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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  ok truck - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By jay - March 3 - 4:55 pm

  this truck was a good vehicle, it was reliable, considering that this website states a lot of problems, only problems it had were because of me. It hardly needed anything other than the usual, oil change. gas was bad seen it wasted more gas then my Tahoe (v8).the power was bad as well considering engine size 4.3 and only 190hp

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  One of the best cars on the road today!! - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By James - March 3 - 3:28 pm

  Ive wanted one since I was in high school, and I pre-ordered before they were even being built. I got everything except the sunroof. Really like the solid roofline. This car is just beautiful, VERY comfortable, and incredibly FUN!! I dont use it for work, but Ive driven it on long trips and just around town, and it does NOT disappoint. Its simple, clean, and world-class! Some have complained about the interior materials and lack of navigation option, but I just use my phone, and OnStars nav is good too. And I think the materials are quite nice, even if not "soft touch". This car is about driving, plain and simple...

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  Not a bad vehicle - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Hurb - March 3 - 2:14 pm

  I bought this vehicle used with around 9k on it. Ive got close to 100k on it and its still running strong. I have done the regular maintenance, recently changed out the spark plugs myself (which terrifies me with these new cars) and still going. The only thing that Ive had to replace were the plastic panels on the bottom of the front seats. Tows awesomely. Mileage can be better, but on a really good day, no wind, flat straight road, I can pull 23mpg, maybe. Im not a chevy fan and was kinda forced into this vehicle, but I am impressed overall.

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  SS Rocks! - 2009 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By MidnightMike - March 3 - 1:50 pm

  Well this is my second TBSS. My first one in Red Jewel was stolen. While waiting for the insurance claim to come in, our rental was a 2009 Ford Flex. I have always been a GM guy, and I need the room for my dj equipment, and the Flex really impressed me, but I happened to be in a Chevy dealership, and noticed a black one on the floor. I fell in love all over again. This one stays in the garage now. I bought wife a Mazda3 to take to the train station. Shes happy, and Im happy, and the SS is safer.

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  Burns oil....... - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By paula - March 3 - 10:09 am

  I love the car but hate all the problems it has and the dealerships way of fixing it.It has burned oil since i bought it they did tests said it was in normal range.. If someone pays 50000$ for a car normal range of oil usage should be 0.I bought it so i would have a dependable car and that is not the case. They put a new engine at 54000 miles because it was burning 1 qt every 500 miles now.. I dont like having paid 37000$ for it an it being 2 yrs old and needing a new engine but i think at least its fixed .. WRONG 3000 miles later oil light on Im being told now its normal for the new engine to burn oil breaking in whatever. I bought a lemon well oils burning seems to b a problem with this car

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  great car - 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By kody70 - March 3 - 9:11 am

  My parents bought a 1991 Cavalier RS 2- door coupe 3-speed automatic a few years back and when I got my license, I was able to take it over. Its been a very reliable car, with only normal maintenance, like brakes. The only other issue was a sway bar link. It might not be the fastest car out there, but its extremely reliable and gets from A to B with no problems. I even hit a deer and the car didnt get damaged at all.

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  not bad for a subcompact - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By BigRed614 - March 3 - 8:31 am

  I traded in my suv durring cash for clunkers. I looked around a bit, then I went in to my local chevy dealer and asked for the cheapest car on the lot. They gave me the "09 aveo manual hatchback. I have about 4-5 thousand miles on it so far, and this car is great. Gas mileage is great, about 25 city and 38-40 highway. The engine is what you expect, little car little engine, but it does the job, and will get over 100 mph (I tested that the 1st night I had it). Interior is pretty good, a little sparse, but comfy. The roof is high so even my tall friends will fit. Only issue I have w/ it is that all the windows have a tendency to fog up, even w/ the defrost on. But for under $200 a month, GREAT!

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  Great Car - Comfort, Class, Performance! - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By jemily - March 2 - 11:30 pm

  What a great all round vehicle. Wish they would make the new ones just like it. It is hard to copy a classic.

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  Great Car for the Money - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mike - March 2 - 11:00 pm

  I bought the 2010 Malibu LS for my daughter. Safety, fuel economy and utility were all high on my list. The car met all of those criteria, and surprisingly is a great driving and looking car. I travel a lot and have driven many rentals for comparison. Put the Malibu on your list - i can honestly say it ranks at the top of mine.

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  My old burban - 1994 Chevrolet Suburban
  By nahjdh - March 2 - 9:47 pm

  I have 3/4 ton with the 6.5 TD. Although Ive had to do quite a bit of repair work to it (A/C compressor and coils, turbo waste gate, engine & tranny mounts, fuel lines, oil lines, harmonic balancer and a few others) Id say its mostly because the truck is old and has over 200,000 miles on it. Engine runs like a top, absolutely no blowby and the tranny is rock solid. Ive made several trips from TX to TN, driven it from PA to TX, pretty much all over the place. Most comfortable highway cruiser hands down. Had to change the final gears to 3.73 from 4.10 for better mileage. Now I get a whopping 17-19ish mpg on the highway at 65.