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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  Still going strong - 2000 Chevrolet Express
  By Joe Harper - March 21 - 8:05 pm

  Ive had this vehicle for six years. Has 218,000 miles. Never had a problem with the engine. Recently started to have problem with trans. The van still runs great and starts every morning. I definitely will purchase another Express. The interior parts dont hold up too well but the performance and mechanical reliability make up for it.

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  My 2003 Tracker - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By JIM - March 21 - 4:11 pm

  Lucky to find 03 with less than 6k. I drive a lot, 250 to 400 miles a week. Use it in my job and get mileage allowance for it. Fun to drive. The optional 2.0 liter engine is very peppy over the base engine, even with the automatic trans, which I have grown to like. Easy to park, easy to turn in tight spots, turns super tight U-turns. Lucky to find and like white color for very sunny climate I am in. I did have to replace the rear axle bearrings at about 36k and a cost of about $1,300, ouch! Just out of standard warranty. Still wondering why the 2 door uses the same axle as the 4 door, and having less weight, should not of had a problem burning out, even carrying me, 280 lb guy! No other problems.

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  Best Truck for the money - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Brian-33 - March 20 - 2:22 pm

  I bought my Colorado in the summer of 2005 during the height of the employee discount sales and got a fantastic deal. I now have over 32,000 miles on my Colorado and I love it. The styling is great, the interier while a bit over-plastic in some areas seems to be holding up better then my S-10 Blazer. The 6-disk CD player is great, and overall the truck is fairly comfortable on long trips. The ride is impeccable for a 4x4 truck, rides like a car on trips, and a truck when it needs to. Having owned multiple 4x4s this one is the best and most stable negotiating icy roads. Gas mileage is good (20MPG on avg). The engine needs a bit more refinement as it seems to stuggle in high altitutes.

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  2003 LTZ - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Gene - March 20 - 2:08 pm

  This has been a wonderful vehicle to own and operate. It handles well, has adequate power and is comfortable to drive. The turning radius is out of this world, simply fantastic. During a recent relocation I used the vehicle to tow a 16 foot utility trailer on several trips of 700 miles over mountains and interstate. If you were to do this all the time Id recommend the V-8, but for occasional use the 4200 straight six is very good. Mileage at 20 +/- on the highway and 17-18 around town. Towing really takes a toll on mileage, but thats to be expected. I would buy another one of these vehicles in a heartbeat. Great size and fun to drive. Thanks Chevy.

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  Poor Waranty Work - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By AL B - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Replaced input steering shaft twice. Having problems again with only 7500 miles. Loud wind noise from rear of cab, in back of both doors. Had to replace rack and pinion steering. Transmission and altanater both have louder than nomal high pitched wine.

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  Solid after all these years - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ct - March 19 - 9:44 pm

  This has been a great truck. I drive it off road about 4 weeks a year and in the snow during winter in Colorado. It handles either great as well as dry pavement. It could get better mileage but hey, its a full sized SUV what do you expect?

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  Updated review - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Willard48 - March 19 - 12:44 am

  Now that I haved driven this truck for 6 months, I wanted to update my initial review of 9/24/06. Most of the rough idle and cranking problems were solved with a software update to the onboard computer module. Soon after, I had to take it back for a defective ignition switch. (Engine would die suddenly while you were driving along!) Since that first month, I have had no problems whatsoever with the vehicle. I will say that this is the first vehicle that I have ever gotten so many questionnaires about.(5 so far,I think.) Most included a new one dollar bill. Evidently a lot of people are interested in all aspects of this truck.Overall,I like this truck a lot better now than I did before.

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  Nice Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Buddy - March 17 - 11:44 pm

  I really enjoy driving this vehicle, however, I only get about 13-14 miles to the gallon. The other issue I have experienced is, behind the rear driver side passenger seat, it leaks water every time it rains. This will be my third time taking it to the dealer. Im considering getting different truck.

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  Great, but easily could be the best! - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By pkieffer - March 17 - 10:47 pm

  The 07 LTZ Avalanche is like driving a luxury car. Very smooth and handles great through the Minnesota blizzards. Very safe. The back seat has lots of leg room. Kids love the wireless DVD player. It is a great looking truck. I try to burn E85 as much as possible. The 8 cylinder to 4 is a joke. It only drops to the 4 when you are going down hill or coasting. My mileage is 14.50 on regular gas and 12.00 on E85. The engineers should look at the competion like Tundra and Rideline, they could build the best of the best. Look at my suggested improvements below and simple things like mudflaps, reciever hitch plug, a business card slot, put a K & N filter in as stock. A quicker engine would be great

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  Sleek Malibu - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Spunky 911 - March 17 - 2:18 pm

  Ive had this car a little over two years and I havent had one problem.The v6 engine is powerful, it rides very smooth, and its very easy to work on. The only money I have had to put in to this car was gas, oil change, brakes, and a tail light bulb. The A/C blows ice cold and if you take car of it, I recommend this car to anyone.