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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  S10 - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By Randy Auvil - January 22 - 2:00 am

  We have gotten about 17.0 mpg in general driving and 22.0 on a trip. It appears to lack power on hills. My wife calls it a girls truck. Its her truck.

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  Love it till Tran droped - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Pardoe1 - January 22 - 2:00 am

  I loved my Tahoe Great power and almost no problems in 2 years. Just a fuel pump. That was covered by extended warenty. BUT @ 111000miles the transmission droped 3rd and 4th and I was in the middle of no where. Limped it home and find the company I bought extended warenty from is belly up and dealer says oh well. Im going to see if I can get a Allison trans in this thing.

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  the blaze - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By cck - January 22 - 2:00 am

  have not had many problems with mine. the egr valve stuck open once and i had to put a fuel pump in it but its been good to me with 115,000 miles on it

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  Loud Z34 - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By montez34 - January 21 - 9:10 am

  I have owned this car for almost 5 yrs bought with 78,000mi and it has been pretty reliable, it has never left me sitting anywhere. It now has 133,000 mi and a few problems, it doesnt want to shift from 2 to 3 when cold, shifts fine when warm, replaced intake manifold gasket, timing belt, and rotors. I think this car is fun to drive and looks good even with problems. It had Flowmaster mufflers when I bought it and I put a K&N intake on it and Splitfire plugs, mufflers rusted out about a year ago and its loud as hell now. I think it has held up to my abuse pretty good though and I hope to keep driving it for along time because its a summer car only now after I bought a truck.

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  Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brady - January 21 - 3:16 am

  I bought the Malibu because I average around 20,000 miles per year and wanted a car that can hold four 6 plus adults comfortably and do it getting great gas mileage. I used to drive a S-10 Blazer and with high gas prices I wanted something more economical. The Malibu LT gets better gas mileage than anything in its class, very reasonable priced and has remote start which my wife loves. Overall I am very happy with the car and would buy it again.

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  WHY? - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Joe Joe - January 21 - 2:00 am

  How can they still be buying ball joints and oil lines from the same vendors after all these years?! I like the looks of the Equinox, but Im scared to buy a Chev again!

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  The perfect cost/performace balance - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mcward316 - January 20 - 2:00 am

  For anyone who likes muscle cars, but needs something with better economy and is more affordable, this is the car for you. Its full of torque. Get the manual shift version! The exhaust rumbles and the engine sounds great. The cool-air-intake looks cool from inside the vehicle. Mine has been great, so far. Easy to work on. Great economy for a V6. No rust. Torque-steer is bad, so put good tires on it. ABS is garbage. If you need to stop in the snow, better shut the engine off(Im not kidding).

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  Ultimate Rental Car - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By dispencer - January 20 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this Malibu from Hertz with 28k miles. Car was like new inside and out. Ive taken it on several all day trips and am impressed with ride, generally quiet cabin, seat comfort, and storage capability with folding rear seats. Engine power could be improved and has been on 04 models. Good visibility and good handling. No squeaks or rattles after 60k miles. An excellent all around car.

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  Great SUV - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Michael E. Urbanski - January 19 - 2:00 am

  Love the vehicle, gas milage is not good at all. I am ready to purchase another one, which will be my third Tahoe. Trade value is a lot lower that I expected on a one year old unit.

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  little red truck - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By bird - January 18 - 2:00 am

  The truck was not what I wanted. Small, no frills. But when I drove it my mind changed. Its fun to drive around the city, if you like to drive. Oh its a 5 speed and I use it. Like most things we drive it could use more power, but then again I wouldnt be passing as many gas stations. I plan on keeping it until it or I give out. So far other the regular maintenance its got all the factory parts except the rear U joint. Great Driver