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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  Clunk again - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By kramer-again - May 15 - 2:00 am

  Im having the cluck problem again (at 51000 miles)after having a new transmission put in last time among other things (see my previous review). It was corrected for a while. Im convinced there is a design flaw which cannot be fixed with parts. Ill be getting rid of this thing as soon as the dealership temporarily fixes it again.

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  Cant wait till 07s GMC, Toyota, Ford - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ronald Holstein - May 14 - 9:56 pm

  The truck is worth less than our 2005 Sliverado 4dr. 2006 Charged more money for less value on the same truck model of 2005. Chevrolet changed the hood, chrome on grill and painted the bumper for $10,000 more. Really wish we had not purchased. Less standard features. Chevy skimped on interior design. The only redeeming factor is we average on the road 19.9 to 21.0 miles per gallon and 14.9 to 16.8 around town if the indicator is correct. Chevrolet unless we get something for our money in 2007 you have lost our family, we will be driving either GMC, Toyota, Ford. Thanks for saving us money in the coming year cannot wait to trade this vehicle in.

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  Worst vehicle I ever owned. - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By rscfjj - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Make sure you take an extended test drive before you buy. Look for a vibration in the gas pedal below 40 MPH and a surge coming through the brake pedal especially noticeable right after stopping. The dealer tried hanging dampers from the exhaust system and eventually replaced the entire exhaust system. I complained to Chevy, and bottom line, they dont know how to fix the problem. Unbelievable!! I previously owned a 2001 Chevy Tahoe Z- 71 and it was perfect--- no compaints.

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  Having second thoughts - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By luckydog1 - May 13 - 2:00 am

  Truck has MANY fit a finish problems. Seals and moldings around doors and windows are crooked, or have chunks missing. Im having a MAJOR problem right now with the Passkey security system. After a month of running fine, the security system keeps shutting off the gas to the engine and sometimes it takes me over an hour to get the truck to start. I just took it in last night for the dealers 2nd chance on taking care of that problem. I think that they will have it awhile, but they provided me with a nice loaner car. Up until the starting problem, I really LOVED the Truck. Now Im having second thoughts about buying it..

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  This is my last Chevrolet - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By TLK - May 13 - 1:56 am

  20 years ago, I was the guy with the T- shirt that said, I would rather push my Chevy than drive a Japanese car. This vechicle converted me. I have always been a GM person. My next vechicle will be a Mazda, Toyota, or Honda. There is no quality. I have had several trips for warranty work. A door handle, a seat belt that wouldnt latch, a strut hatch, and now another seatbelt that wont latch. Now couple that with high road noise, very loud AC fan motor, and cloth seats that wont come clean.

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  Great Resale Value! - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By JUP - May 12 - 2:00 am

  Bought it 2 years ago for my Daughter! Car rode fairly well, lacked power with 4 cyl engine. Had some minor issues heater core motor went early on, couple rattles. Had 1 recall heater hose rubbing against AC unit(unfortunately car broke down (overheated) before we got the notice) GM took care of it 100%. Car cost slightly over $11K with rebates. Just traded it in on Sante Fe. Trade in Value suprised me. Got $6,600 real dollars trade against bare Invoice. Super deal on Trade in had 22k miles pristine contion. Recouped over 60% of original cost. . Overall for cheap first car not too bad. Daughter is Petite car fit her well, for me uncomfortable to be in for any length of time.

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  2001 Chevy S10 LS Extended Cab 2WD - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By NorthCaliGuy707 - May 9 - 2:00 am

  I drive approximately 1000 miles per week in my S10. Its a 4 cylinder and gets about 23 mpg on average. So far Ive been somewhat happy with the truck. The 4 cylinder is very underpowered for the mountain driving I do. The brakes have been completely replaced twice. New tires at 37k. New transmission at 39k. The tailgate does not stay latched and does not line up correctly with the bed. The window weather stripping has been replaced because kept falling off. The fuel gauge is not always accurate. It is sometimes off by a quarter of a tank.

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  It is ok - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Ryan - May 9 - 2:00 am

  Not the best car in the world but it gets ou around.

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  Watch Out! - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By JKBaumgard - May 8 - 2:00 am

  Head gasket leaked coolant into engine with only 48,000 miles on engine. This is happening on other six cylinder Malibus too. GM would not offer help in paying for repairs.

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  Poor ride, gas mileage, quality - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Harold - May 5 - 1:06 am

  Truck delivered with cracked engine shroud, ticking noise in steering column, marred windshield and washboard ride. Dealer fixed shroud and steering column. Balanced and replaced 1 tire but still has washboard ride over 40 mph. Factory says this is a problem they are working on. Windshield still bad and dealer made worse by scraping it with a razor blade. Had an identical 03 Silverado that averaged 19 mpg. This one averages 16 mpg even with a lower (4.53) rear end. No resolution. Dislike that factory elininated passenger turn off switch when carrying older person with back problems. Think Chevrolet has lowered its standards to try and compete with Toyoto, etc. Very disappointed with the 06.