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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  2003 Silverado L/S 4X4 - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mike - December 24 - 8:23 am

  So far I have no complaints. It is a very comfortable ride, I get 16-17 mpg city and 20 mpg highway with the 4.8 engine. I pull a 30ft camper with no problems at all. I think overall the Silverado is an excellent truck. My only complaint would be the cheap paint GM uses.

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  8 months into owenrship and 15452 miles - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By dave1012356 - December 24 - 2:00 am

  I have been very pleaed overall with this vehicle so far. I regret that I didnt get the 6cyc and dont recommend a truck with a 4 cyc to anyone. Othere than that this is the dream truck of small trucks. Chev has a winner here. dont get the caviler though

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  ugly but no problems - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By miles(((((c - December 24 - 2:00 am

  my wife drives this truck to work and i use it whenever i have to pull a trailer or tote family around the outside plastic makes it ugly but the pulling power and comfort to drive make up for looks the only thing that iv found it has to put any effort into pulling is my 71 f100 and the 1500 lb car trailer other than that 17 inch tires are expensive im almost thru my 1st set pricing the next after45000 miles

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  Good to go! - 2001 Chevrolet Tracker
  By rich - December 23 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this vehicle for 3 years and getting ready to sell, but only because I need a truck. I have not had one problem and is very reliable after 49000 miles. Did great in snow and ice and has pin-point steering. Driver and front passenger seats are confortable, but rear seating is tight, so if you have passengers in the back, you will have to move up in the front which may make you uncomfortable. Lots of noise within the cabin while driving, but these are my only complaints.

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  Pretty good 5yr old buy. - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By josamas - December 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car used (I would never have bought it new, 16.5k to high), the car was a steal at $3,300(thanks GM for your high deprec. rate). After five years the car still performs well for its kind and I would highly recomend it to someone bargain hunting for a compact car but want something that looks, and perform good or a teen going off to college, use the money you save on your college tuition instead of using it on a lousy car note for an over priced automobile.

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  not a great choice - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By BarbieCar - December 23 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car new 2 yrs ago and while we havent had trouble with it mechanically, it was a bad choice. My husband was in a head on collision in this car at 40 mph and the airbag failed to deploy. Theres no room for luggage and passengers in this car, you have to chose one or the other. It gets blown all over the place on windy highways & bridges,& the steering is so tight that the wheel turns itself when the tires hit small bumps. It makes for a very swervy ride.The soft top makes a lot of noise while driving. Overall it is fun to drive in the summer, but if its going to be your only transportation, you may want to reconsider.

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  Not bad really... - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By deezy - December 23 - 2:00 am

  My tacker isnt the prettiest or nicest car in the world however it has room and drvies well. She has good get up and go and is "cute". I cant think of anything bad to say about it all! I have had no problems and it handles well in the snow and rain if I kick it into 4 wheel drive. The only bad thing is the gas mileage but that comes with the territory huh??

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  LEAK LEAK LEAK - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By brokeagain - December 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Avalanche new in 2001. Its been in the shop at least 7 times because the carpets are constantly soaked. The dealer keeps trying to tell me the drains are clogged. WHAT DRAINS and WHY ARE THEY CLOGGED??? The last time it was in they showed me 2 holes in the floor at the front of the bed under a flap . I was told by the SERVICE MANAGER " your not supposed to use it like a truck because its an SUV." I was using it to bring leaf bags to the dump. Nothing major....right?

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  Impressive - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Rob Robertson - December 23 - 2:00 am

  Most fun Ive had driving a car in a long time. Beats my previous `95 LT1 hands down. But, dont know how folks are getting 12.5 second quarter mile times out of this car. Love the car anyway!

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  99 Malibu 4 years later - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Glenn Sieja - December 22 - 2:00 am

  Our Malibu has not been very reliable. Most of the problems were covered under warranty. However, poor front brake and front suspension design continue to be a problem. Fuel capacity is very small and is a huge inconvenience. Dont expect much on the trade in!