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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  Fun for a big family - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By northcoast - March 12 - 12:18 am

  Great Truck for a family that is active.

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  A Highway Car - 1996 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Wm R Dunton - March 11 - 11:35 pm

  Cruises at 70 mph w/cruise control. Gets 24.5 true mpg at that speed. Replaced factory shocks with stiffer premium shocks and get positive steering and stopping. Not fast at takeoff but enough power from 30to70. Rides very well but not cushy or mushy with P225-75/15 Michelins. Plenty of room (Im 62" 200lbs) Minimal repair cost. Maintained carefully.

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  corsica - 1994 Chevrolet Corsica
  By moolon - March 11 - 10:11 pm

  its not worth what they made me pay for it

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  Chevy in Russia - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By MK - March 11 - 7:39 pm

  Good SUV

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  One Bad AZZ Corvette - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By smith300m - March 11 - 7:00 pm

  Have had the corvette for 2mos. and Love it, best vehicle I have ever owned and I have owned alot in my 26yrs of driving. Power, Ride, Handling , Looks are outstanding.

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  96 Lumina Review - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By AaronB - March 11 - 4:48 pm

  The design of the car is nice, and it has clean lines. There is plenty of room on the inside.(Im 62") Controls are pretty well placed. One problem would be the cup holder in the arm rest. This broke off after about four years of use. The car runs well. It averages about 20mpg city, and about 25 on the highway. Ive had a couple of problems though. Ive had to replace the alternator and battery cables on the car. Outside of that, the car is reliable and comfy to drive.

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  1992 CAMARO R/S CONV. - 1992 Chevrolet Camaro
  By LEO NAVA - March 11 - 4:06 pm

  GREAT RUNNING CAR

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  2000 Impala Sedan-Faulty Components - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Rentuck - March 11 - 3:21 pm

  At 29000 miles the engine cradle failed, the brake rotors warped, all six pistons were defective (piston slap), and at 32000 miles the steering rack failed. All were repaired under warranty at the dealer. I was in a rental car for almost two weeks while the engine craddle, piston replacement and brake rotors were being fixed. I do not feel confident about the reliability of this car, but is performing OK as I write this review.

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  Good Car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By jack keller - March 11 - 11:46 am

  Most of my driving is around very heavy traffic and the HHR is perfect for this. I have had it on the freeway and it is not smooth as a large car, it performed very well. I am surprised at the fast aceleration at all speeds. I have had no new car problems. The motor noise is a little loud, but that is a minor thing. I am very satisfied with the car.

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  2002 Z71 Tahoe Review - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Davide - March 11 - 2:53 am

  Bought the Z71 and am loving every minute of it. Traded in a 4Runner and Im not sorry I did. Love the ride, and feel very safe in the vehicle, its nice to know that SUVs dont come much bigger than yours. Huge amounts of storage, and with the Z71 theres no third seat to get in your way. Its got tons of power thanks to the 5.3L V-8, it definately would beat the 4Runner in acceleration any day.