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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  Loving it - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By NCS - March 18 - 12:49 am

  This was my first car that I actually owned, a 5-speed Z24. What a great fun little car. I got it with over 130k kms, and am now over 170k after a little over a year. The jump for a car in this class is great, much more $ is usually needed to get anything worthwhile the torque department. Very few minor repairs, and regular maintenance keep things going smoothly. Ive also drive a 1990 Corsica with over 500,000kms on it driving in northern Ontario for 9+ years and it still runs fine...whats that about North American cars again? Ive got nothing bad to say about it.

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  I love my ZR2 - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By packer - March 18 - 12:30 am

  This truck is great. I have had it now for almost 9 months, and have no complaints. The ZR2 wide stance looks great. The V6 feels smooth and powerful. I searched out a bought a 5 speed because they are much more fun to drive, and get slightly better gas mileage. I may have to sell it though because I just found out we are having twins.

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  S10 Xtreme - Extremly frustrating - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By Delfim - March 17 - 7:30 pm

  S10 Xtreme has the worst quality I have ever seen on a car. A mosquito is enough to break the body paiting. The suspension makes noises since first the day Ive got the car from the dealer (0 miles).

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  Caprice - better than an Impalla SS - 1994 Chevrolet Caprice
  By alan - March 17 - 7:23 pm

  I purchased my caprice from a small dealer who got a ton of them from the florida highway patrol. The exact model is called a 9C-1 and is a police pursuit package. It has the 5.7 liter (350) V8 engine like the Impalla SS, plus, special suspension, brakes, heating and cooling systems. You could buy three of these for the price of one SS and have a great ride ...

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  Will keep buying - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Blazerbuyer - March 17 - 7:02 pm

  I just purchased a 2001 2DR Blazer. I previously had a 1997 4dr. I purchased the last one new, and put 90,000 miles on it. I brought it into the shop once for ball joints- thats it (other than routine maintenance ie: brakes, oil). The new one has been in the shop for vibration in the front end and a blown oil cooling pump. The vehicle rides beautiful and is living up to my expectations of a new Blazer- hopefully this is the end of the repairs. Will keep on buying Blazers/ Trailblazers for years to come.

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  Our Tahoe - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By David/Nina - March 17 - 12:25 pm

  The Tahoe has really opened up our eyes to Chevrolet. As current BMW owners (2), we considered BMW and Acura. We bought the Tahoe and are pleased with our choice. Well built (so far), good looking and large enough to haul "stuff".

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  Nice bad for the money - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By MrRLJ - March 17 - 2:54 am

  Pretty nice vehicle. Have not had any major problems with it. Agreed that it does not make a fashion statement, but who cares. Check out the Malibu...not as bad as you would think. Surely has impressed me.

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  DuraMax - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By Ray Gaskill - March 17 - 2:00 am

  I tow a 18,000 lb trailer to all the Nascar events and love this truck. I originally drove Fords, but after looking at the numbers and talking to another DuraMax owner (who also had a Powerstroke and swithed to Chevy), I order the DuraMax and leave Fords and Dodge in the dust!

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  Worst Car Ive Owned - NO MORE GMS - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By lastGM - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car new - nothing but problems: ABS, Fuel leak under hood, transmission problems... I will NEVER buy another GM car.

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  I love this car - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Joecool200 - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Its great on gas, very fun to drive. Has a very unique style and lots of performance for a 4 cyclinder engine- very fast and sturdy 1 doesnt shake at 100!!!!!!!!! I love this car , especially the good sticker price! Everyone should get one! I had one before this and I bousht it in 88 and its still running ! Very reliable!!!!