be over. Nope. Check engine light comes on for the Camshaft Position Actuator. Then I get a letter for yet another service bullet for the catalytic converter. However, Chevy will not fix it until it causes a problem. Just yesterday (Oct. 4, 2016) I had the Fuel Pump replaced as part of a recall. A recall Chevy did not make me aware of. I got that email from CARFAX. The amount of time I have to take off of work for this car to get replaced is absurd. I can only imagine what problem will arise next month. Do yourself a favor and avoid this car at all costs....You will pay more in the end.

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  ZO6 IS MARGINAL - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By SDF26 - December 30 - 10:00 am

  I HAD A 2002 COUPE AND TRADED IT FOR A 2003 ZO6. I LIKED THE COUPE BETTER AND AM SORRY I TRADED. I WOULD NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER CORVETTE UNLESS THE COMFORTS AND OPTIONS ARE IMPROVED

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  great car - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By thunderdan - December 30 - 2:00 am

  Bought from a car rental. Working great ever since

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  Stray away from this lemon - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By dont buy gm - December 30 - 2:00 am

  What a pile this truck is. I got the base model with the 4 cylinder and 5 speed. The tach goes to 6000 rpm, but once you hit about 4300 rpm, the engine sounds like its going to blow up. The tranny grinds gears constantly and sounds like it has 200K miles on it. Annoying as hell shift light. Rattles since new. Front suspensions squeaks. ONLY about 22 MPG, though its rated higher. There was a tether to the gas cap, but that broke off after about 20 tanks of gas.

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  Its not a full size truck. - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By e_mac - December 30 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is what it is. Its a compromise between a truck and a mid size car. It provides adequate hauling and carrying capability with the V6 yet it is economical to operate if you drive a lot. The vehicle could benefit from a slight lift to make it look a little more muscular, much like Nissan did with their 2WD pickups. Other than that the truck has been a solid performer so much so that I would likely by another or more likely the new Colorado due to replace it.

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  Camaro is a fantastic sports car - 1993 Chevrolet Camaro
  By EM - December 30 - 2:00 am

  Would definetly buy another Camaro, or GM product, they are fantastic cars. GM builds the highest quality. No tune up needed for the first 100000, very impressive, and no problems. Its probably one of the best cars on the market today, which bugs the competition. Performance, handling and sport feel make this car fun to drive. Still runs great, looks great, and handles great in 2003.

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  Early Disappointment - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By WaveSailR - December 30 - 2:00 am

  I picked up the truck and drove 1300 miles to DC. The truck drove very nicely on the highway and had no problems accelerating at any time. The drivers side headlight was way out of alignment (pointing at the sky) and a spare bolt was found near the front windshield wiper. Twice during the drive, when the vehicle was placed into reverse,the whole truck felt like it backed into something. I think its a transmission problem, but its pretty major. An issue I am waiting to take to the dealer for service. The truck drives and handles very well. Pleasure to drive. Just a little hungry for fuel but way better than my old 1994 blazer. same engine

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  Sorely disappointed - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jusluvinlife2 - December 30 - 2:00 am

  Purchased this vehicle as a program car. Have been very displeased with the quality. The turn signals have a short in them appeared at 20K miles, makes for a truly annoying buzz everytime you turn the sinals on. The airbag light had a short, appeared at approximately the same time was told it was a separate issue. The hazard light switch is going out, likes to flash whenever it pleases.The brakes have a serious problem dealer stated poor design, would continue to be a problem. They were repaired under warranty but the problem has returned 20K miles later. The leather interior is cheap. The leather is worn in several places even small tears.