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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  01 Lumina - 2000 Chevrolet Lumina
  By ethos97503 - May 2 - 2:00 am

  Simple, reliable ride. No fancy extras, but no irritating lack in features or performance, either. Its a grocery- getter.

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  great truck - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By scottd2431 - May 1 - 2:11 am

  I love my 2000 5.3l silverado Z71 it has great get up and go great reliability it has towed a trail most of its life and the transmission lasted till 220,000 miles with hard driving on it too has 238,000 on it engine has never been rebuilt never had any issues with the engine at all amazing vehicle will never get a different truck absolutely love it hands down amazing

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  Not a bad small car - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cavowner - May 1 - 2:00 am

  bought this car about 5 years ago. it had 60,000 miles on it. When I traded it in for a larger vehicle it had a whopping 122000 miles. the only things I had to fix on the car were maintenance items such as tires, brakes, alignment, and muffler. I really have nothing BAD to say about the vehicle. I had to trade up to a larger vehicle and had to say goodbye to the cav.

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  alright - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By Msm32490 - May 1 - 2:00 am

  My review is its not the greatest but its ok.

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  think twice - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kixfix - May 1 - 2:00 am

  2002 malibu powertrain good economy good. Handling ok. Quality is not very good and other than the engine and transmison the rest of the car is falling apart!!!!!! The warranty is to short and GM does not stand behind what it builds. Biggest complaint the brakes are poorly designed and i can"t keep a set on the car. i om fixing to be on the 3rd set in 51000 miles.

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  Poor Dealer support - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By minnesotaoldie - May 1 - 2:00 am

  Factor recall resulted in a false alarm and damage to my vehicle

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  2004 S-10 4x4 CrewCab - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By damon96782 - April 30 - 2:00 am

  This mini is an absolute joy to drive! Its excellent for the Islands and the beach.

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  Ultimate family hauler - 4wd diesel Sub - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By 4smiths - April 29 - 2:00 am

  After 20 months and 24,000 miles, my wife loves this truck for its overall capability and family friendliness. Gets 18mpg @ 75 mph cruising, and 15mpg in strictly around-town driving. The 6.5L turbodiesel is a remarkable powerplant for a full-size SUV, and the 4L-80E transmission is simply outstanding in every way. Surprisingly good handler for such a huge rig, although it will never fool a driver into thinking that its a sports car!

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  Chev Blazer Rules - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By speed140 - April 29 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Blazer. I also had a 2001 which I traded in for a Honda Element. Six months later I traded back into a Blazer. Yes I can prove it. The Element is better for the street as far as handlability and speed but I like the offroad ability of the Blazer a bit better.

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  I love it - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By offset98 - April 29 - 2:00 am

  My family hated it, my friends made fun of it...guess what. Zero problems with this car! My buddys A4 is in the shop monthly! Anyway, I have nothing but good things to say about the car. Ad a few bolt-ons to the car and you have what I have: 338.3 rwhp & 356.5 ft/lbs all @ 2100ft altitude. I took this car on trips between Chicago and So. Cal and it didnt skip a beat. Not even 12k feet up in altitude over the rockies.