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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  Worst Vehicle Ive Ever Owned - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By John - December 15 - 11:12 am

  Having driven Chevy’s my entire life, it’s safe to say I’ll never own another after this experience. I’m convinced that anyone who has anything positive to say regarding this vehicle must be a representative of GM. I have countless small complaints (doors not working properly, door panel coming off, dvd not working etc) but I’ll stick with the major issues. At 40,000, the engine blew because the timing belt sprocket came off the crank shaft - $6000. Last week the driveshaft literally fell out of the transmission - $1100. These problems are unheard of for a vehicle with less than 50,000 miles. Mind you, this vehicle is used primarily by my wife for trips to the grocery store, not offroading.

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  Brakes - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mike - December 15 - 10:35 am

  I purchased the vehicle new and have had it in the shop 6 times for braking problems. My wife drives like a grandma so I know its not due to harsh braking. I have also had the alternator replaced, luckily that was still under warranty. Unfortunately when dealing with Chevy, the warranty does not include "normal wear and tear" on rotors or pads. I have noticed that the more frequent we replace them the faster they need replacing. This will be the 3rd time in 2009. Im over it! This cant be legal. Someone help!

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  Cursed from the start! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By moseschrute - December 15 - 10:19 am

  I bought this to replace my 2000 4 door Cavalier that was totaled in a side impact crash. This car was built at Lordstown assembly recalled 2x due to faulty wiring in the steering column (Potential for wires to melt & cause a fire). Dealership says problem was fixed, but Ive found burnt wires near the gas pedal, the lights by the gear shift have burnt out, horn replaced many times, but constantly burns out (driving hornless since May-REAL safe), can`t install car starter b/c wiring unsafe, REALLY loud drive, constant rattling/squeaking, no power steering, cracked dash, heat/ac only works on full blast, ABS brakes GROAN & slow response time in snow/wet weather only $500 trade-in value

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  the one they call....Montel Carlos - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By djkevinc - December 15 - 2:00 am

  Great car...love it. Very reliable and easy to maintain.

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  I LOVE IT! - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By BeckaRabbit - December 15 - 2:00 am

  Just got my new Cavalier and I just can not belive what I got for this price! The power is excellent, great stability, and great performance.... am I doing 80?? and I paid how much for this baby??....Lots of attention on the road. Great looks and very comfortable. I love it! I love it! I love it!.

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  A Real Pleasure - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By TCVICKIE - December 15 - 2:00 am

  We traded in our 1997 Chevy Silverado Ext Cab for a 2003 Chevy Tahoe and it has been such a pleasure to steer a truck with this much ease! The Silverado was a bear to turn, park or just manuever through a parking lot. The Tahoe redesigned steering is a hot item. I handles better than our BMW! We are really pleased with its smooth ride and handling.

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  Great vehicle - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Hornzfan - December 15 - 2:00 am

  I love it! It hauls the kids and sometimes the in-laws. It pulls out tree stumps. Its easy to manuver, It pulls a jet-ski. It will hold 40 bags of mulch. If it was stolen today Id buy another one in the morning!

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  great - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By lukacs - December 15 - 2:00 am

  love the trcuk,roomy, and great features and the truck could fit at family of 6, which we usally couldnt find one to fit our family,,just sorry the deal didnt go thru

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  SATISFIED - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By cc1111 - December 15 - 2:00 am

  NEVER HAD TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR ANY PROBLEMS. IT WAS ALL I EXPECTED AND I AM BUYING ANOUTHER AS MY DAD TOTALED IT IN AN ACCIDENT. HE AND MY KIDS WALKED AWAY.

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  Whats GM done for you? - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mike - December 14 - 10:18 pm

  In my 60K miles with this 3LT in 34 mos, Ive had problems with 2 pressure sensors, still not replaced, pass side molding peeling off, too long on the ends, and when the RR door is opened w/o first opening RF, end caught aod peeled it back, first time warranty, 2nd on me. Repl rear tires at 30K, rear alignment was so bad. Repl other 2 at 45K. Repl PS hose about 53K. Car now has a vibration and a crunchy/creaking sound in the steering column. Havent had time to get it in yet, but the tire guy suggested a bearing check. Rear def quit working. After reprogramming the remote many times, it quits every time I walk out of range. Other than that, what a ride......