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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  2000 Chevrolet Cavalier - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Michael Collins - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car brand new. It has been driven halfway across the country twice and drove wonderfully. I did not have any problems with the car until I hit about 41000 miles. It was being driven down the road and just stopped going without any warning. It turns out the transmission was completely burned up. The only thing General Motors would do for me is cover the labor costs. I had to buy a new transmission and pay all the towing costs. Overall the car was great until this event, but this has lowered my feelings concerning the products that GM and Chevrolet are building for the consumer.

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  cheap economical transportation - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By daxxx - March 27 - 2:00 am

  fun little car with enough spunk to get you around town. if i had to sum up my ownership experience, you get what you pay for. beyond city driving these cars cant really hack it.... aweful highway manners and a 4 cylinder that has more trouble than others pulling hills.

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  Chevy Blazer... What a disapointment! - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Paul Harrington - March 27 - 2:00 am

  Purchased my blazer with 18,000 miles on it as a one owner trade in. Being a fool I assumed based on appearance and the low milage this vehical was solid and every bit represenative of its appearance. Boy was I wrong... After two years of complete annoyance, I traded the turd in. In 24 months I replaced upper and lower ball joints, idler arm, brakes and rotors, heater motor twice, tensioner pulley twice, tires due to the ball joint problem. On trade it had a bad wheel bearing and the bearing was shot in the A/C clutch. This turd was purchased for my wife, to serve as the bus for her and my two young sons... The warranty of course ran out on time.

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  gas hog - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By smabry - March 26 - 10:00 am

  dont get the small block 6.o you will get the same fuel mileage as the 8.1 and give up 45 horsepower.I tow a 14 ft enclosed trailer app. weight 4000 pounds loaded and I get 7 miles to the gallon. The gear ratio from 3rd to overdrive is to steep. making you drive in 3rd pulling a load the truck can not maintain 70 mph in overdrive. The headliners on three of my 2002hds look as if they were cut to small.The way the backseat folds down for storage is a joke. I have a very loud knock in the motor since new. The dealer tells me its normal then ask me if it burned a quart of oil every 3 thousand miles.Beware of the 6.o litre it has problems they wont admit to

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  Never Again! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Former GM owner - March 26 - 7:06 am

  Rear air compressor, fan motor, complete brake system (twice!), front wheel bearings and now, the transmission is shot! All at 48,500 miles! Virtually every big ticket repair that could go wrong, did. Awful, awful piece of crap. Tends to slip in even mildly wet weather, overall poor traction anyway. Creature comforts are average at best. Ill never again buy this car and wouldnt recommend it to anyone, no matter what the price!

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  GM Excellence? - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jdfosterdad - March 21 - 10:00 am

  1. We had engine performance issues from the start. The computer was reflashed 3 times. 2. At about 45,000 the engine began to knock when first started in the morning which sounded like piston slap, at 75,000 it was getting hard to start and compression on 3 cylinders was measured at 70-75 pounds. The motor had to be replaced. Since the motor, the transmission has had to be replaced. 3. We had performance issues, engine problems because of a poorly designed pistons and transmission failure, all were asked to be addressed under warranty and promises were made and in the end ignored. 4. Would I by another Silverado? I,ve been a GM customer for 30 years and can safely say NOWAY!!!!!

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  OUCH! - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By hate cavalier - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Ignition failed to start the car 4 times in warranty, recall did not fix. 36042 miles, water pump ($1000). 37K miles, oil pump ($1000) Cost $1000. 39K Motor mounts $300. 48K miles, main bearings went out. Oil changed every 3k miles. No one would rebuild the engine. All said the engine (2.4L) does not last more than 2K miles after being rebuilt. Had to get a USED replacement engine. Cost $2000. Total $4300 within 12K miles of 36K mile warranty expiring. Never buy another Chevrolet.

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  Looks Can Be Deceiving - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dustin - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Bought the car after lease in July of 2001 from dealer. Since then I have already replaced the breaks (rotors worn totally down) and had the transmission completely rebuilt at only 41,303 milesand $2200. The electrical system has also failed twice (all power and guages shut down while driving). As I am typing this my car is sittig at AAMCO for the second time since purchase.

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  Major Engine Defect in 2001 Corvettes - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Charles Patrick - March 18 - 5:26 pm

  All 2001 Corvettes were manufactured with defective piston rings that cause the engines to use excessive amounts of oil-1 quart per 1,000 miles or less in most cases. Avoid purchase of these vehicles.

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  Cant figure out why it just keeps going - 1995 Chevrolet Corsica
  By love it, hate it - March 16 - 3:31 pm

  If you dont live near a dealership, dont bother owning this car. Everything is a dealer part and over priced. The engine is a nightmare to work on, for even spark plug changes.