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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  Great Truck - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By D. Karl - April 25 - 6:12 pm

  Ive always been a truck owner. Ive had my S-10 for 10 years. I like the ride... handles well enough, but a pleasant ride. Interior is fine for me seat color hides dirt. Just an all round nice vehicle. In 10 years and 150,000 miles the only repairs were EGR valve, alternator and wiper hose.

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  Nice Truck - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By Joey Anterola - April 25 - 2:15 pm

  Nice truck, no horsepower... still very nice interior and stylish exterior. No complaints... except no horsepower...

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  Satisfied - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By 06Monte - April 25 - 11:13 am

  I purchased my Monte new while I worked at the dealership. The first 50,000 miles had very few problems with it. The only really thing was that I blew a power steering line and the junk tire pressure sensors. I had the keyless entry system (which reads the tire pressure sensors) replaced twice. And numerous amounts of sensors replaced before it fixed itself. After 50,000 the GMPP warranty paid for itself. Had control arms, wheel bearings, and tie rods replaced all at once. Had oil rings in the engine seize and had 8 new pistons and rings installed. Trust me I take care of this car! Nothing but 92+ octane and synthetic oil every 5,000 miles. All maintanence performed regularly.

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  Good car. - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Chevyguy - April 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used at 115,000 miles and was told that the transmission was replaced at 100,000. Other than that the car has had no major repair work done. Two weeks after I bought it however, the alternator went dead. Luckily, it was the LS 3.1 liter (one of GMs best engines I believe) It took me about 30 minutes to replace it with a new alternator. ($90) No problems since. Runs very well.

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  The Oversized Family Vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet Express
  By AtomicZebra - April 24 - 4:14 pm

  Deciding to buy a 2004 Chevy Express 3500 Extended Van was an easy decision. We needed a vehicle that would carry 11 people plus our belongings. These days fuel economy plays a big role in making a decision to buy a large vehicle. The Express 3500 that we purchased consumes about the same amount of gas as two compact cars. The way we see it we took one car off the road in exchange for great comfort and ample room, adventurous styling with all the interior appointments we wanted including...AM/FM/CD changer Sound Sys. cruise control, All Power, 6way pwr. driver seat, factory tint, OnStar, plus so much more. My family is extremely satisfied with our New 2004 Express 3500. No complaints here!

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  Too Many Problems - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By ? - April 22 - 8:55 pm

  When new, towed back to dealer 3 times because it wouldnt start. Bad Ground. Two recalls on power door. New brakes with less than 20000 miles. Environmental air pump failure Out of warranty,$300+ repair. Sudden Transmission failure at 43000 miles. Chevy Paid even though it was 2yrs out of warranty. 3000 miles after rebuild, rough shifting & whirring noise, trouble with transmission pressure solenoid. Suggested it might be ROOT CAUSE of original transmission FAILURE. Fell on DEAF ears, $400+ bill! Leaking Plastic Gas Lines replaced. Another $400 bill. Car is 5 yrs old with 46600 miles. No longer sure of its reliability. Due for new exhaust system. Suspect Power Steering needs somethng.

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  Almost a lemon - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jurate - April 21 - 4:09 pm

  From the first month of ownership, the car had various troubles. Visor fell off, CD changer did not function, keyless remote needed to be replaced, steering malfunctioned, tire blew at high speed on interstate, and finally a MAF sensor went out. I had decided to trade it after making my 16th car payment, but the decision was made for me when a driver rear-ended me and totalled the car. The Malibu, on its Saab chassis, protected us very well in a pretty high speed collision. I was stopped and the other driver ran into me at 35 miles an hour, knocking me across the intersection with 3 distinct hits. I am now shopping for an import.

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  Oh, Geezzzz - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Suzcrew - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Oh, geezz...this car was a dream when I bought it new! It is fast and furious. When a 4 year old stops you at a gas station and tells you your car is cool and you arent driving a fire truck...you know you are sporting a good looking ride. Since the warranty ran out I have had a few problems. Signal lights work when they want to. Which is very dangerous! Steering wheel controls dont work sometimes, transmission is slipping and a seal leaking. Very costly repairs at 40,000 miles!! Was hoping to get more out of this good looking car.

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  I have owned 21 Vettes in my life... - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By VetteExpert - April 21 - 2:00 am

  You could say I am an more familiar with vettes than any dealer and now everything from A to Z. My new C6 is a power monster & after break-in just literally ate up my friends 04 Z06 in a 0-100 & 0-60 time trial. I cant wait to see what the C6 - Z06 version will do. If you owm a C5 pawn it or trade it in before it goes down in value, this is the one you want.

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  My little Prizm - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Mr500CM - April 20 - 6:31 pm

  Not a bad car for the price... its zippy, handles well and its good on gas. In over a year, no real problems, the biggest one was that I needed to replace two bulbs. It runs and handles well all year long.