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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  Good, cheap fun - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By RBTaylor - February 2 - 2:00 am

  This is my first convertible and my first Chevy, and I love it. Some people complain about the engine noise from inside the car I think its got a great purr. Not too loud, but not dead silent like a Honda. Acceleration is great for a four-banger with a four speed auto, and handling is smooth. The ride is nice, but still sporty, allowing you to feel the road. Riding up front with the top down, its remarkably quiet and not too windy. I replaced the factory stereo with a Rockford, which sounds great even with the original speakers. Ive driven from Utah to California and back a couple of times and never had a problem. Just a fun car!

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  Love it, need more room for gas - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By mmmmm - January 31 - 10:00 am

  Im very pleased with this one. Its fast, it will tow my 22 foot boat, and it looks gooood. Its comfortable, but could use a little bit more room in the back seat. Child seat is very hard to install in the middle because the seat is shorter, to inclined and the split between seats makes it lack support. No problem on passenger side though.

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  Cargo Compartment Door Latch - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Nwankama Nwankama - January 31 - 2:03 am

  I was an unlikely convert to Chevy. Having been a Toyota and Honda owner in the past, I have come to appreciate reliability. However, I test drove the Avalanche and fell in love with it, and bought one. But I have a concern: is it a faulty build or design? On two occassions while driving my Avi, the cargo bed door has open by itself. On one accasion, I actually had it locked with the key. Has any othe rperson experienced this, or is something wrong with Avalanche?

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  dont waste your time! - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By cmont496 - January 31 - 2:00 am

  i brought the car with 17,900 miles,,,,at 19000 miles the engine coolant came on, and loud metallic noise started while making turns, the dealer replaced the engine coolant sensor, and found no cause for the noise. at 20420 the engine coolant light came on, thank god i check when these lights come on, the coolant leaked in with the engine oil. it is now 15 days and counting, and the car is still at the dealer with the heads out, and still no clue as to why this happened, i truely will not waste my time with another domestic car, no wonder there are so many people buying toyotas!

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  03 SUBURBAN - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By SF49ERFAN - January 28 - 2:00 am

  EVERYTHING GOOD SO FAR EXCEPT FOR SOME NOISES COMING FROM THE CONSOLE. I GUESS IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER / HEATER. BESIDES THAT, EVERYTHINGS GREAT.

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  ZR2 - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By ces - January 27 - 2:00 am

  Had this SUV 3+ years piling up 30k per yr with no major problems. Only one repair at around 92k miles to replace the steering knuckle.

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  FUN CAR TO DRIVE - 1997 Chevrolet Corvette
  By GERALD PASLEY - January 27 - 2:00 am

  AFTER 26000 MILES HANDBRAKE LEAVER IS THE ONLY PART TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A 6 SPEED,WAS SUPPRISED THAT CAR GOT 34 MILES TO GALLON ON INTERSTATE TRAVEL AND 23 MILES TO GALLON AROUND HOME.

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  Avalanche is Smarts Mans EXT! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Cache - January 27 - 2:00 am

  I was looking into buying a 2500 HD w/ 4Drs. Fell in love with Avalanche upon seeing. Midgate makes sense! Would have bought the Caddy, but too much cache! Engineers/Designers did well, but lets not relax just yet! Finish the job! Can you say luxury? Stop with trying to cheaping the Ava. For the price, the Ava should be more accessorized nicely!

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  Great Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By George T. - January 27 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my 2003 Suburban 4WD Z71 for nine months and have put about 9000 miles on it. I have had zero problems with it and have had it back to the dealer for oil changes only. Its very comfortable, easy to handle for such a large vehicle, and solidly built. If you need lots of space, as I do with 6 dogs, I would highly recommend the Suburban.

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  The ALMOST perfect Pickup. - 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By David, Zegler - January 26 - 7:53 pm

  #1---I like this P.U. except 2 things. You have to push extra hard on the brake pedal for braking. (Not a big problem.) ...#2 The Big problem is the Radio controls. To change bands or/and stations takes UnNecessary steps. Takes your attention away from driving. Older radio controls are much better.