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:

• 

  Better than expected - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By DVB - May 15 - 7:55 pm

  I rented this car for a very long road trip(3500 miles)with no expectations whatsoever. At first I was somewhat put off by the lack of pizzaz both inside and out, but the car quickly won me over. It was more comfortable than my Honda pilot for long travel, and the gas mileage was exceptional for a full size car at 37 for pure highway driving and no worse than 33 in mixed driving. It also performed well in the mountains, had a good stereo and not much road noise. It lacked some electronic features, the cup holders are inconvenient, and had a small b/t seat storage compartment. Overall a good solid, no frills auto.

• 

  Good Enough for Me - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By brisk8 - May 15 - 7:44 pm

  Only a few minor repairs that I had to pay for: leaking exhaust manifold, leaking cam positioning sensor, siezed water pump, tie rods, brakes and disks (only one a little out of the ordinary). Current concerns, a/c vent actuator for the dash vents and "loose" timing chain that does not concern my mechanic. Engine very reliable, powerful, and relatively efficient. Linear 6 engine is great addition to Chevy lineup. OEM tires a little weak but got over 50,000 out of replacement Bridgestones. Numerous recalls hadled by dealer (no charge). If considering buying, have all major components checked: engine, trans, differential. If they are OK, I recommend purchasing.

• 

  Is it the car or it the reviewers? - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Pliskin - May 14 - 10:00 am

  I was surprised to see all the really negative comments here. Ive had my Malibu for 4 years, and while Ive only put 20K miles on it.Ive had really no major problems.Yes, the tire ware is a bit faster than usual. Yes ,the AC cuts off for seemingly no reason (although if you turn the blower off and then back on, it works fine for another 15 minutes and then you do it again). Yes, the build quality could be better but the price/features ratio on this car is fantastic. Its not a Lexus folks...it is a plain car that has just what you need and nothing you dont.

• 

  Just Received - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Sylver - May 14 - 10:00 am

  We just received our Trailblazer LT, and are pleasantly impressed so far. Seats are high, with ample headroom, and plenty of legroom in front, while things seem a little tighter in back. Body roll is evident, and steering is seems vague, but has an excellent turning radius, and is easy to manuever. Starting power seems slightly lacking, however there is plenty of power between the 4000 to 6000 rpm range for passing and highway driving.

• 

  Great truck to buy - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By thegerm63 - May 13 - 2:36 pm

  This is my 4th chevy truck and I had a chance to get a Dodge for cost and passed it down. I like the Chevy for it reliabilty and comfort and knowing that it has not failed me. I wished they would have kept the folding console instead of the permanent one. love the automatic 4wd option. Wish I would have been told I could have bought it w/o the OnStar. I also was disappointed to have to purchase my own touch up paint should I need it. The engine is strong and the pick up power is superb. I like the room under the hood for working if needed and definetly love the easy oil change w/o the mess. Transmission have always held up strong for me and once warmed up shifting goes very quietly and timely

• 

  Wind noise when towing - under powered - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By handyman - May 13 - 9:28 am

  I just bought a 2007 2500 6.0 Suburban to replace my previous 8.1. The 6.0 is way underpowered and gets about 1.5 mpg less than the 8.1 during normal driving and .5 to 1.0 less when towing. The worst part is the wind noise when towing. I had it "fixed" with a new engineering upgrade to the weather-stipping and flip gate glass and it still is really bad. The GM engineers said that this is a good as it gets and that since the noise is only during towing thats the current fix. Good answer for a $50K vehicle! If you tow, beware.This truck is severely underpowered and the wind noise will drive you crazy.

• 

  One of Chevrolets best! - 1993 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Ken - May 13 - 6:38 am

  This is the best car I have had in 33 years of driving. I bought it 3 years old with 90,000 after the police were done with it. Today it has 201,000 miles and is running just as strong as the day I bought it. I have replaced the brake pads twice and the shoes once. At about 100,000 it needed a fuel pump, at 180,000 the idler arm was replaced and then nothing else until over 190,000. Since then it has needed a blower motor, waterpump, raditor, tie rods, lower ball joints and a starter. At about 195,000 it started to leak oil but if I add a bit now and again it will probably go another 70,000. I am looking at Impalas but will keep this as a second car.

• 

  A Good SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Eric Green - May 12 - 2:27 pm

  The ZR2 suspension is the best I have used from a stock SUV. The vehicle has a slight tendency to oversteer on gravel or snow, but the base width lets you carry the slide an recover easily. The mileage for an SUV is average and the interior has some cheaply made plastic moldings, but just look at the exterior style. It is a great looking SUV. The 190 horses from the 4.3l V6 is not the greatest derived power from a modern internal comb. engine, but the gear ratio provides some awsome torque. For a 4850 lb vehicle it can pull just 150 lbs under its gross weight.

• 

  Some Problems - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Don - May 11 - 6:26 pm

  This is a fun car to drive. We have had some problems with the engine/SS/fuel injectors. The car is still under warranty. The car begins to sputter driving over 40 mph when you hit the gas peddle. Also, the power steering seems to be going out. Something loose in the column and getting harder to turn when driving slower. Chevy dealers cant seem to find the problem.

• 

  Work Car, and More - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jeff Fitzgerald - May 11 - 10:23 am

  We bought this car ostensibly just to go to and from work, using our Subaru Forester for all the "heavy lifting." But I have to say that I enjoy driving this car. Comfortable, handles well, and has a lot of zip. It looks nice, and has been very solid and glitch-free. I had given up on American cars long ago, but I have to say, Chevrolet has earned another chance with this car.