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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  Not so bad after all - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Chappy - January 11 - 8:50 pm

  Was told not to purchase this vehicle, but did so anyway. I live in a snowy cold climate so this SUV has been great so far. 4WD didnt work the week after I bought it, but was inexpensive to repair, only needed a $70 actuator cable. Also the engine light came on. The garage said it was the coolant thermostat, even though it didnt appear I needed one. Changed it for the $13 it cost just to get the engine light off. In cold climate this this truck runs better with synthetic oil and really good plugs and wires. A bit of rattle here and there in the interior, seat reclining handle is stripped, usual and inexpensive problems/annoyances. Overall this is a great and fun SUV to own!

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  Bobs Review - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Bob Horgos - January 11 - 3:34 pm

  Having minivans for the last 8yrs, this one is just another in a long line of vans. So far though we like the ride with larger wheels it feels smoother and quieter. With the dvd in the middle the driver no longer has control of the machine and that is good, not such a distraction. The only thing we would like to have is a power tailgate, which chevy does not offer. The lighter color looks nice, but shows dirt more, and will need washed more often. We have captains chairs in the middle, which are fixed not removeable, the jury is still out on this, as we havent had to remove them or not yet. Our last van we took them out once in 4yrs. Overall we are happy with our new van.

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  Monte SS - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Mr E - January 11 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car and so far has been nothing but fun fun fun. The car had 68,000 miles even though the car is almost 10 years old, but when I say well kept! No problems so far except for the warning orange light for tire pressure that stays on which Im used to now. I would love for Chevy to build more SSs such as the Monte Carlo and the Impala for 2011.

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  Old girls been good to me - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By ken - January 10 - 7:50 pm

  Bought this car in 98 and its been one of the best things I ever did. I dont know if I just got lucky with it or what, but its been great. Early problem with alternators, 3 in 2 years. Since then, just keeps going and going. 240,000 on it now. Starting to show some wear this past year. Struts, water pump, rotors had to be replaced. Starting to have other problems show up too, leaking oil, transmission fluid and water. My fault though, I think, I have not really taken very good care of the car. Never changed trans fluid, plugs, oil about every 7500 and never changed coolant, still, it just keeps going! My gas mileage is great for a car this size too,28 mpg. Love another this good!

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  4th vettes a charm - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Big Steff - January 10 - 6:28 pm

  This is my 4th vette (2 C4s, 2nd C5). Almost bought 06 C6 without driving then found it was too tight (me 6"3). Sold 99 FRC to get this one. FRC was base model with Z51, 04 fully loaded!! Car is solid as a rock. Maybe get a C7 if more interior space (or I shrink). Best of the 4 Ive owned !!!

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  Excellent Daily Driver! - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Takis Tzinakos - January 9 - 10:43 pm

  Drove the Malibu 3500kms in three weeks, in town and on the highway. It`s an excellent daily driver, comfortable and roomy with adequate power, acceptable handling, and very good brakes (ABS would help). Found it sensitive to high winds and while the fuel consuption was 8.2L / 100km in town didn`t get any better on the highway. Overal quality, performance, comfort, styling etc. OK, but not on a par with the Hyundai Sonata!

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  Tahoe - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By MMoran - January 9 - 7:31 pm

  The Chevy Tahoe is an excellent SUV, great for families and has been a wonderful car for trips. I would definitely buy this vehicle again! Very reliable, it has never failed to get us to our destination and is very easy to maintain.

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  Poor Reliability - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Bryce Christensen - January 8 - 2:55 pm

  Z71 Ride quality is very good and the vehicle is fun to drive. However the vehicle has had numerous reliability problems at 50,000 miles. The instrument cluster has gone bad, front end is loosening up, shocks gave out, replaced side mirrors, lights, etc. Recommend selling once the warranty expires or purchasing an extended warranty. Or purchase a better engineered SUV and avoid the extended warranty and service hassles all together. Actual gas mileage is around 13 MPG on average.

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  Wow, what a car - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By STEVE - January 7 - 9:17 pm

  I love this little car. I have never owned a small car. It is fun to drive in city or highway. The engine is a bit small especially if going up hill. Good gas mileage with automatic trans. 26 city 37 highway. No problems so far after 19000. There is room for 4 big people even on long trips. The front seat is a bit uncomfortable for a big guy. I have notice driving thru snow is a little more difficult, maybe the tires and not the car.

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  Great looks, lots of power, so-so feeling - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Impala - January 7 - 5:02 pm

  I love the look of this car. It may be the best looking car I have ever owned. Plenty of power from the 3800 v- 6, but lesser gas mileage than the other 3800s I have owned. The leather seats are hard, non-breathing and somewhat uncomfortable. The car seems excessively noisy to me. The dealer replaced a catalytic converter, and I had some suspension work done. There is a whine, I believe in the power steering, but the dealer cant hear it. That may be because it is still covered by a GM extented warranty. I do not think I would buy anymore Chevrolets due to what I perceive as a lack of production quality and long-term durability. My similar (W chassis) Olds Intrigue was better and more reliable