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:

• 

  Nice SUV/Wagon - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By WAYNE - March 20 - 4:03 am

  Sharp looking interiror. Shifter and stereo at great location. Good power. Great styling

• 

  Very Reliable & Inexpensive Lil Truck - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By Daniel Brown - March 20 - 2:00 am

  I realize that there are better trucks out there, but for the price that I purchase my truck new 5 years ago at $11,000 I have no regrets. My little S-10, stripped w/no original extras, has been a blessing. I have had no problems whatsoever, which is good because I am not mechanically incline, with it and I currently have 110,000 miles on it. The only real drawback is that the 4cyl does not have much power-but hey, I get above 25mpg!

• 

  whats this - 1994 Chevrolet Astro
  By Sjjmax - March 20 - 2:00 am

  I have had this vehicle for 4 years and there was only 1 owner before me. I have really enjoyed this vehicle and had little trouble with it.

• 

  Better than SUV for larger Families - 2002 Chevrolet Express
  By Stephen Burton - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Have a Family of 8 and needed a replacement for our Suburban that was totaled by a drunk. Equity in Suburban to little to replace with same. Opted for a basic Conversion Van. Quad Seating, rear bench folds into a bed. 5L V-8. Result is very nice ride, and better value for the money. Conversion adds insulation which greatly reduces interior noise from road. 7100 lb GVWR is plenty, and with seats removed can haul massive cargo. 20% better mpg than Suburban - 17 vs 14, more living space. Large picture windows allow toddler in car seat excelent view of world outside. 6ft7 son can sit anywhere and have plenty of room. Great for long distance travel.

• 

  LOVE THIS CAR - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By IL - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Great gas mileage on road trips 35-40 mpg. Good performance, good car. LOVE it, so far. Would recommend it to others.

• 

  Z-71 4WD - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Arizona Tahoe Z-71 - March 20 - 2:00 am

  This is a 2001 model,purchased new 5/01. Dealer sales and service practices are excellent. No problems with the vehicle after 10 months. We use it on trips out of town 6 or 7 times a year. Other than that it is a daily commuter vehicle for a short drive to work. I have towed a small motorcycle trailer and it tows perfectly. We traded a 96 Yukon and this vehicle is just the next generation and more useful as the Yukon was nly a 2 door GT.

• 

  My Gangsta Car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Gary J. King - March 19 - 5:36 pm

  I love my HHR. It is fun to drive and the gas mileage is good. There are times that I get 28 to 30 mpg around town. It has cut my cost by 25 percent. The car is tight and very quiet even with the sun roof. The comfort is great. I am a big man, not tall but big and I feel very comfortable in the drivers seat. Every thing is in arms reach and easy accessible.

• 

  3.1L "Sleeper" - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Dr_Watson - March 19 - 2:00 am

  One word about this car that sums its character up Torque. She may not have alot of ponies on the stat sheet, but its light and that 185 lb-ft of torque will rip the tires until smoke starts rolling out of the wheel wells. Ive driven it hard for over 3 years now and the only repairs needed have been 1 alternater, 1 battery, 1 water pump, 1 windshield wiper motor, and lots of brakes (thats the fault of my less then old lady driving though). The car is a fun machine to drive, and Ive loved it to death. Its a sleeper that can easily keep up with Eclipse GSTs, and the like.

• 

  Wife doesnt want to trade it in..... - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By wtm - March 19 - 2:00 am

  We liked it so well we are trading it in on a 2002. Very versatile for my scoccer mom wife..... Really liked the versatility of modular seats. On long road trips we would fold the driver side middle seat down (folding the back down makes the back completely flat) and strap on a TV/VCR for the kids and head down the road. Mom & I would plug in the headphones and listen to books on tape. Worked great!! Only problem that we ever had in four years was that the power sliding door got out of sync once. The dealer unplugged the power and pluged it back in to re-set (no charge)..... and we were on our way.

• 

  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.