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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  who needs an import - 1994 Chevrolet Beretta
  By zacky_p - February 15 - 2:00 am

  This car has given me no problems yet and has gone above and beyond what i expected of it. This is quick little car that is a lot of fun to drive around curvy and twisty road.

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  good truck for the buck - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By tony f - February 15 - 2:00 am

  the 2.2 engine is torquey but disappears at highway speeds the interior is cheap but rugged get up the hill with no problem with its 4.10 gear ratio awesome gas milege spotty build qualty but who cares least it wont rust out that bad like the old ones do truck built to last the colorado is to me a glorified s-10 the improvments is nothing to bragg about when I test drove it

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  OK car. - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By argekay - February 15 - 2:00 am

  Bought used with 75,000 miles. Had to replace the turn signal assembly on the steering wheel due to inoperative brake lights. Engine has very noisy metallic sound when started cold. This is a known defect. Noise goes away when engine warms up. Fuel gauge is useless. It is not accurate at all. Cup holder is broken due to flimsy design. That being said, the car is reliable all around. Nice quiet and solid ride. This is the best chevy product I have owned, but my next car will be a Toyota Camry.

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  Road Warrior - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By brewerfan - February 15 - 2:00 am

  Car has been a work horse for 6-years. Very dependable with little to no maitance (expept oil changes). Actually went 135K miles before changing the plugs and was still getting 28 mpg on the highway. Body design and interior leave a bit to be desired, but all in all a very good value over the course of the six years.

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  Initial review - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By NOXY - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Overall nice vehicle. Surprised ride much better than previous sedan. Well behaved at highway speeds 80-85mph. One month of driving have 3800 miles. Downside vehicle delivered with 2 problems. washer reservoir leaking. Turn signal lane change feature eratic.

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  Nice Little Truck - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By snorenore - February 14 - 2:00 am

  Bought my truck 2 years ago, I have the 4cyl 5 speed. Has been a great truck for me, most of all because of the great fuel economy. Has some minor things that dont cause any problems, they are just annoying. Like many other S-10 owners I know the SES light is on. Have taken it in twice and they cant seem to find out what it is. It shifts nice except downshifting into third, that can be a little tricky. 80,000 miles and still going strong.

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  FUNNNNnnnnn SSR !!!!! - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By XOXO Bill - February 14 - 2:00 am

  I am definately glad to have the honor to drive this new type of vehicle

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  Unreliable but fun in the summer - 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
  By kylefarlow - February 14 - 2:00 am

  The "VATS" (vehicle anti-theft system) was just determined to be faulty, causing an infamous "security" light to come on the dashboard, and the engine will not start. $400 to replace the necessary parts and cut new keys. Alternator has been replaced twice and still cant seem to supply enough power to run all car systems. Glove compartment latch has been replaced more than 4 times during the lifetime of the car. The t-top is great, but leaks when going through a car wash and has since it was purchased. After the VATS debacle, I will never buy another GM car again.

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  great family vehcle - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By jimbo50 - February 14 - 2:00 am

  Enjoy the carlike handling and smooth ride. Lots of leg room and cargo space. Engine has great performance in town and on the highways. Not at all like driving a bulky van. But has all the features we wanted in that class of vehicle.

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  Beware of Suburban engines! - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By HubbyMan - February 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 99 1500 4WD a year ago used. It has 83,000 miles now and the mechanic just told us it needs a BRAND NEW ENGINE for $2,000! Both head gaskets are shot because they are made of plastic in the Suburban engines. Our mechanic has seen this problem before with them. Hes seen some die at under 50,000 miles! All late model Suburban engines use the plastic head gaskets according to him. BEWARE of Suburban engines!