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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  My new van / suv - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By AJ - December 30 - 9:03 am

  Loved it from the word go. This is more that a minivan. There are so many standard options in this veichle that I was amazed at the price. I would have expected to pay thousands more for all I got.

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  2014 Silverado crew cab Texas edition LT 5.3 2WD - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By caw6 - December 30 - 8:01 am

  Ive liked chevy trucks for about 15 years. I had a 99, an 03, and an 08 prior to this one, but this new generation has DRASTIC imrovements. HOWEVER, i just turned over 50k miles, and i have had a few annoyances.

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  Overall Great Car - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Old Reliable - December 29 - 8:48 pm

  I have driven this car since 2002. It was my company car then and I bought it about three years later. I now have 207,000 on the odometer and my family has named this car "Old Reliable". The mileage is great, the comfort is very good and I have had only a few problems with the car. The catalytic converter was replaced under warranty at 80K. No problems since then with the catalytic converter. I had the intake replaced along with the water pump around 120K. I am still on the original transmission. I can feel some wear in the transmission but it does have over 200k, so that is to be expected. I think she might last another 100K!

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  Overall Great Car - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Old Reliable - December 29 - 8:48 pm

  I have driven this car since 2002. It was my company car then and I bought it about three years later. I now have 207,000 on the odometer and my family has named this car "Old Reliable". The mileage is great, the comfort is very good and I have had only a few problems with the car. The catalytic converter was replaced under warranty at 80K. No problems since then with the catalytic converter. I had the intake replaced along with the water pump around 120K. I am still on the original transmission. I can feel some wear in the transmission but it does have over 200k, so that is to be expected. I think she might last another 100K!

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  xTreme performance - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By xTreme Texas - December 29 - 8:00 pm

  I bought this xTreme used and in need of some TLC. It is now in great condition, has been very reliable, and runs like a wild horse. Handling is far better than the LS Blazer I also own, and fuel economy is a rock solid 22MPG on the highway, and about 15MPG around town. This is definitely not the model for all SUV drivers, but more for those who want some spark to go with towing, handling, and looks. The A/C in this vehicle easily handles 100+ temps and the engine cooling system keeps things at 195d. Easy to work on when needed. Changed a bad alternator in less than 15 minutes with no special tools. Parts are cheap and readily available. Wish I could buy a new one.

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  Tahoe has gotta go - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By bamafutbal - December 29 - 7:07 pm

  bought a used 2007 LTZ with everything except for folding running boards. The first car I have actually loved. 3 rows of captain chairs, all black leather, nav, rear dvd etc etc, then newness wore off. coming from dodge 2500 turbo diesel, pulling a 3500lb boat, this motor is way too small for interstate passing even in FLA. Have way to many electrical gremlins that surface then go away. Tired of the rear end clunk. Very tired of the 13mpg city 16.5mpg hiway mileage without pulling a boat> AND THE OTHER ISSUE, go online and look for tahoe dash crack. Mine has 2 cracks now, called gm, brought it to local palm chevy, they verified, gm called back and said too bad, not going to cover. car is

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  Conversion Express Van - 1997 Chevrolet Express
  By Mckinley G - December 29 - 5:22 pm

  My experience with the 1500 Chevy Express Van is very pleasant. You will be hard pressed to fine another van that rides like it. The 5.7 liter engine is adequate in power but I would like to get better gas mileage. It has plenty of room and the auto volume radio is nice. The gas mileage in the city of course is not good in traffic but what 350 cid engine is. I really love this truck and would consider getting another one but…

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  Pleasant surprise - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By SJ - December 29 - 3:27 pm

  I looked at the chassis on a RAV4 and knew it wasnt what I wanted so I opted for the Tracker, which is more truck for the buck. It runs and rides like one (as would be expected), which is fine with me. Not fond of the plastic trim, radio or fan, but the overall package works- people like it, the engines a breeze to work on if you need to, and the P (power) switch works, adjusting the shift pattern to provide more power. It gets surprisingly good mileage- up to 25 mpg on the freeway at legal speeds. Too bad Suzuki gave up on the design, it was a classic.

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  Ex-Car Owner 2 New Silverado Owner - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Alanbear - December 29 - 1:53 pm

  I bought this truck because of its long history of comfort, features, reliability, and (quite frankly) the new body design. I love it! Sticker was $27,700 paid $25 before GM rebate. Good truck.

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  2010 Traverse LT1 FWD w/options - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Snoopy - December 29 - 1:08 pm

  Bought 2010 Traverse LT1 FWD w/tow package, dual sunroof/moonroof, roof cross rails & Captains chairs back in November. Thus far, love this vehicle. Mileage varies but avg about 23 mpg hwy currently, certainly no worse than my previous 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe. Plenty of room for 7 & 13 yr olds in the back seat and plenty of room for 6 tall spouse in the passenger. Rides smooth and comfortable for family of four. The third row was tested when family friends were visiting - no complaints. Handled well in the snow as a result of the winter storm that hit MD/DC/VA/PA area right before Christmas. Cant wait to drive this on our next vacation.