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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  NEVER BUY AMERICAN AGAIN! - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By MidwestMalibu - January 14 - 10:00 am

  I used to be a fan of american motor cars until I bought this one. With a NEW ENGINE, A/C, Starter, Battery, Sprayer nozzel, seat belt latch, Trunk Carpet, lights werent focused, and some other items in a period of one year I can firmly say that this car is undeniably a P.O.S., Toyota/Honda here I come. P.S. Now the car is starting to randomly stall, a common problem, one that GM refuses to recognize and fix for free, too bad they didnt learn from Saturn, the company they destroyed.

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  Never Again - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Never again - January 12 - 5:48 pm

  Started with electrical problems early on, door latch mech. fixed 2 times, wanted me to pay for the 3rd. Then replacement of a failed lower intake manifold gasket - read dex-cool - $700.00. Now service engine soon light flashing - helacoile rocker stu. & hardware $239. on 1/2007. Same thing on 11/2007 - $239...and my favorite 1/12/2009 - 6 failed, will fix for $2,500. Worst car experience Ive ever had..$3,100. for a dealer trade-in - I cant even do that, not worth fixing. Thinking of painting it yellow and parking it in front of the dealership.

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  The Worst Vehicle Ive Owned For Sure - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By G-Man - January 9 - 11:23 pm

  Within 75k miles had the following issues: Door pins and hinges went bad. Right hub went bad. Transfer case leaks. Radiator blew. Head gesket went with it (never even got above 220). Passenger seat handle broke twice. Had to replace fuel injectors. Fuel pump is making noise. No Im not dumping anymore money into this hunk of junk! A piece of junk! I would never buy a a Chevrolet again!

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  Awful, awful, awful! - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Shannon - December 30 - 4:43 pm

  I hate my vehicle. I started out loving it, until it was in the shop within a month. My rear hatch continuously rattles in the cold, and was told on the phone by GM head office that because they fixed 2 different items on it it may no longer be under warranty. If they would have fixed it right the first time is my argument. After 35,000kms my rotors were shot. They machined them and flipped them, and now after 70,000kms They need complete replacement. GM said that if they can machine them they will, but if they cant they will replace them. Mine were machineable, so I got fewer kilometres than if they were replaced. Not to mention the oil leaks, and the constant door adjustments. Run

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  $50k piece of junk - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dissapointed - December 30 - 11:08 am

  Considering all the good reviews I must have gotten the car built on a Friday before a holiday. This is the worst car I have ever owned. Worst paint job I have ever seen. Silver body doesnÂ’t match the gray front. Visible drips in the paint. Car was purchased new but I took it to a body shop to see if it was ever hit and repainted. Seams dont line up, door doesnt close flush. Worst stereo I have ever heard. Cheap interior. Center console was put on incorrectly. Window indexing mechanism was defective. Brakes continued to squeak even after service addressed issue. Loud and embarrassing buzzing/humming sound coming from the dash when car goes over 70mph. Too many other problems to list.

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  Worst minivan ever - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Chasm - December 28 - 12:36 pm

  This is the third GM van I have owned. We have had numerous problems with the power doors failing - either not opening at all, or not staying closed and requiring a manual close. The brakes wear out very frequently, and the front end will not stay in alignment. It has now developed serious electrical problems - short circuits are blowing fuses, and the power door motor wants to stay on continuously. Luckily our lease is up, we are returning the vehicle and will not buy another GM car.

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  Lousy - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Skags - December 27 - 2:00 am

  This is a lousy vehicle. Should have bought a Ford. From being four inches higher to a six speed manual transmission that is virtually impossible to use to a crack under the center seat which lets things fall onto the floor to annoying reflection from the radio lights on the rear window, this truck is totally unworthy of the name Chevrolet. Its no wonder sales are down 27%.

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  What a waste of 21,000 bucks - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By gm sucks - December 20 - 10:58 pm

  Simply put this van is garbage. Very very cheap. Sliding door repaired 4 times. Fuel gauge repaired a/c repaired and gasket repaired all before 52 000 miles. Very uncomfortable. Resale value is horrible. Chrysler vans much better. Ride is noisy very noisy. And what pick up. 180 horses on this van are like 105 horses on Toyota Echo. You are better off paying 7 or 8k more to buy oddyssy and drive a real van that wont fall apart or buy Chrysler.

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  Not happy - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By not happy - December 12 - 10:46 pm

  Im not happy with Colorado at all. The mpg is far less than rated. I could drive a full size pickup and get the same. Small inside, the back speakers quit working, the ac fan works sometime, plastic inside falling apart, seat belt falling apart. The screws fell out. I think the seat is going next. No power, I have 40k miles on it .

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  Take This Truck And Shove It!!! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By J. R. - December 5 - 1:50 pm

  I purchased this truck in oct, 2001. it has been in the shop more than 15 times within 6 months. Sometimes it will not start. Sometimes it cuts off while driving. Not a good feeling at all. Everytime it has been to the shop, they cant seem to find anything wrong. So to add to my list of problems, I continue to hear wind noises, problems with the seatbelts, cd changer has been replaced... the list is endless. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO MY WORST ENEMY.