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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  DEPENDABLE - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By CHELSEA - April 12 - 2:00 am

  I WORK FOR A DEALERSHIP, AND I SELL SEVERAL DIFFERENT MAKES AND MODELS. I HAVE SOLD COUNTLESS PRIZMS OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CUSTOMER HAVE ANY PROBLEMS AND HAVE SEVERAL FAMILYS THAT HAVE MORE THAN ONE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD.I HAVE THE OPPRTUNITY TO PURCHASE JUST ABOUT ANY VEHICLE WE SELL, AND I CHOSE THIS ONE BECAUSE OF RELIABILITY AND ECONOMY.

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  A winner overall, except for........... - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Magic27037 - April 12 - 2:00 am

  I had to have the three truck bed top liners replaced because they leaked when I had the truck washed or when it rained. I read on the net that the early builts had a problem because they didnt seal everything as they should have when they built them...have no idea if that is true. I do know that GM took control after I called them because I couldnt get any satisfaction from the dealer I bought it from.The other dealer took action to try and resolve the leak problem. The original dealer just said that they never said the truck bed was "watertight", just water resistant....Dahhhhh I hope the problem is solved. The new panals are due in nexxt week.

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  Excellent Van - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By ILoveTheVenture - April 11 - 2:00 am

  Bought this 2001 Venture with 71k miles on it. We put about 4k miles on it so far and no problems or loss of power despite the high mileage. I merge with 60+ mph highway every morning from a dead stop into heavy traffic with NO PROBLEM. Feels like a car with an impressive turning radius despite the elongated van body. Fits in normal parking spaces too (some big SUVs barely fit). 30 gallon gas tank and good (23mpg) gas mileage means fewer trips to the pump. Seats are top notch, suspension is soft but gives you enough road feel to keep you involved, runs quiet, holds more stuff than I can fill it with, and has a great entertainment system. I love it.

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  great mini van - 1997 Chevrolet Venture
  By schawnie - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I bought this mini van in the year 2000. Have had no mechanical problems. Had to replace front brakes once, other then that has been a terrific van. Doesnt feel like your driving a van. No plastic this or that like you can find in other vans like the aerostar.

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  solid van - 1990 Chevrolet Astro
  By Dan. h - April 10 - 2:00 am

  The astro has been very good to us.We live in Canada and our winters can be harsh and it still works great .Its on its 2nd motor but what can you expect with over 450 000 kms on it .It feels solid when you drive it not like the other mini vans and the rear wheel drive uses time proven technology .We love it and would buy another .

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  good car now i have spent money - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By fandfcavalier - April 10 - 2:00 am

  This car is a dicent lil car. not something to brag about but none the less its a car. i have upgraded the brakes, exhaust system, and intake system and after that i am impressed with the lil car. i have the 3 speed auto and i ran a 17.33 in the quarter and 9 sec 0-60 the other day. the only thing is that the 2.2 liter motors timing chain tenser is crap. i need it changed and the cheapest place to change it so far is 500 bucks. Another thing i hate is gms crappy alternators and water pumps. i am on the second water pump and the 3rd alternator. but other than all of that is been a good car.

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  ZR2 - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By snowbird - April 10 - 2:00 am

  My wifes Blazer and she likes sitting up high and the wide wheel base. Goes great in the snow. 20,000 miles and in the shop for the first time for back side windows leaking.

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  Auto Transmission... - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By TreyT - April 9 - 2:00 am

  I saw a lot of comments about the auto trannys in these reviews and figured Id try to help out with auto trannies and possible problems. The 4L60E is a great transmission one of the best...HOWEVER, many people dont realize the transmission fluid needs to be completely flushed about every 20k miles...also getting rebuilds from a top notch GM rebuilder that has all the latest fixes is crucial. A mild shift kit will also help increase the logevity. A transmission cooler also helps a LOT. If the fluid flushed (not just changed) every 20k the transmission will go 100+k easily...unless you just beat on it.

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  Chevy Trailblazer EXT Family Transporter - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Go Spartans - April 8 - 11:26 pm

  This vehicle replaced our Chevrolet Venture Warner Brothers model mini van. They both had pros and cons. The handling of the SUV is better and the acceleration is better. The roominess with the longer wheel base is limited by the folding rear seats. It is nice to set up higher, but when you have little kids it is harder for them to get in on their own. Over all I enjoy every time I get to drive the Trailblazer. My neighbors like it too.

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  Great used car - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brad - April 8 - 11:04 pm

  I bought this car for my daughter in 2015, and I just started driving it myself this week. Might I say that she drove it HARD for those two years. It currently has 177,000 miles, and is running great. Good gas mileage. I havent had any of the troubles that the other folks are talking about (yet). I do all of the maintenance on all of my cars, and so far have only had to tackle the typical stuff (rear struts, new tires, EGR purge valve, muffler, thermostat, etc). Gotta say the thermostat is a real bear to change on this car. Did so, and put in a slightly cooler one to hopefully avoid the intake manifold gasket problem. I am very happy with it.