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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  03 Trail Blazer, so good so far - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Paul McKee - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Purchased 03 TrailBlazer from Chev. dealer with 5M miles on it. Engine is quiet, very smooth, gas mileage is OK at 22-23 Hwy, 14-16 in town. A little stiff ride around town, but what I would expect from a truck frame. Very smooth ride on the highway. Poor handling in curves. Interior is a could certainly be improved. Dont know why GM persists in cheap, hard plastic interiors. Some wind noise at highways speeds. I bought it because it was priced well and even with its good/bad features, it represents a decent value in the field of SUVs.

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  2004 LS - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Phillip J - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Silver. sunroof, ONSTAR, almost every option except leather, deleted spoiler for better rear view vision. Have 3K on the odometer, pleased so far. Except for oil changes no scheduled maintenance til 100K. Shopped Grand Prix, Camry, Accord, etc. Lots of car for the money.

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  Need some inprovements - 2006 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By zonesarge - October 31 - 10:54 pm

  The vehicle is a good riding vehicle Very comfortable to drive. Have had several problems with vehicle. Need something to tell you when the tail gate is down maybe a light on the dash. Very hard to see to the rear of the vehicle

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  To bad they stopped making them. - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By VTorres - October 31 - 9:24 pm

  I was looking for a basic 4wd compact pickup truck with 36k miles or less with a v6 for under $10k. After 40k miles I have had zero problems with it. I get 19-21 mpg. It uses no oil.

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  Great Car but should have bought Vette - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By RED - October 31 - 9:00 pm

  Fun to drive. Have six speed Z28 with all the options. Not built well and mileage averages 13, way below EPA. Got it with big discount at end of build out. Great weekend car with tight feel. Stay away from snow and rain as traction poor. Brake rotors warp easily and front window distorts view in areas, Black plastic interior pieces fall off. In other words a piece of GM junk thats really fun to drive. Trade value about half of purchase price after three years. Hard to get in and out of. Its ok as during the week drive the Buick LeSabre.

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  Good Car! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Robert - October 31 - 5:21 pm

  I was worried that my car would be a poor choice with all of the poor reviews from consumer reports, but the price was affordable so I got it. This car has been great! Good gas mileage 34mpg avg., never has given me a single problem. Other than styling, I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  Good truck for price. - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Bud - October 30 - 6:12 pm

  I bought the truck in June of this year. So far it has been OK. Handling is great and fuel mileage is also great. Overall this is a great truck.

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  Disappointed from Cleveland - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By melissa/cleveland - October 30 - 3:30 pm

  What a disappointment! Cant believe I had to replace the steering shaft twice at 700 miles and again at 7800. What was my dream car became my nightmare! Gas mileage is terrible and the stereo reception and speakers are just as bad.

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  Built to Last - 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Zener123 - October 28 - 2:38 pm

  I bought my Tahoe with 174,000 miles, 3 years later and 254,000 miles on the odometer, this SUV is mechanically sound. Repairs have been needed. Ive replaced the radiator, muffler, and the intake manifold gasket (antifreeze leak on the front block - total parts cost $600). I change the oil every 3,000 miles. With a little luck I might get another 80,000 miles out of this engine (or another 3 years - holding my breath). If you want an old reliable SUV and dont mind using Chiltons manual to do the work yourself, this may be the SUV for you.

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  Feel Safe - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By kimm - October 28 - 4:03 am

  I love my Blazer. I have had many vehicles in the past and this is by far the best. I feel safer driving this Blazer. The build is solid and it has the power needed to get where I want to go, especially on a camping trip. It has the space I need to haul equipment and can haul up to 5000lbs. If you know how to maintain the suspension and ABS system there are wont be any problems. The only gripe I have is that the ball joints and front have to be greased frequently and the spare tire blocks your rear view. The interior is right at hand and easy to operate from the 4wd to the CD player. I love this Blazer.