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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  Wanted to Love It, But GM Workmanship? - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By chiefmo - December 16 - 2:00 am

  Several electrical problems and major cooling-heating issues. I have had 4 heater core problems with this truck (Only 1 covered by the warranty) Every other year after 60k, I have lost heat. I have been arguing with the dealer- repair folks to no avail. I have played with the idea of getting a Tahoe or Yukon but have lost all confidence in GM products.

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  Love My Impala! - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By kysloc - December 15 - 6:43 pm

  After having (and still owning!) 3 1970 musclecars, I endured 14 years of driving minivans due to having kids. When it came time for another daily driver vehicle, I looked VERY HARD for a safe, large family car that had the zip and FUN akin to my old musclecars. I found the Impala. Ok, it does not turn as many heads as my 1970 lime green big block Cuda, but it is alot of fun to drive and always gets great comments from people who ride in it -- especially my Volvo S80 and Saab and Passat owning friends who cant believe how little my Impala cost. I will buy another Impala next year when my oldest kids take this one over.

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  Dissapointed in GM - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By MBaker - December 15 - 2:00 am

  I cannot begin to describe the headaches. GM quality has dropped radically over the past 7-10 years. The kicker on this truck was at 81,000 miles the intake manifold gaskets started leaking. I thought it was just a fluke but alot of people have this problem with these Vortecs. At 68,000 the transmission blew. Do you realize the sticker on this truck was over $35,000! And it dropped a tranny at a mere 68,000 miles. Pick you feet up GM.

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  VERY FUN! - 1990 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Friggedy - December 15 - 2:00 am

  This is by far the funest car Ive had so far. Its got the big 350 5.7 Liter and its pushing about 250hp. You cant ask for more. The gas mileage isnt that great, only about 250 on the highway and about 200 city but thats minor compared to the rest of the car. Its totally loaded, I would buy another one in a heartbeat!

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  Dont do it! - 1996 Chevrolet Suburban
  By BigJohn - December 15 - 2:00 am

  If your thinking about buying a Chevy Suburban....Dont do it. Chevy has really gone down hill the past few years. My main complaint is the intake manifold gasket start leaking at about 75-80,000 miles. It did it to me in the middle of eastrern Colorado and stranded me in a little town called La Junta. $800 buck later the new gaskets were installed, but 8,000 miles later they blew again. This time I let a REAL mechanic fix the problem. He went with third part FelPro gaskets and the thing hasne leaked in 40,000 miles.

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  Great Little Car - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cc732 - December 15 - 2:00 am

  I was surprised at the quality in this price range. The reliability has been excellant as this car now has 50,000 miles.Ive driven it the last 35,000 with only a minor brake job and tune- up. The 2dr coupe has pleasing looks and could re-sell very well. Its easy to drive and park, vision is not obstructed by side pillars or a high rear deck. A very good winter driver,with standard ABS, too. Im satisfied with this purchase as 2 other Cavaliers(1986 & 1990) didnt do so well. Hope the 2003s are built this standard.

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  Over priced POS - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By CodyG - December 15 - 2:00 am

  We bought it at 18 months old. It was basically new. Pretty good service until 75000 miles then it turned to a POS (piece os Sh..) The intake manifold gaskets started leaking for no reason. $800 at the GM dealer. Same thing happened to my dads 96 Suburban and my best friends 99 Suburban. 80,000 miles the condenser coil went out. They had to completely disassemble the dash.$667. Never rode the same after that. Then the ERG valve. By the time they got through with us that cost another $500. Like I said...POS

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  Done with Chevy/GM - 2012 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Mike - December 14 - 3:47 pm

  I bought this vehicle certified pre-owned with 12,000 miles on it. The vehicle met expectations and had been reliable for the amount of driving I do. I put on 15-20,000 miles a year of mostly highway miles. The vehicle was well maintained and I kept up with the regular maintenance on it. Last week I was driving and suddenly seemed to lose power. The vehicle would not shift into third gear and when I made it home I also realized there was no reverse gear. I did a lot of research on the internet and quickly realized that this had been an issue on the 2007-2009 models with the wave plate. GM had actually extended the warranty on the models for those years to 120,000 miles. I took mine to the dealership and they agreed that it sounded like the same issue with the older models. I contacted GM and they said they would inquire with the dealer. When I heard back they offered to cover a mere 30% of the $5,000 repair. I didnt expect the repair to be done for free (maybe I should have because thats what they did with the older models with more mileage than mine), but there resolution was a slap in the face. This is obviously a manufacture defect that they dont want to take accountability for. At this point Im looking to trade this lemon in and switch to a brand that will be a little more reliable.

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  High relative value - 1995 Chevrolet Corsica
  By kjantz - December 14 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car with 140000 km. already on it. In nearly four years we have put on 60,000 km, spark plugs and wires and two alternators.I then installed a reflector shield between the exhaust manifold and the alternator with no further problems.

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  Cant wait to get rid of this car - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By ALK - December 14 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used right after I graduated college because it was all I could afford. I have had several problems with it including coolant problems, blown head casket, a/c problems, belts problems that needed replaced...you get the idea. Looking to trade this junk in for a Corolla...cant wait!!!