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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  trusty trooper - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By wd - December 5 - 2:00 am

  I am original owner with 160,000 plus miles and bought this vehicle knowing I needed reliable transportation more than anything else at the time. I am just now retiring the vehicle for something new. It served flawlessly. I only had to repair normal things over its life (tires, brakes, battery, exhaust)

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  Good car/Great Value - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Currycook - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Good car, very good value. I bought this car because its a Toyota for less money. The chevy dealer gave me a good price and when you compare the price to the Toyota corrolla its a great value. I have had the car for 1.5 years and 26,000 miles and NO TROUBLE SO FAR. I dont expect any - I expect the same good reliability that you get in a toyota corrolla. But I didnt have to pay the extra dollars for it. The LSI features gives the car the little added touch and I think its well worth the extra cost for that package. I am very pleased with this car.

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  Keep the Camaro - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Map Guy - December 5 - 2:00 am

  It is a shame that GM has decided to drop the Camaro\Firebird line. It is the on fun car that still is reasonably priced. This is my 4th Camaro and I love driving them each one gets better.

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  2003 2500HD 4x4 ext.Cab SB - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Tim Ketterer - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this truck for five months now. I tow a 6000 lb trailer over the mountian pass with it.The power is very good.Handles like a dream. I havent had any problems yet, no engine noise or cold start knock. I have been getting 12.5 mpg aroung city and while towing the trailer I get 10.6 mpg. The tow/haul mode on the transmission works well . Its worth it. The 6.0 motor doesnt sound like it is straining at all. The seats are comfortable for the wife nad me and the rear seat is pleanty roomy for the 10 year old boy. This is my third Chevy truck and the best one by far.

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  Im caught up in an Avalanche! - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Misty Moo - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Just sitting in the Chevy Avalanche is HEAVEN! Thats all that can be said about something God-sent!!!!

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  2500 HD Truck of the year - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Kencow - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Mileage with the 6.0 liter gets 11 city and 14 highway. It is an okay truck but you can really see where GM cut corners. Havent had any major problems.

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  Not surprised! - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By thdon - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Experience has been great. 16,000 and not one item for the dealer to fix. I do not care for the 3rd row of seats. I think they are unsafe and I wish I had not bought them.

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  NO REGRETS - 2015 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Mark Wyss - December 4 - 6:50 pm

  Never thought Id own a Chevy. I bough a 2015 Sonic after buying a 2013 Buick Encore. I was so impressed by the Encore (never thought Id own a GM product) that I got the Sonic as a second car because its the same engine and drivetrain. Its a small car, got the RS version with 6-speed manual tranny. Fun to drive! Its a "sporty" car that is meant to hug the road and it does, so the downside to that is you feel every pothole and bump. But you have to expect that with a sport suspension and a car that is low to the ground. Im 61" and I have no difficulty getting in and out or finding a comfortable driving position. Love the heated leather seats and moonroof. Instrumentation is laid out perfectly, and the My Link info-tainment system is great. Have had the car for a year and had no issues. Mostly used as a city car and get overall combine city mileage of 29 mpg. The RS is a fun trim model and I enjoy it, even if Im not the intended buyer (Im 55 years old). On a good stretch of road the car is quiet and smooth and hearing while using Bluetooth for your cell phone is never an issue. Very nice build quality. If youre looking for a fun, sporty hatchback, I recommend the Sonic. And despite Edmunds thinking there isnt much room, with the back seats folded down, youd be surprised how much cargo you can carry! Two years in, still no complaints. Still enjoying the car & the look and still no rattles despite driving on poorly maintained Wisconsin roads.

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  Purchased mine with 10 years and 132K on the clock - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jimsrod - December 4 - 5:59 am

  Im the 2nd owner of a well kept 2003 Silverado LS 4WD with the Z71 package. Aesthetically for a 12 year old truck this one has held up exceptionally with the paint still being super glossy. The powertrain is still rock solid especially the engine. All of the electrical components work and Ive only had to change out the starter in the two years Ive owned it. I did have a total flush and replacement of all the fluids (transmission, power steering, brakes, antifreeze, transfer case, front and rear differentials) when I purchased the vehicle. I highly recommend you do this with any 4WD you purchase used with over 100K on the clock. Ive only replaced the starter and had the instrument cluster serviced (stepper motors replaced and LED lights changed to blue - $75 fix). Im very proud to own this truck because it was obviously taken care of by the previous owner. I have a couple of gripes ... the transmission is clunky shifting from 1st to 2nd and also 2nd to 3rd. Also when driving at 45 mph and at 65 mph the extended cab and crew cab versions of the Silverado (also GMCs version the Sierra) transfer vibration through the cabin. Both the shift and vibration issues are simply design flaws. GM recommends you place 300 to 500 pounds directly in the middle of the truck bed to stop the vibration (but who is going to do that). So you cant fix the vibration issue ... but I plan on replacing the tranny with a rebuilt and hardened version of the 4L60E automatic that will address the hard shifting. Fortunately you can find these transmissions relatively cheap with the biggest issue being able to find a good mechanic to install it without it costing too much. Overall for a pickup I purchased with 132K on the odometer I am extremely happy and Ive only had light maintenance done so far. The 4.8L V8 doesnt leak oil and parts are cheap because there are millions of Silverados and Sierras on the road. I plan on keeping this truck a minimum of five to ten more years. *** UPDATE *** This is my weekend vehicle and have had it nearly 3 years now. Ive only driven it 10,000 miles and the brakes just died on me. Im just finding out that the brake hard lines are made of inferior metal. Fortunately when the pedal went to the floor I was on a remote road with no other cars around. $1200 to replace all of the defective lines with non corrosive copper / nickel lines. Thank goodness I have a quality mechanic because Ive heard horror stories about $3000 fixes at the dealership. Im still keeping the truck and my mechanic says this isnt just a GM issue. He says most older pickups / large SUVs brake lines have failures and he sees this quite often at his shop.

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  Still Runs well - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By nmbk - December 4 - 2:00 am

  I got mime in 1998 as a going to college car. Has run well- only a couple of minor glitches. Ive had to replace the starter twice. The first time we had to replace it the car started on its own and melted battery connections! No major complaints. Its gone up and down the east coast a number of times and is still running strong at 137,000+ miles.