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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  Selling my 97 Blazer after 2 years - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By C_Deep - September 10 - 2:00 am

  This was a good vehicle. I bought it with 162K miles and it now has 180k miles. It was very reliable and didnt leave me stranded. The motor is still powerful after 180K miles, but it could use new suspension parts.

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  Love my Tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By findmissy - September 10 - 2:00 am

  I just love it!

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  Astro better than SUV for my family - 2002 Chevrolet Astro
  By cmaricle - September 9 - 2:00 am

  The astro is much better than the Suburban for my family, much better accessability between rows when dealing with kids. Hey, its not sexy but its a good ride.

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  Purchase of Enterprise Rental Car - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Norb - September 8 - 2:00 am

  This 2001 Malibu has proven to be a smart purchase. Problems have been few and of a minor concern (heater/AC fan has 5 levels but only works at the highest 3 the "door ajar" signal sometimes goes off for no good reason).

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  Decent bang for the buck - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By rjf - September 8 - 2:00 am

  I disagree with those that say the car feels unstable - Ive had this thing on some uneven slopes and never had a problem. Overall, this has been a solid vehicle though not very exciting.

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  03 Trailblazer - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By dapper24 - September 8 - 2:00 am

  So far an excellent SUV choice. Plenty of power and responsiveness with a very good ride. Gas mileage could be better, then again its an SUV. No problems other than cheap radio preset dials, the black peels off over time, but is covered under warranty. We ordered our loaded (leather, 6 CD, sunroof, etc.) and it certainly feels like a luxury SUV, but without the debt.

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  Ultimate Truck - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By TScan - September 7 - 10:00 am

  I have put on about 6000 highway miles in about 2 months of ownership. I very much appreciate the ride quality. The audio system is superb!

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  Nothing to special - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Chris03 - September 7 - 10:00 am

  Overall this vehical has been very good, 4wd has come in handy and worked well on icy roads..., however recently ive had problems with starting the truck, Ive taken it to 2 or 3 shops including a Chevy dealership and the problem still exists, the engine will turn over and over, ..theyre replaced numerous partsand tried different tests..so far nothing has worked its something that doesnt affect the driveability. I also have had to replace the U joint, apparently Chevy was inaccurae with their calculations when installing that (on all 99s) therefore you either live with a hellish noise, and adventually a vibration, or get it replaced

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  truck - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By phjunior - September 7 - 10:00 am

  good truck but needs less plastic parts. Everything makes noise in the interior.

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  96 Chevy Beretta Still rolling! - 1996 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Jinx01 - September 7 - 2:00 am

  I got my chevy before I got my wife, and it has seen both of us go through some major changes. It helped me move her stuff little by little into our first shared apartment. Carried the two of us to the hospital and the three of us back twice!( Shout out to Ayanna 12/10/98 and Aliya 12/09/2000) Saw us through moving into a house and still managesa to carry myself to work and my daughters to school every day! If I get another car, It will have to meets some high standards. But I plan to drive my beretta until it falls apart, and with 101000 plus miles, it hope that isnt soon.