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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  Economical for todays lifestyle. - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Tara St. Cyr - May 27 - 10:16 am

  Great value. Roomy inside, with enough room for 3 children comfortably. Spacious trunk, and handles well in snow and rainy conditions.

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  Love/Hate relationship - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By UGA Dawg - May 26 - 2:14 am

  I have mixed feelings about this vehicle. I bought the truck used in 2000. It has been a fairly reliable vehicle, but it has put us down a few times. Positives: Its fun to drive, has enough room for me, and has good towing power. Its been through off road situations I didnt think it could manage. It has good looks. Major problems: 40,000 or earlier oil lines leak. 70,000 tranny rebuilt-dont buy a new GM tranny, it will only give the same problem, 100,000 Dextron coolant congealed in the radiator and ruined it. At 140,000 the A/C quit and axles or bearings are roaring. Minor issues: Seat levers break, door hinge bushings wear out often (doors sag). In summary, shy away from the Blazer, although I can hardly part with mine.

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  Great Truck! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Brian - May 25 - 7:06 pm

  This is fantastic vehicle for family use and towing! have had the vehicle for about a month and am very impressed with the comfort, build quality and performance. Only thing that I wished the vehicle had as an option would be a power seat.

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  SS Impala 2008 - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Doug - May 23 - 6:10 am

  The SS is a good overall car. I traded in an Audi A4 3.2. There is no comparison the Audi wins hands down. The SS is a big roomy car and fun to drive, it has power and looks great but the handling + torque steer makes it an effort to drive other then in a straight line. The car is a gas guzzler unless you drive it slow.When you drive it aggressivly be prepared to get 12 mpg. If you set the cruise control at 62 mph on the highway you will get 19mpg. Driving easy around town your best gas mileage wil be 15 mpg. I do like the car for the money. People stop to look at this car and they really like the sound, most cant beleive its a Chevy. If the new model is RWD I will buy another one.

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  My trusty Corsica - 1993 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Cosica Fan - May 22 - 6:04 pm

  Let me tell you, I got this car with 194,000 miles just for a temporary ride. Once I started driving it day in and day out for my pizza delivering job, I couldnt be any happier. For the miles on this car I wouldnt of expected much but I was wrong. It really does live up to the Chevy bow-tie. To anyone considering this car, I would highly recomend it. Even today its running strong at 197,000 miles.

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  Hemi This... - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By ernie vizineau - May 22 - 4:20 pm

  My Suburban has excellent pulling power, period. Fuel economy on the highway/interstate is excellent, although I wont mention city stop & go. Ride comfort is nothing less than the Cadillac of trucks. Overall rating is a thumbs up !

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  Shift Lover - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Alan - May 21 - 1:54 pm

  The reason I traded my 2002 Impala in was that my wife and I were done travelling. We just needed economical, reliable city transportation. The Prizm is exactly what we needed except now wish I had a manual transmission.

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  First Corvette - 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
  By flyboy65 - May 21 - 2:07 am

  We purchased this car 11/25/2013. What fun to drive. 3LT, Dual roof, Aluminum Chrome Wheels, Automatic, Multi-mode exhaust, Carbon Fiber Interior, et. al. Cyber Gray Metallic. Great car a real head rotator. The sharpest looking Corvette since 1963! The comfort level is amazing for a Corvette. We were planning on purchasing a MB SLK 55 AMG, but this car offered a lot more for less. The sophistication of this car is mind boggling, and the fun-to-drive factor is off the chart. This car is a quantum leap forward on the evolutionary scale of the Corvette. We are planning some back road tours in this car. the car is not perfect, but for the money it is outstanding!

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  Selling ASAP - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mearaina - May 20 - 11:40 pm

  We bought this car 16 months ago with 33,700 miles on it and have had nothing but problems. First, the key would stick in the car, then it was fixed, then the car wouldnt start, then it wouldnt turn off. The transmission leaked, the turn signals/hazard lights stopped working, and now the car wont start on a semi- regular basis. I am not impressed, it only has 45,000 miles on it.

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  1997 4dr LS - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By joek - May 20 - 9:38 pm

  Havent had a bad experience other than one of the cooling fan wires shorted out and had to be replaced. Reliable, excellent on gas and runs good. I woulndt recommend it as a family car, but its cheap and easy to maintain and works really well as general transportation.