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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  Pauls 96 SS - 1996 Chevrolet Impala
  By Pauls96ss - March 17 - 1:48 pm

  I love this car! I have owned this car for 11.5 years. This car won runner up at the 2003 Super Chevy Show and many first, second, and third place trophies at other car shows and bracket racing events. Odometer is at 148,000 miles and I would not hesitate to take it on a cross country trip.

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  2 cents worth - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By BriD - March 15 - 9:40 pm

  Five yrs owned, have been super pleased with reliability and comfort. Well over 100k now and only cat cvtr. and TPS sensor replaced. Gets 19/26 real-world mpg. 4cyl gets you up to speed if you rev it high enough. Would definitely look for V6 if you plan any hauling or commute using freeways. Ride is rough with ZQ8 suspension and doesnt really give you above and beyond cornering abilities. Softer shocks help if you dont mind the more freqent bottom outs. Cabin:spacious. Im well over 6ft/200# with plenty of headroom and side room. Ergonomics good. Minor knock: spark plug wires a headache to change. Overall:Unique look, sharp but basic truck with outside speedy look.

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  Very reliable automobile. - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Lee Mullican - March 15 - 11:59 am

  I purchased this car in April of 2001 with 28000 miles and it has been as reliable as one would want. I had the AC compressor replaced at 45000 and sans the typical maintenance this car has been a dream. Pickup is very good, handles bad weather (snow/rain) well and fuel economy is a solid 20MPG. My only issue with this is the steering ratio is really short.

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  Engine - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By jaw - March 15 - 2:00 am

  Slow on take off. Also the engine and tires are noisy. Looking forward to trading it in.

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  At last, GM got one right - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Rod - March 14 - 11:02 pm

  Updated All American look returns. Light years better in most depts. than C4-C5s. Well balanced design, performance and handling. If theyd only cure RF tire noise on concrete freeways. Retains a hint of earlier crude front suspension feedback on rough streets. Needs a hair more suspension travel. Good interior styling and (almost) quality look. GM had to include a cheesy painted plastic panel on forward console and climate/radio controls. Ltd leg room for over 6 2" drivers, needs 3 more inches there. 6 spd auto allows broad power choice, just keep revs over 2K. After 6K mi. Ive noticed occasional clunks shifting into R and occ sloppy/slow shifting in D or S. Must be the DBW.

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  6 On One, Half a Dozen On The Other - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By sbddmd1 - March 14 - 11:50 am

  I absolutely love the versatility of the bed and backseats, came in handy many times. Very comfortable ride.

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  Better then expected - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Rooster - March 13 - 6:24 pm

  I bought mine with 115,000 on it, changed the shocks right away but since then Ive had no problems what-so-ever. Started every morning through the Minneasota winter, heated up just fine and the 4 wheel drive was a blessing. Im just starting to see a little rust on the rear bumper but thats an easy fix. It could be a bit more comfortable ride but I have a bad back and for a SUV its not bad at all. Over all for the price I cant complain.

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  Nice car - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Guy - March 13 - 3:40 pm

  Very sporty looking car, but hard to maintain sometimes & I swear that it has the turning radius of a Mack truck! Id like to get my hands on the guy that designed those disc brakes. I cant keep a set of rotors on this car to save my life! There have been frequent, minor emission systems problems to troubleshoot over the years as well. Getting a tune up is expensive because of the way the engine is laid out. Gas mileage does not appear to be a strong point as well. The car looks great, but try & find a replacement for the rear spoiler brake light bar. I couldnt! Starting & battery system isnt that great either. Im buying a hydrid next time.

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  Reliable at best - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jay - March 13 - 10:45 am

  After 4 months of ownership my wife noticed a whistle upon acceleration. I was told by the dealership that it is air passing over a hole in the throttle body. Throttle body replaced and problem persists. Contacted GM customer service and they told me it is not a mechanical defect and that "if its not broke, dont fix it". My dealership stated they would keep me up to date on possible recalls related to this issue but after two months of phone calls they no longer call. This whistle is simply not acceptable for a $26,000 vehicle and GM wonders why customers are choosing foreign vehicles with better build quality. Interior plastic looks and feels cheap. I would not buy another one.

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  1990 Chevrolet Suburban Performance - 1990 Chevrolet Suburban
  By lee ponder - March 12 - 5:09 pm

  This vehicle is extremely comfortable and has excellent space for passengers and hauling materials and equipment. It has done a good job of pulling a horse trailor occassionally. The vehicle has a rebuilt transmission about 2 years old, so the original transmission and engine have held up very well. The gas mileage is around 12 miles per gallon.