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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  ZR2 2.5V6 - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By e ransbury - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Excellent in snow and ice. travels dirt and mud roads smoothly with its full ladder frame. No body or frame flex on rough roads. Skid plates have been puit to use during play tme. Carries two dogs in kennel in back with rear seats rolled down. v6 is very surprising high revver.

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  What is wrong with these brakes? - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By amdla - August 13 - 2:00 am

  We love this car for comfort, but we are changing brakes every 20,000 miles. We were told by a GMC salesman that there was a glitch in the design which was corrected on later models, but cannot get this confirmed by GM mechanics.

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  I Love this Truck - 1990 Chevrolet S-10
  By dlh298 - August 12 - 2:00 am

  I owned this vehicle for almost 10 years and put on about 180,000 miles during that time. The truck left me on the side of the road only twice in that time. and then only for easily fixed items (once was the water pump, and the other the alternator). Considering the time and mileage put into her the yearly maintenance cost was minimal because almost nothing ever broke.

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  Mother of fours Suburban Ride - 1996 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Laurie - August 12 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle was great for our big family. We go on vacation/camping with 4 kids and lots of luggage/toys/baby stuff. 2 car seats fit with room for another person in the middle. Hastle to get into the third seat row, especially with a car seat in the way. Kids just crawled over the second row seat back to get to the third row (not ideal). The vehicle always started, but little things broke regularly: rear barn door catches and various control knobs broke easily.

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  A true poor man Vette! - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By BIGBOYY2G - August 12 - 2:00 am

  After having my 95 Z-28 for 9 year Im glad to say "I Love This Car!!!" but Im also sad to see GM is really dropping the ball on this one. The Camaro is a part of American History!! Just like baseball and apple pie!! So far I have over 124,000 mile on it and the LT-1 still has that throw you to the back seat punch!!! If your look for a fun set of wheels get yourself a Camaro Z-28!!!

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  Good Car!! - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By dlh298 - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Ive had just a couple of problems with this car that at least in my estimation arent huge. After 56,000 niles Ive put two sets of disc brake pads on and had the rotors turned once. Ive had to replace one front wheel bearing (complete with the anti-lock sensor in it) for $160.00, and I currently need to put a set of tires on it before inspection, but all in all it has been a good reliable family car that can also satisfy my occasional desire for performance and speed (darn governer!!). I think this car has a little bit of luxury to it for a great price.

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  Great vehicle NEEDS NEW PASSENGER SEAT. - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By T. Cope - August 12 - 2:00 am

  I have enjoyed my Tahoe and the only problems I have is the passenger seat is very uncomfortable. The drivers and back seat are GREAT. This is the second one I have owned and the front passenger seat was a problem in the first one. I wont buy another one until the problem is fixed. The seat belt is also very uncomfortable and choking.

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  the car that keeps going - 1990 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Ocean2383 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I now curently have 247500 miles on my beretta. i have had to replace the fuel pump at 240000 and it has had an oil leak since 1996, but it hasnt gotten any worse. so i just keep adding fluids and it keeps going. the body is tough too. i go hit from behind at 30 miles per hour and all i got was a crack in my bumper and the other car was a honda accord and it was crumpled in the front.

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  1997 tahoe - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Joel12345 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  The truck has tons of power without the extra length the suburban had. Seems to be bullet proof.

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  very reliable - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By md - August 11 - 2:00 am

  At 64,000 miles had first repair (wheel bearing). Still have original brake pads. Very comfortable highway cruiser (comfortable seats relatively quiet) and no problems with 4 wheel drive. Very nice that real seats fold completely flat and you dont even need to remove rear head rests. Minor squeeks, but I live in a city with a lot of pot holes.