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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  Not Bad - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By 2nd car - March 31 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for about 8 years. IT is nothing fancy but can be considered basic transportation. The ride is kinda noisy. It has over 140,000 miles and my mechanic told me it should last much longer than that (I attribute part of this to the care I place in the car). Auto service is difficult - hard for me to reach the oil filter, etc. I have had an alternator and water pump replaced. The biggest issue is an electrical short has wiped out most of my interior lighting systems. Body rust started about 20K miles ago. I am happy with the vehicle but would like to upgrade to something else. I will probably keep this one as a commuter car, though.

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  2002 Z28 Camaro - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Caramo - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Ive had more expensive sportscars in the past, but my Z28 is tops in bang for the buck. Plus I wanted to get one of the last of the breed before they were gone forever.

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  Very good suv when working - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jun0719 - March 30 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this suv 10/2001 and while its fun to drive, powerful, very smooth, comfortable, and the look of the car is great, but unfortunately this is not a reliable vehicle. This car has been in the shop for a number of problems. Ive had problems with the air condition, radio, dash, power windows, fuel filter, fuel gauge, gas tank, and starting problems. I took a chance on purchasing an American car, and I would be reluctant to do so in the future.

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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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  Happy - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Kayaker712 - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Wonderful vehicle. I love the solid feel and the 5.3 Vortec is a dream in traffic gob and gobs or low end torque. The truck is solid and feels like a bank vault on wheels going down the road.

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  So far so good - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By David - March 30 - 1:13 am

  I ordered this truck w the 6.2, max pack, and love it. Plenty of power w a lot of power. It is a pleasure to drive and with all kinds of extras. I have been a Ford man most of my life but after months of research I ended up with this truck. It is just what I wanted. Dont concern yourself with gas mileage because its a truck but go w what you want and you will be happy. Gas prices go up and down. If this what drive you then get a motorcycle.

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  Reliability - 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Zealander - March 29 - 2:00 am

  Its great for a first time car buyer. If you treat it right, it is a low maintnence, repair it yourself vehicle. Mines pushing 300 000km and still purrs like a kitten. I highly reccomend using synthetic oil. I only burn half a liter every 10 000kms between oil changes.

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  Great "Tweener" - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By millermt - March 29 - 2:00 am

  I chose the S10 ZR2 because it seemed to have the benefits of both a bigger and smaller truck. Sizewise, it is between compact and full-sized truck thanks to the larger suspension. The 4.3L Vortec V6 produces plenty of power (which you wouldnt get in a compact truck), but still gets decent gas mileage in comparison to the full-sized trucks. Ive put 48000 NJ Turnpike miles on my truck in the 2 years Ive had it, and I havent had any problems. I did get rear-ended at a stop light. The repairs for my truck were $400, whereas the other guys car was totalled.

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  Cavalier - Outdated and old. - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By tman7773 - March 29 - 2:00 am

  The exterior and interior design looks about 10 years behind every other compact car. The brakes, manual transmission, acceleration and steering all feel cheap, rough and weak. All 4 brakes went at 35,000 km and had to be replaced when I started feeling a warp when braking. I hit a ground hog while driving and that resulted in a $650 replacement of my radiator. When the car idled it idled rough and I was told by the service techs that there was nothing wrong with the car. The vents that aim the air popped out place now and again. The odd time ( 3 times) Id hear a horrible racket in my vents, and out would pop a dried up whirly bird helicopter from a tree.

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  Great Ride - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By adjmcloon - March 29 - 2:00 am

  I actually had settled on an Expedition and was shopping around when I decided to try the Tahoe. What a difference! The ride and power were a huge step up from the Expedition. The interior seats are soft and comfy, and I love all of the gadgets. I tow a trailer regularly (2-3 times a week) and I was amazed at how well the "tow/haul" mode worked. I was thinking that it would just turn off overdrive, but actually it changes the shift points to allow the vehicle to act like it does when its unloaded. Also, the autoride feature is the bomb- it levels out the vehicle suspension when its under load. Gas mileage is much better than the Ford.