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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  99 Z28 Camaro - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Matt - February 15 - 2:23 pm

  Like the car, so do my peers. Its fast, fun, reliable, and the most powerful you can buy for the money.

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  Love it - 2004 Chevrolet Express
  By Martin Griggs - February 14 - 9:52 am

  I have had this van for about 18 months and Ive been very happy with it. We have had less problems with it, than the 2 Honda vans we have owned. I have taken it on many long trips and it is not only comfortable, but it gets between 17-19 mpg on the highway. Being a car guy I have never been a fan of GM products, but after talking to my trustworthy mechanic he recommended it - he was right.

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  A few Problems - 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By AngryBrian - February 14 - 4:53 am

  Runs good and always starts on cold days, constantly has electrical problems. A great car to start out with, relatively hardy car. Had a power window motor go up in smoke (no damage). I would recommend looking over the wiring before buying. Other than that a great car with everything a student would need to get around.

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  My Dream Truck! - 2005 Chevrolet SSR
  By Fred Austin - February 14 - 3:23 am

  I own a 05 Chevy SSR and its been just perfect. I live in Salt Lake City and some members of my family are English teachers in the Mexican city of Guadalajara and I decided to visit them last September in that city. So me and one of my daughters went down there in the SSR. It behaved just excellent, as I expected, even though gas mileage was the worst part (what can I expect from a sports truck) of the trip, everything else was awesome. The truck handles very well on the Mexican roads and curves, it does everything well and also you can have some heads turning to see the truck passing by. Ive had such a beautiful experience. I’m in love with my SSR!

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  Been good to me - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By morey000 - February 13 - 1:37 am

  After 6 years and 60K miles it has been a terrific vehicle. Reliability has been near perfect. Mileage has been 18 city and 20 hwy- not bad. The creature comforts and interior features in my LT are terrific, and with an after market set of tires it takes me where I need to go off road. Its been cost effective, functional and comfortable. Im ready to buy a new SUV... as soon as I find one I like better.

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  Not Bad For an American - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By supersteff - February 13 - 12:48 am

  Purchased this car used with about 172K, and the cars been a good experience after 206K. Great engine, provides lots of power, but could be better on acceleration(because of weight). Great on snow and ice, and very reliable for a north-american car. This cars never had any major problems, except the brakes and stereo. Exterior and Interior quality could be a bit better too. Interior plastic is flimsy and moves around very easily, while some of the trim on the exterior pulls off quite easily. All in all, not a bad truck for the every day driver who has to overcome some bad weather during the winter.

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  Reliable vehicle with few flaws - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Kurt Anderson - February 12 - 3:36 pm

  Ive owned my Blazer for 10 years now, original owner. The vehicle has proven to be very reliable, good off road, great towing, and nice on the highways. If I had to do it again, I would still buy this car. The car does have its design problems: (1) every 40k Ive had to pay $350 to get an emmissions valve replaced -- frustrating, (2) even though I have a heavy duty alternator package Ive had to replace the battery 3 times -- again frustrating.

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  New 2008 truck - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dirt - February 12 - 7:06 am

  New system that cuts 4 cylinders off not so effective. Best mpgs 18. Expected better. Im not an aggressive driver and usually maintain a constant speed. Mostly highway driving. Very nice ride, but not as responsive as my Nissan Titan was at 16.5 mpg

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  Great for an SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By rogpa - February 11 - 5:14 pm

  It is what we expected. Tows a trailer like a dream. Heated leather seats are fantastic. OnStar is more necessary than we expected.

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  Okay, but have had a few minor problems - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By My Extreme - February 11 - 10:10 am

  Overall my extreme has been a decent purchase. Ive had problems with the right rear window leaking. After taking it in 4 to 5 times I think its finally fixed. By the way it wasnt a little leak either. The water stood in the right rear cargo area. Mechanically I have had no problems. Power sunroof has been sound and no leaks. As opposed to the other extreme review my tires lasted until about 45,000 miles. Gas mileage mainly running interstate/highway has been 17/18. Although the reported highway is around 20 or 22. Rear window molding deteriorating. Cant stand the look of it. I have found the seats to be very comfortable. I love the way my extreme handles.