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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  Love my Commute - 2014 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Alex Gonzalez - May 28 - 7:19 pm

  I purchased my 14 Camaro 2SS new. Actually two of them, my first was badly wrecked from behind within seven weeks. The safety and integrity of the car held very well, If I would have been in my Corvette I may not have been so lucky. I purchased another exactly like it a few weeks later, and now its three years I have owned it. I originally purchased the car for commuting on 2 1/2 hours a days in Miami. I can now say its a uplift in my spirit to drive and makes my commute a thing to look forward too. And with no issues at all, only maintenance an easy car to own and drive.

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  What a horrible Piece of Junk! - 1994 Chevrolet S-10
  By Hate thisTruck - May 28 - 2:00 am

  I have owned over 20 vehicles in my life but this is the worst by far (and I owned a Pinto). I bought this truck new - LS 4x4, auto, cruise etc. I maintain the vehicle very well and dont drive it hard at all. Things that have broken under warranty (towed to dealer 5 times under warranty) Battery, radio, fuel pump, door misadjusted and wore paint off jamb,front end part wore and car wouldnt track straight. And then - under my cost - fuel pump $725, oil cooler line $600, intake mannifold gasket $600, hydralic lifter failure $650, All service parts are expensive (its cheaper to fix my BMW 540) I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM MADE VEHICLE IN MY LIFE.

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  bad - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By mjr - May 28 - 2:00 am

  These cars have a bad engine. They usually leak coolant into the engine.

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  nothing but trouble - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jeb11233234 - May 28 - 2:00 am

  I would highly recommend that you do not buy a cavalier. Maybe the newer models are better but I bought mine, a 95 a year ago and its worth about $1500 - $1900 because it has 128000 miles on it. The it takes a lot of oil and has leaked antifreeze into the engine. This costs between $800 and $1200 to fix so I plan on maybe selling it to a junkyard for a couple hundred dollars. It has been nothing but a pain in the ass to pay for the upkeep of this car. Get a honda.

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  Thanks Chevrolet - 1991 Chevrolet Blazer
  By CMLblazin - May 28 - 2:00 am

  This truck has gone through a lot and it can handle whatever you dishout. Good for travel in or out-of-town. One of the better Chevys in the market for that year.

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  Poor Mans Race Car - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Nemesis - May 28 - 2:00 am

  This beast is the best. Ive had other sports cars and this one gives the greatest bang for the buck. And best of all its easy to hood up, the plastic interior makes it a breeze to hide and install wires. And engine mods are simple. I have maybe $600 in mods and Ive beat everything from C5s to 2000 Cobras. Lost to the Viper though . . . soon enough.

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  Past my expectations - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Chet Gilbert - May 27 - 9:26 pm

  I have owned a 63 roadster and a 65 FI roadster corvette and my 2007 roadster has met and exceeded my expectations - explosive power and refined handling.

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  Camry Cant Touch This - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Evan - May 27 - 11:03 am

  We purchased a Camry last year for my wife because I thought they were supposed to be reliable. Well the warranty was over in one year for us because we drive alot, then we had the interior panels falling apart and the thrash engine noises and slow downshifts. Since the reliability rumors obviously wernt true, we decided to go with the facts and choose GM because they had a warranty to back it, and we couldnt have made a better choice. The interior is gorgeous and very sturdy and soft feeling. The 4 cylinder is so smooth that at 70 you can hardly hear it. Our black one with factory 19s looks very cool and you really stand out. Its a sharp contrast to the very common and boring camry we had.

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  Tims - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Timmy Johnson - May 27 - 2:00 am

  I have about 21,000 miles on this vehicle and it still drives like it was brand new. Have had absolutely no problems not so much as a hick-up. Only wish that I had purchased a 4 speed automatic instead of 3 speed. Overall, I am very satisfied.

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  Would be a good car if it was reliable.. - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By tqm3 - May 27 - 2:00 am

  When the car is not in the shop it runs well and is fun to drive. Have had warped rotors replaced (after having them turned several times), a noisey vacuum booster replaced, lower control arm bushings replaced, 2 AC controls replaced, coolent leak repaired and the latest, a new alternator. Over half the oil changes on this car have been done by the dealer because it was in the shop for repairs. This will be probably be the last American made car Ill buy. My other vechicle, a Toyota 4x4 has 60,000 miles and has had no problems.