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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  Z-85 - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By Dale - December 30 - 12:33 am

  What a truck. The Z-85 is a real looker and all that I expected. 20" wheels, 5.3L, 4sp with posi - what more could ya want ?

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  Solid Car - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By prizmrus - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Have over 108K miles and going strong. Have only had to replace brakes, clutch, tires, oil changes etc. No major repair work. My prizm is loaded with moonroof, alloy tires, 5 sp manual compensates for 4 cyl engine and sluggishness expressed by automatic trans owners. I get 38 mpg and drive 18k per year so this car saves bucks on gas and maintenance. Open the moon roof, crank the cd player and look out this baby can fly ...

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  Ready for the test! - 2004 Chevrolet Express
  By Dual purpose - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Hope to get good use for business and pleasure, but will have to add a few of my own touches.

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  Chevy Excellence - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By WOLFMAN - December 28 - 10:36 pm

  Gotta love it! Great looks, great ride. Black w/dark tint looks like an intimidator on the road. Get looks from everyone who likes cars and from many who normally wouldnt notice. Have been a mechanic for 20 yrs. and from a repair standpoint this car is exceptionaly built, keeping it simple and yet having all the amenities of a far more costly car. When it does have to be worked on it is roomy and straightforward for the repair tech, which will make him/her smile while performing the repairs needed. Will be purchasing another SS to hotrod and park beside our 81 Monte Carlo. Nothing else has enough class to wear a bowtie other than a Chevy!

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  Its Okay.... could be worse - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By lnorris - December 28 - 2:00 am

  I find the steering wheel very stiff when we traded the Astro van off for it I actually had sore arms for several days from driving it I could whip that van around with one finger- not this Blazer. Havent had many problems but the one big one is the ABS, which I find scary. Brakes lock up with no warning. Have replaced nearly every part of the brake system except the brain stuff. Wiper motor is sporadic. Gas mileage could be better. 4WD is fun, no probs. I actually drive it in 4H in the rain in speeds below 35-40 it disengages the ABS so I dont rear- end someone. Oh, and the passenger side plastic adjustment handle broke off.

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  Love My Chevy - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By earthmofo - December 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Impala June of 1999. I’ve had the car for almost 5 years only very minor problems. About 4 months into having the car my O2 sensor went out. I brought it into the dealership and they fixed it same day no problem. I didn’t have another problem until 3 years later when my front driver side window stopped working. Just needed a new switch. Other than standard maintenance (new rotors and struts on the front after 50,000 miles) I’ve had no problems in 87,000 miles. The mileage includes 3 trips from CA to OK and lots of trips from So Cal to Vegas. One time I made it from L.A. to Vegas in 3 hours doing 100mph on a single tank of gas!

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  1998 Chevrolet Malibu LS - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By ssmiles - December 26 - 2:00 am

  Transmission was replaced at 9000 miles. Rotors have warped 4 times. Glove box latch broke at around 60000 miles. Engine still running strong and has good acceleration.

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  Not a good ride - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ralph Cooper - December 25 - 11:53 am

  Very bouncy rear end, not a pleasant ride even on smooth roads. GM says it is charteristic of this model, nothing they can do. Even with a load in the bed (1000+ lbs.) it still rides stiff. Had a 2004 model that was great, service mgr said they changed the design (both 4x4). I made the mistake of not driving the truck before purchase - assumed it would be the same as my 04. I would not have purchased this truck had I known. Looking for help from GM for 3 months but, to no avail. I switched to Michelin tires, some help but, still wears me out to drive long distances.

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  killa car - 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By killakam - December 25 - 2:00 am

  heater core problems that about it...i bought it for like 5 hundred canadian...its got 261000km on it, but it still runs great

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  Utilitiful truck ever... - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By k_k - December 25 - 2:00 am

  What more can I say that the Av is everything Im looking for in a truck. Hauling stuff, kids, camping friendly, etc. At first, I thought it was ugly until it grew on me. It could use some improvement in performance that the acceleration felt flat from stop unless you stomp on it, a little play in the steering feedback, and brakes just doesnt grab well.