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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  Loved it at first....growing concerned - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By autoindustry1 - January 21 - 12:51 pm

  I loved this truck at first. Great ride, fuel economy and interior comfort/features. Im starting to have several issues of major concern. My truck starts very hard in cold weather. Several revolutions of the engine before itll fire up. Getting worse. I also have a distinct coolant smell coming from the truck after its gotten warm. There is a vibration Ive noticed at freeway speeds in the drivetrain thats starting to drive me nuts. I also have to bring the truck into the dealer for 2 recalls. My windshield has cracked and I dont believe its anything that Ive done. GM specd the glass too thin to save weight??? The truck is a bit jerky to drive through various speeds. Not

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  Not sure? - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By raym2 - January 20 - 5:48 pm

  Ive owned both the Zr2 and the 4dr model. Should have kept the Zr2 and got rid of the 4dr. We went to Fla. on vacation in 04 and it got pretty good mileage(avg. 18.5 at an avg of 75 mph). Ive replaced a tie rod end, an idler arm and service engine light was on (under ext. war.), serp. belt, idler pulley and belt tensioner assembly due to sqeeking. Now service engine light is back on and in cold weather the service 4wd light comes on.

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  Great Family Vehicle - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By ckp - January 19 - 10:47 pm

  Weve had out van for 3 years, and we love it. The dual power sliding doors, DVD entertainment, and 8 passenger seating are awesome. We drove 2006 Toyota and Honda models hoping to upgrade some new features, like the side windows that roll all the way down. There are some nice new toys, but all in all, the ride, comfort, and seating provided by our van cant be beat. We can still fit our family of 5 very comfortably in the van with the rear seat folded flat and loaded down for vacation. We didnt find any other van with seating that compared to the 3 buckets in ours. All the other features are still very similar. Buy a good used Venture, and save your money over the new versions.

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  The Everything Vehicle - 1995 Chevrolet Suburban
  By zug zug - January 19 - 12:26 am

  We bought it because extended family takes long road trips together and we were in the middle of a home remodel. It held 8 people, a dog and a weeks worth of stuff comfortably from Central CA to Arizona all with one tank of gas. Removing the rear seat and folding down the second row gave us space to haul everything we needed during the remodel, including protecting 8 sections of wood moulding in the rain. There is no substitute for this SUV in this price range.

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  A nice package indeed - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By cyrral - January 18 - 5:09 pm

  I managed to get a Key Lime green version, which they dont normally offer. It sure is an attention getter. Ive been averaging 33-35mpg. Has a nice ride on the freeway, and no problem doing 80 when you need it. Great interior with plenty of leg room. CD plays mp3s, so you can have a great selection of songs on a few CDs.

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  First Chevrolet Truck Experience - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By BWSwmr - January 17 - 5:49 pm

  I received this truck in May as a company vehicle, and since picking it up new, it has 25,000 miles on it. Ive experienced only one problem with this vehicle - the coating on the radio buttons chips off, exposing the white plastic behind. All in all, the quality has been un-like that of any other American car Ive ever driven. Its solid, well designed, the interior is well executed, and its extremely quiet. I do find the driver and passenger seats extremely uncomfortable however - all though its a truck, and sits up high, the seats are essentially on the floor - leaving me with my knees in my chest when driving. Perhaps making all seats power would fix this??

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  Well... - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By gruntcrust - January 17 - 5:44 pm

  Considering that my previous car was a 1996 Saturn SL with 202k miles, this was a definite step up. This is a nice size beginner truck that I got at a wonderful price. It handles and rides nicely. However, I have had numerous problems that required 1 minor engine rebuild and two half engine rebuilds. Yikes! Got another problem fixed today. GM threw an additional 75K Major Guard at me, so I am happy. My friends 2K5 Nissan Frontier Crew is an overall nicer vehicle - it has the track system in the truck bed, better interior lighting, sunroof availability and more power. Mpg on Colorado is nice, though. I like my truck a lot, but if I "knew then what I know now", I wouldnt have bought it.

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  Great Little Sedan - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Kaysea - January 17 - 9:26 am

  This is a great family car, with enough room for Mom, Dad, and a couple of kids. Came with front dual airbags and there are rear seatbelts with shoulder straps and a special hook-up for an infant carseat. Makes me feel pretty safe. There is plenty of leg room for the average person and a good size trunk for lots of stuff. I find that the car handles very well and is fun to drive on the highway. It has real good pick-up. I like this car and friends that have driven my car have loved it too!!

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  2005 TrailBlazer - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By WRC - January 17 - 3:17 am

  Overall I am extremely satisfied with my TrailBlazer. I think there are a few improvements that could be made to better accomodate the driver and passengers but I am sure that Chevrolet will work out the kinks in years to come. Hopefully Chevrolet will find a way to increase the fuel economy on the TrailBlazer. This is my biggest complaint.

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  Love my Tahoe - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Celtfire - January 17 - 1:24 am

  I have owned my Tahoe for about 2 years. I absolutely LOVE it. The previous owner really rode it hard but she is still truckin. I had to put a rebuilt trany in her when I bought her but Ive had zero problems outside of the normal wear and tear. I just had a baby and I call her my rad mommy wagon. You wont catch me behind the wheel of a minivan. Her interior trim rattles inside at highway speeds and the windshield pops everytime I shut the door. The rear wiper desides when it wants to work and the paint on the top center of the hood is peeling. The CD player will not play when the truck is cold. All very minor problems that are easily corrected.