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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  LUMINA - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By BARON87 - April 14 - 2:00 am

  Been a good car...

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  98 Malibu problems - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jmahonis - April 14 - 2:00 am

  Front brakes get wobbly way too soon (rotors warped). Had to have rear bushings replaced twice, an ABS speed sensor went bad, and, worst of all, something like front strut mounts had to be replaced. Most of these items are things I never had to have service on with any other cars.

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  Johns best - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By snb2267 - April 14 - 2:00 am

  Had loud tappets, turned out that the problem was some type of vendor quality issue with rings. Dealer replaced rings, tappets etc and problem stopped.

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  Tahoe LS - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By K9 transport - April 14 - 2:00 am

  Weve had our tahoe for over a year now. Ours has no 3rd row seat and the cargo area is used to transport our dogs. We shouldve bought the suburban and that is my advise. Just get the bigger one and get it over with, the size is less overwhelming over time and you actually get use to the size. All in all awsome vehicle and would buy another one, probably the Yukon XL, since its a bit more attractive. A rattle in the dash is been bugging me too.

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  The Best "ride" of your life - 2000 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Kevin Lyster - April 13 - 2:00 am

  Great fun car. Fuel economy is a must in my job. 320 miles to each tank.

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  Chevy Tracker// - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By miller - April 13 - 2:00 am

  Since I purchased my 2002 Chevy Tracker Iv had absolutely no problems and enjoy driving it every day..A true truck frame and Chevy dependability.I now have @ 2000 miles with not a single problem,,just plain fun to drive.I get alot of looks and people asking me how I like it..

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  Overall very good van - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Samir - April 13 - 2:00 am

  This is our first minivan. My two young kids use to give us hard time getting into car seats until this van came into play. Now they sit in their car seats without any problem. Overall this van drives smoothly. My entire family loves it. We drive it every where. we have put 7000 miles in less than 5 months. I would recomend this van to anyone.

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  ON MY OWN - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By BABYGIRL - April 13 - 2:00 am

  This was my first purchase of a car without my father(he is deceased)being by my side I remembered all the things he taught me about buying a car and used the same dealership he did business with for over 40 years. I must say I did quite well. I have had no major problems with my Blazer since the day of purchase. With regular maintance I expect to drive this car at least for another 2 years then Ill trade. The Tahoe is next on my list of SUVs to drive. Purchased from Nimnicht Cheverlot of course

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  Great Buy! - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By twobobs - April 13 - 2:00 am

  Considering I got an excellent deal by getting the GMS pricing, this was a great purchase for us. I wouldve probably opted for the GMC Envoy if this vehicle hadnt been such a great value in the end. Pretty predictable Chevy interior and expected Chevy truck toughness. I just hope it lasts and lasts.

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  Beats The PT Crusier - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Bryan - April 12 - 8:26 am

  This is a very fun car to drive. We went on a trip this past weekend and it was really cool to see all of these people gawk out the windows of their cars to see what it is. The power is great and it is a very comfortable car.