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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  Engine Problems - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Haji - March 25 - 2:00 am

  After driving sedans exclusively for the past 15 years, this was an enjoyable aquisition. We were looking for a second car and decided to try a Mini SUV - fits the profile well. Only issue was an Engine problem where by the only way to start the tracker was to pump the gas and then it would be rough running for the first minute. Turned out to be a temp sensor as part of the injector system. Had it fixed and worked fine since but the problem has come back at least twice since. I bumped into one person with another 2004 Tracker ZR2 and surprise they are having the same problem... GM please fix it.

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  Nothing Like It On The Road - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By harley02 - March 25 - 2:00 am

  This is one great truck/suv/vehicle. You get the best of all worlds. Very comfortable ride. My only issue is with the plastic clading...it scratches easy, which really sticks out. The only alternative is to order one w/o the clading, but then it looks strange..catch 22. BE AWARE..On-Star will cause issues if you plan to install an after market stereo system. The On-Star is tied to the stock stereo and if you replace the stock deck..no more On-Star. There are converters ($100) to keep On-Star. I wish dealer had told me prior to purchase regarding On_Star issue. Bottom line...great truck!!

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  2003 Chevy Avalanche - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By James Panzica - March 25 - 2:00 am

  Purchased in July 2003, and I now have 6,500 miles on it. There have been zero problems with it. The only work needed was oil changes. Fuel economy here in a New England winter, short driving distances, runs about 10.5 mpg. Summer will take it up to 12.5. It is an exceptionally quiet vehicle, in terms of both interior and engine noise. The only complaint is that there should be more use of fabric instead of just plain plastic.

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  4 wd noise - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mike43 - March 25 - 2:00 am

  With all the snow this winter I had the chance to really use the 4 wd but there is a noise when it is engaged, had it into the dealer today, they say that this is NORMAL noise because od the autotrac system.

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  4 wd noise - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mike43 - March 25 - 2:00 am

  With all the snow this winter I had the chance to really use the 4 wd but there is a noise when it is engaged, had it into the dealer today, they say that this is NORMAL noise because od the autotrac system.

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  UNHAPPY - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By WAS IT WORTH IT!! - March 24 - 2:00 am

  I JUST TRADED OFF MY WIFES CAV AND WE DID NOT GET BACK FOR WHAT IT WAS WORTH. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY, AND STILL LOOKED NEW. THEY ONLY GAVE US 5000.00 FOR THE CAR, AND WE PAID 17,500.00 FOR THE DAMN THING.

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  OK for the most part - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By rangermutt - March 24 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this vehicle for over two years and have been satisfied but not overjoyed. I swore never to go back to Chevy but needed something large to pack all my kids and belongings for trips. I am disappointed by the poor design/construction including doors that vibrate and dont seal tight, anti- lock brakes that have seldom work and fuel pump that went out while visiting friends in another state. Fortunately I bought the extended warrantee and saved over $500 on the bill! I had hoped to drive this Tahoe until the wheels fell off but with only 88,000 miles that may be sooner rather than later.

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  A good car to have - 1995 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Tarzan of Lafayette - March 23 - 2:00 am

  The best feature of this car is the gas mileage. I get 32 to 35 mpg on the long trips that I made to Texas. The air conditioner has always worked well. I like the interior lights that shut off in case you forget to. It has not broken down with me, though one sensor went out that greatly affected performance. I found the seats easy to adjust. However, my wife did not find them comfortable for long trips. The back seat is cramped.

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  We named it Tugger - 1995 Chevrolet Astro
  By J J B - March 23 - 2:00 am

  We haved loved our AWD Astro. It has pulled the camper over the Rockies, forded Jeep trails in the mountains, hauled the dogs, kids, and everything else you can think of. Very versatile. Tight foot room in front, but all vans do that. With AWD and ABS it is the best snow and ice vehicle we have ever had. It still gets 14-19 mpg and the 4.3 is underpowered, but very reliable. Still doesnt burn more than a quart between oil changes at 125K miles. Too bad they plan to discontinue. We keep driving this one because we cant get another set up the same way.

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  Xtreme-ly good, so far! - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By raceannouncer - March 22 - 2:00 am

  This truck has the Xtreme package along with the 4.3 V-6 and 5spd. tranny. Truck has all the goodies too: A/C, tilt/cruise, PW/PL AM-FM/CD player. Standard cab doesnt have much room for anything other than the two passengers. Handles extremely well due to factory installed lowered suspension. Engine is better than average but not a speed demon. Shifts smooth, brakes well, ride is good despite the sport suspension. Fit/finish is very good and cab exhibits no rattles at just 12000 miles (bought used as a repo!) If you want to carry stuff inside, youll need the extended cab version.