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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  Electrical - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Mike - August 31 - 12:30 am

  Electrical headache. Been towed to dealership 4 times since purchase. Told all 4 times it was a bad battery. Now for the 5th time, its dead in driveway 30min after I turned it off, guess itll be battery again. Driver mirror doesnt work, lumbar in seat doesnt move, and seat somehow starts to heat up even though the button is off. Also, contrary to what the dealership tells me, the dash lights will randomly go off at night and start to flicker. Apparently none of this can be duplicated so GM says it isnt happening...ghosts I guess.

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  Not Completely Satisfied - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By hpmoore2001 - August 29 - 10:45 pm

  I did a lot of research to see what new car I wanted to buy. I decided on the Impala. Had a 72 and loved it. After taking my time and looking around I finally bought the 08 Impala. But, am having touble with the brakes. Had them redone and the day after they were as bad if not worse then before I had them worked on. Pulsate when stopping and jerks me back and forth until stopped. The front axle seal had to be fixed was leaking. Had an emission sensor go out and fixed. OnStar is not working properly the dealership is reviewing the recall papers to see what needs to be fixed. Seats are very uncomfortable. Very disappointed. I did the research and got stuck. Oh, the glove box broke.

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  Just Purchased Monte Carlo - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Dan the man - August 29 - 10:00 am

  I was worried purchasing my first Chevy product since the early 70s & 80s. I have been very happy with my past Toyota and Honda purchases. Had no luck with Ford (Forever repairing Daily). But I use to enjoy my old GM products in my youth, so I gave Chevy another chance. So far I am really happy with the monte carlo. I like the styling and handling. I even have my daughters child seat in the back, and that has been easier than I expected. It may still be too early to tell, with 18,000 miles but so far so good. Lets hope I dont get disappointed, I need a reliable car and if this doesnt work out, its back to Toyota for good.

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  Never Getting Rid of It - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Erin - August 28 - 6:48 pm

  I purchsed this my 2003 Chevy Tahoe in August of 03 brand new right off the delivery truck and had loved it since. Ive only had minor problems with it like the fuel pump going bad, 2 dead batteries, and bad starter. Besides all of that it has been very good to me. I dont plan to get rid of it ever. I recently gave it to my 15 y/o son as a gift for getting his permit when I purchsed the 08 Tahoe. Hoping for the same.

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  Love it! Will drive the wheels off! - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Jennifer - August 28 - 1:21 pm

  Traded my 07 Expedition EL for a LTZ White Diamond pkg Suburban for a cheaper monthly payment and better gas mileage. Im getting worse gas mileage than before, 13.5 mpg mixed city & highway vs. 15.1 mpg with the Expedition. But with all SUVs I dont expect great gas mileage. I love this car more than any other SUV Ive ever owned. It drives great, is great looking, comfortable & roomy, it is an all aound great buy-got a steal on it too. Fits my family of 5 wonderfully and is very safe! I have active fuel management and you never can tell when it switches from 4cyl to 8. I will not be buying another vehicle until this one is shot.

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  Happy with Truck - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By RFBookman - August 27 - 12:22 pm

  I bought mine used in 2004. It has been fairly problem free. I did recently have to have the air conditioner fixed (the compressor went out, cost me $900). Other than that mostly just regular maintenance costs. It is fun to drive but does not have a lot of power with just the 2.2L 4 cylinder engine. I checked my gas mileage just last week and it was 27 MPG. I travel about 25 miles one way to work with most of that being on the interstate. Overall, pleased with lack of mechanical problems, good gas mileage, and fun to drive. However, I will probably opt for something with a little more power for my next pickup.

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  Quality Remains at GM - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jerry - August 27 - 8:19 am

  I bought leased this truck from my because we could not keep her Jeep Grand Cherokee out of the repair shop. We have had the Trailblazer almost three years and 30,000 miles without one issue. I have the straight six with plenty of power. Once towed a 7000lb trailer. Great in the snow, sorry to see it go off lease. I plan on leasing another GM product.

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  Vortec is an absolute beast - 1996 Chevrolet S-10
  By 2384623846 - August 27 - 1:52 am

  Anyone who complains about this truck has major issues. I have a 1996 ss with stock zq8 suspension and a modified vortec v6. The only problems I encountered were with dialing in the supercharger with my other mods. its fast fun and reliable. and the interior is well organized.

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  Good job on this one Chevy! - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Big Pine Man - August 26 - 1:29 am

  I have been very satisfied with my 1998 Cavalier. I have about 180000 miles and have had no major troubles. My only big repair has been a water pump. Otherwise just basic maintenance. The car does seem to go through brake pads sooner than other cars Ive owned. This car leaves no fliud stains on my garage floor. Overall this car has been a great cheap car to own and drive. My only real complaint about this car is driving it in the winter. Even with good tires it seems to spin alot and the low trax light always comes on. Also the anti lock brakes appear to engage very easily on packed snow roads. This car has not costed me much money though and that is huge. Im happy with the reliability

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  Awesome truck! - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By 2001ChevyZ71 - August 25 - 9:33 pm

  First off, it is a 2001 silverado 1500 LT extended cab 4 door Z71 with Onstar.We bought this truck used at 176K miles and have since put it 10,000 miles on it. It is real comfortable and fun to drive and it has plenty of power. I put some 33 inch maxxis bigohrn tires on it and it went to 10-12 mpg which really sucks down the gas. However, the 4wd system is great for offroading. Only had some minor stuff to replace like the universal and the brakes. The truck can be easily modded to make it look and perform better, which is a plus. I plan on keeping this truck for as long as possible, and i am confident that it will keep performing