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:

• 

  I hope ALL the Bugs are Gone!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Steven - December 9 - 3:45 pm

  My wife & I bought a 04 Tahoe LS w/ the 5.3L. Almost instantly we noticed the vehicle clunking into gear while driving between 45-55 MPH. When we took the Tahoe to the dealer …1,600 miles … Renee & I found the car a faulty Rad which leak coolant into the tranny causing major damaging not limited to the torque converter. Anyway, thank God the dealer step up & provide an extended warrenty on the new transmission. Let hope everything goes smoothly now that the transmission is fixed!!!

• 

  2007 Chevy Silverado - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Lee - December 9 - 8:56 am

  I previously owned a 2003 Chevy Silverado and traded it in for an 07 Texas edition. I have to say that Chevy finally did it. They made a great truck. The little things count. Very impressed with the new interior design. More room in the cab. Its like a cross between a Caddy and truck. Very nice!

• 

  Just purchased the brand new car - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By evans - December 8 - 11:54 pm

  Just purchased this car for 2 weeks. Powerful, quite engine and transmission. Wonderful exterior look. I drove an old Crysler car before. In comparison, this car is not as roomy, especially the space above and in front of drivers head, and feels a little bit light and flying on highway in windy days. In general this car is great!

• 

  like at first now concerned - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By family guy - December 8 - 4:17 pm

  Like the 25 mpg and the big gas tank. Did not like that the rear hatch handle broke at 3 yr mark, that I have to top off the antifreeze every month, that the power door and locks on the sliding doors stopped working, but I cleaned the contacts and it works again, need to clean twice a year. Biggest problem was the transmission at 67000 miles. Torque converter lock out caused vibrations like going over rumble stips, after driving 55+mph for >20 minutes, now the transmission sporaticlly slips when starting out on a grade. Estimate repair bill $3000 at dealer or $2000 at tranny shop. Since I wanted to tow a camper now, decided to trade it in for a large SUV. Tranny always had a hard shift.

• 

  Hardware and chassis problem 2000 Blazer - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Allan Husband - December 8 - 11:46 am

  Purchased this 2000 Blazer in 12-2002 with 39800 miles. Have experience excessive chassis wear (idler arm replacement, lower ball joints replaced, and poor quality hardware (door hinges needed repair, passenger seat recliner release broke off. In addition, the turn signal, cruise, windshield wiper control on the steering column failed causing failure of the turn signals( a $250 repair). In addition, the brake rotors needed to be machine due to warping and the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. All of these repairs were made since I bought the vehicle. The current mileage is only 58000. This vehicle get absolutely no off-road, or commercial use.

• 

  THE 2003 ARE BETTER THAN THEN 2002 - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By STEVO - December 8 - 12:13 am

  I LIVE IN UPPER NORTHERN WISCONSIN, AND I HAVE DRIVEN A LOT OF SUVS AND TRUCKS IN MY TIME. IVE OWN GMC, CHEVYS & FORDS. I LOVE MY 2003 TRAILBLAZER. I KNOW THEY HAD ALOT OF PROBELMS WITH THE 2002, BUT MY 2003, I HAVED NO TROUBLE WITH IT EXCEPT FOR A RATTLE THAT I HAD FIXED. THE 2003 HANDLE GREAT. I LOVE DRIVING IN THE SNOW WITH MY TRAILBLAZER. THE ONLY PROBELM I GOT WITH THIS VEHICLE IS THAT THE RESALE VALUE IS CRAP. BUT YOU GET THAT WHEN YOU BUY AMERICAN. MY RECOMMENDATION FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO BUY A SUV. BUY THE 2003 TRAILBLAZER, NOT THE 2002

• 

  First Time Truck Owner - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Arthur Russell - December 7 - 7:41 pm

  The avalanche has plenty of power and handles very well for a large vehicle. The only problems so far was a knocking sound that was later diagnosed as a loose cross member. The vehicle has been a real pleasure to own so far.

• 

  It does the job - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Peoplemover - December 7 - 5:04 pm

  We have had our van for almost three years now and it has served us well. Getting the three seats in the middle has come in handy sometimes as you can fit eight people comfortably. The automatic leveling system has been a fine feature when we pack it for a vacation. Compared to any other van it gets some of the best gas mileage. Unless you do towing, the horsepower is very adequate. We have the two electric sliding doors and I have been amazed at their durability. I used to actually joke to my friends that the door motors would only last three years, but so far so good. My only issue would be that it could use bigger front brakes as it takes much longer to stop with 7 people in the van.

• 

  Last Chevy I buy . . . - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By Tock - December 7 - 12:05 am

  Its a good idea for a truck, but 26 mpg isnt enough mileage for me. Beware of electrical problems . . . first thing that happens is in cold weather, it wont start unless you have more than 1/4 tank of gas. Then the lights start to flicker, and the brake lights go (had the brake lights fixed once, theyre out again). Good luck trying to find the cause once the warranty expires

• 

  Just off the lot and havig fun - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Bill Brennum - December 6 - 7:46 pm

  Good car with nice standard features for a decent price and mileage for a large room car. It looks small on the outside, but feels big on the inside. Love the dual climate control feature.