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 Fun - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By freedrfreed - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I love the comfort and stlye and the power comes in real hande when you need it,towes very well.my truck has 220,000 miles with a new motor{rebuilt} and the only thing that broke was my rear end but after 220,000 miles I paid the $1,500 to repaire it and never looked back and tow a 4,500 pound boat with no promblem, but this truck is a gas sucker but it handles and does so much work for you I wont sell mine.

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  Well done - 1995 Chevrolet Astro
  By D.norm Stroup - July 10 - 2:00 am

  We purchased this van when our family outgrew our Geo Metro. It has served us well for four years with two and three children under age 5. We have driven it on vaction for over 1000 up to 3000 miles, once a year, with no problems.It has been realativelyeasy to work on for me. I changed the water pump and spark plugs with little mechanical experience and found changing my own oil a simple task. This van has taken its licks from three wrecks, one slightly major. It protected my young family and after repairs has continued on with only pour repair complaints. I recomend this van for families

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  My First SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By nbtsmith - July 10 - 2:00 am

  I made a haste decision to purchase this vehicle because of the rebates being offered and the fact that I really wanted an SUV. I wish I wouldve look harder and weighed my options more before purchasing. It is not a vehicle I see myself in long term.

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  Fun while it lasted - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Chris Adams - July 9 - 2:00 am

  Purchased with 62k miles, looked great. there was a problem with no. 2 spark plug tube oil seal. Easy to fix ourselves. We set this car up for towing behind our motorhome. My wife liked it so much she drove it 7k miles around town. More fun than her El Dorado. Last week it became the center car in a chain reaction. We were fine. We drove it home. The other cars were towed. Car still runs/handles like a dream. Thats well built. Were going to fix it as insurance offered us 60% what it would cost to replace it. Real cost far excedes everybodys book values. At least here in California.

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  MY METRO - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By Tashauna - July 9 - 2:00 am

  My car was bought because we were expecting a baby. It was cheep and I liked the way it looked. It isnt too big, but it isnt too small. I am short and have trouble fitting into bigger cars, I fit perfect in this car. And I usually dont have trouble parking.

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  2006 Impala SS Improved, but ....... - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Brett - July 8 - 8:26 am

  I bought my SS in October. This is my third Impala and the best by far. I love the car, styling and performance. However, GM cant seem to close the deal on making a car that can compete with the imports. Ive always been a fan of GMs powertrains, but to put a 300hp engine to a dated four speed tranny reaks of cutting corners. Torque steer is a problem The interior. I travel 40,000 miles year so I do like creature comforts along with performance. Full intrumentation would be great to match performance of the car. The HVAC controlls are old school (no LED readout for temps, plus clusmsy dials). The cup holders are big enough either Hopefully GM will get up to speed for 2007.

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  Feels like a 1940... - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By Ezekiel_Ramirez - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Just got done with a employee test drive, very nice if you dont mind driving a floating brick. It weighs too much, the road feel is super detached, brakes are too grippy until you get used to them. Interior is great, love the body colored rim, and aluminum accents. And the GMC Sierra Crew Cab felt like it had better performance, even though it weighs more and hp is (rated) less

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  Buy it Again. - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By KAM - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Purchased 10 months ago, we have 15k miles on the truck with no issues. With the 4 cyl and 5 speed transmission plus a tonneau cover (highly recommend) this truck gets 28-30 mpg with A/C running, loaded bed and running 75-80 mph. I just changed from Valvoline to Mobile 1 0w30 and fuel economy went from 28 to 30 mpg. Note- to get performance from this engine shift at 4- 4500 rpms. Peak HP is at 5200 rpm. You have to drive it like a Honda not a V8 Chevy to get it to run. I did a lot of research, and talked to the mgr. of an Advance Auto Parts, they use the same truck with auto trans as parts runners. They run 100-150K abusive miles with no problems.

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  1999 Venture LT - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By cdlevy - July 8 - 2:00 am

  This has been an excellent vehicle. Have had no problems. Highway milage was better than expected.

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  2001 Geo Metro - 2001 Chevrolet Metro
  By Missnettles01 - July 6 - 2:00 am

  My motor is out!!