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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  good quality with minor improvments - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By j. robertson - July 12 - 10:00 am

  what a good all around vehicle! i am glad i purchased my trailblazer, great engine and looks, it lacks some qualities like the flimsy tailgate handle and keyless entry, but what a good ride i would recommend it to anyone

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  Love mine, will never trade in - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By heather0325spring - July 11 - 5:31 pm

  Bought my Blazer in 1999, love the way it looks and rides. It does sway a little in the wind but so used to it now I hardly notice. Handles great in the snow. Only major fixes to it was the fuel pump at 136,000 miles and the intake manifold gaskets needed replaced (involves taking the top of the engine off) If you have one and have problems with overheating check that out. Other than that just basic maintenance, spark plugs oil changes, alternator, water pump and battery, no major deal considering the miles on it.. No transmission problems at all

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  Good Buy - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By James - July 10 - 9:24 pm

  Good overall car. When I purchased this car it had all original parts except the radio (this was a good sign). The bad news was once I bought it some of the 10 year old parts broke. I had the computer system fail ($300), then the drive pulley ($200) then the slave cylinder broke (the clutch was also replaced since the it is so hard to get to it was worth doing it at the time, $700). Overall the car drives great. With regular oil changes and tune ups I think Ill get another 100k miles out of this car.

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  "xtremely" awesome x dime - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By XDIME01 - July 10 - 3:13 pm

  What can I say about this truck, its simply the best vehicle Ive ever bought! The 4.3 v6 is a pretty potent motor, with lots of power, and wicked tourqe. The styling cues of the Xtreme are just amazing. Ive had my X for almost 5 years, and sure Ive had some minor problems, but what vehicle doesnt. Ive replaced the battery, the third door handle (twice), and have had the brakes done. And out of those 5 years Ive drove every winter, at least 30 miles a day (highway) with no more than just a set of winter tires, and I hardly ever got stuck. Plus the best part of all: all the aftermarket parts available for it, so you can take it from a stocker to a shocker!

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  Buy a Scion or Civic - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By marspiter - July 10 - 9:53 am

  This is my wifes car and she puts less then your average yearly mileage on the car. When she first bought the car it was a wonderful. In fact I actually found myself sneaking it time to time for little trips to the store. In terms of reliability. Well thats the sour point of this car. This is a list of the items that have been fixed since the car was new. Throttle body malfunctioned, Sunroof has broke and come off track twice, Every button in the interior has broke at least once. Have replaced the sunroof bezel 4 times. Electrical short in trunk that killed the electrical system. Final thoughts: Fun to drive, good gas mileage, horrible reliability. Will trade for a Honda Civic.

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  So far, so good - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By vicky11 - July 10 - 8:42 am

  Overall we have enjoyed this vehicle so far! Previously we had a pick up truck, but it was time to get something more family friendly. My only negative comments are that the seatbelts are not comfortable at all, and very noisy on the highway. It seems like the windows are not shut tight, even when they are.

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  My first truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By My first truck - July 9 - 11:26 pm

  The inside of the extended cab really surprised me, Im 62" and i fit nice in the backseat. Had hauled heavy, heavy stuff and it was like it loved working and this is only a V6. I used this also on vacations, 8 to 10 hour drives, with two kids in the back. Its a ready to use for all occasions.

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  Malibu anti-theft malfuction - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Rebecca - July 9 - 4:36 pm

  I only have 4000 miles on my Malibu car and I have an anti theft malfunction. The car just dies on you and you have to have it towed to the dealership each time it happens. GMC has not offered a recall on this problem and there are hundreds of complaints online about the same problem. Im not happy with it because of this problem and also because once youre on the freeway you cant have the windows open as you can with Fords and other cars. The car starts vibrating and making an awful sound so you have to shut the windows. This was a very costly experience and I regret changing from 40 years with Ford.

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  Good Truck - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By BWHITE - July 9 - 11:16 am

  I purchased this truck used with 15,000 miles on it, I now have 45,000 on it 2 years later. I have had no problems with the truck mechanicaly. I tow a ski boat reguarly and fuel economy is only slightly effected. Only problems I have include, the leather seats cracking prematurly, and the dash has a few spots that are chipping. I get better than avertised with fuel economy, i get about 17 mpg city and 20 hwy with the 5.3L V-8. However, I do drive with a light foot and I have a bed cover on the truck. My father has a 2005 4wd Ford F-150 with an idetical bed cover and he gets better gas milage that that, however the chevy seems to handle towing better and is more manuverable.

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  Stranded in Nova Scotia - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Malibu - July 9 - 6:43 am

  In all honesty the 2003 Malibu has been fairly reliable, except for rotors. I made the mistake of getting the rotors machined back to smooth, all this did was to give the rotors a shorter life. Replace rotors if they are warped, do not machine. Its now in with a suspected fuel pump problem. The reason its at the Canadian tire is I went to the local Chev dealer, and explained I had a loose connection on a wire leading to the fan motor, a simple repair, at $152. I was furious and got the bill reduced substantially. The air conditioning never worked satisfactorily from day one, it cooled but was never cold. The vehicle was just transport