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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  Some pros and cons - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Tmatt - February 25 - 2:00 am

  Gas mileage poor, 16-18 hwy. Expected better from I-6. Wind noise excessive. Engine power good if you get it spinning, poor on low end. Geared too high in overdrive; engine turning below power band, even at 70-75 MPH; poor response, frequent downshifts on slight grade. I mostly drive in "3" below 75, much better response. Might get 4.10 axle next time. On plus side, exterior styling nice, if somewhat plain in LS trim. Interior OK, comfortable, but again pretty plain in LS. Reliability 100% so far (7500 mi). Nice ride, perfect size. Standard stereo, A/C, etc all fine. Despite faults, very good value after rebates.

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  2004 Wildfire Red 4WD - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Roger Engelken - February 24 - 1:40 pm

  I purchased the car for the 4WD given the harsh December and January we had here in Northern Colorado. It has worked admirably in the snow, and now is a joy to drive on once again dry roads. Ive had no issues with it, and getting replacement parts thus far has been very easy to do. After five coats of wax it has a good new shine once again. No missing the wildfire red color.

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  1999 1500 LS Chevy Suburban - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By JIM C - February 22 - 9:55 pm

  Great vehicle, towing power, and easy to drive. Great on road. Paint and quality good.

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  All of the Above - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By rollingshadow - February 22 - 9:06 am

  Great truck so far. Bought a 2004 from the internet based only on the available reviews, features, price, and looks. Everything was true. Good power, torque, handling, ride quality, interior and bed space. Mediocre interior, flat bucket seats, lots of plastic. After 3000 miles I am very happy. The I5 and 4L60e work together beautifully. Quick shifts and instant downshifts. No busy shifting. Excellent ride quality and impressive handling for a small truck. The new I5 engine is impressive but has to prove its long term reliability. I am so happy to finally drive a vehicle that has over 200 ft lbs of torque available from a small engine.

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  Hi Ho Silver! - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Silver - February 21 - 9:26 pm

  We looked at new cars and used, import, and domestic before buying our silver Malibu and havent regretted it one second. It is a program car so we know that its probably been driven hard and fast but it held up and is holding up. I believe mostly due to the maintenance required for program cars. There was water in the spare tire well when we bought it but the dealer had her cleaned up in a jif. The dealer thinks maybe the trunk gasket leaked while setting on the lot. We did have several inchs of rain. Ive driven it once while raining and saw a cup of water in the trunk. I think its from tire spray. It looks like GM put silicon on the joints of trunk floor where the tires are. We love our silver Malibu and will trade for another in a couple of years. Thanks GM for keeping us American!

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  2004 Chevrolet Van Extended - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By kcamero - February 19 - 1:48 pm

  A bit of a "Plain Jane" van, however, very dependable and no repairs to date. Currently have 65000 KMs

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  Low MPG - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jon - February 19 - 10:42 am

  Overall this is a good car. It rides great and looks great. It has many nice interior features, such as dual zone climate control, automatic headlights, and an amazing stock stereo. The trunk is huge. There is plenty of room for an adult to sit on each side of my sons center mounted booster seat. However, my fuel economy is awful. I am concentrating on being as easy on take offs as possible and still only get 17mpg. I have called the dealer and they say that unless the check engine light comes on, there is nothing wrong with the car.

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  Better than most expect - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Malaclypse - February 17 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for over a year and am rather pleased with how its handled both in terms of driving and reliability. The key to keeping this car for a very long time is maintainence. Take care of this car and itll take care of you.

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  Cheap, Great MPG, Low Operating Cost - 1998 Chevrolet Metro
  By Linda - February 17 - 9:18 am

  40 mpg city without air on. Air drags 3 cyl 5 spd down to 30mpg. Dont expect to get on the freeway unless you turn everything off and downshift to third to get up speed. Im always the last from a light. 50 mph the car runs fantastic, at 70 on freeway it is wound up so tight in 5th gear it is hurting. Repairs have been minor except for a constant unrepairable airconditioning compressor leak. On the 3rd compressor and no air with only 59,000 miles on the car. Cheap cost, great low driving and repair cost - but get what you pay for.

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  I like my Tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Stooplover - February 17 - 1:13 am

  My dash gauges are going out and have had issues with my A/C but overall I love it.