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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  Chevrolet 1500 V6 Long Bed, Work Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Nick - June 15 - 12:43 am

  I purchased this truck to complete home projects which I am working on. It is a two wheel drive with a standard transmission. This truck has an excellent ride and surprising power from the V6 engine. My biggest surprise has been the 20 mpg I am averaging. Ill take the fuel efficiency over a V8 engine any day. The cab is quiet, without much wind/road noise at highway speeds. I also like the floor shifter, although it becomes awkward with three passengers. Turning radius is excellent. It is a good-looking truck as well. I would highly recommend this tuck to someone that simply needs a regular, long-bed pick up truck without all the bells and whistles.

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  Z-24 Review - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Joe Hydralics - June 14 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for two years now. I can say that it is a reliable car that is sporty and fun to drive. I have put 29000 miles on it so far, and it now has 85000 miles. No major mechanical problems have come up yet, though the struts are in need of replacing. The 5-speed manual is easy to opperate, but it will slip out of reverse from time to time.

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  Lemmmmon - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By HenrytheDog - June 14 - 2:00 am

  It seems chevy put explosive bolts in this thing. After 36k miles its undependable. Compressor, transmission, alt., coil, ign switch, electronic trans case, etc.. This thing has been towed 4 times to the dealer.

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  Ehhhh - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By 20yearoldcollegeboy - June 13 - 7:20 am

  Since owning this car I have had very mixed feelings on it. Bought when I was 16. It gets me around. A great car if you have the money to fix problems which there are a lot! And each problem cost a small fortune to fix. The car handles well, has a nice ride, people always think its newer than it is (body just started showing small rust in two spots),body holds up well (hit three deer at once, insurance fixed, MPG are decent if you baby the throttle (28 hwy)but can dip as low as 14 in city. Engine seems to be stronger at some times than others, can be fast and very stable, quiet at 75-80 hwy. One cupholder for 5 seats? 1-2 downshift is slow! Occassional trouble starting. Its a 12 yr old car

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  So far so good - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By Blair105@aol.com - June 13 - 2:00 am

  Just bought this truck last week. so far very comfortable ride, smoothe vortec 4300 engine - could use more low end power. very roomy for a compact pickup. love the insta trac shift on the fly 4wd. had to use it the 2nd day I had it in the sand. Would reccomend. have heard a lot of good stories about these durable trucks.

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  Great little Car - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By TooBright - June 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought my cavalier used and with high mileage. I still love it, and cant think of selling it.

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  Fun car to drive - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CavalierGirl - June 13 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Cavalier. My first was a 1998 4-door sedan. I love this car. It has alot of pickup for a 4 cyl engine. Its a cute car that is resonably priced. No major problems with this one or the one I owned before it. No complaints. I have over 70k miles on this car and will probably drive it until the wheels fall off.

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  A good 6 years - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Matt97 - June 13 - 2:00 am

  I originally leased this truck for three years and could not part with it... so I bought it. Under warranty, GM replaced 2 a/c blower fans, fixed the power steering, replaced the break rotors, replaced the rear pinion seal, and fixed a few rattles. After the warranty was out, I fixed a coolant leak, did the brakes again, and replaced a valve in the transmission. I figure I put about 1k/year into the truck for the last 3 yrs and now have 83k miles. The other day I noticed leaks from the transfer case and rear pinion seal again.

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  So far good value - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By SueZee - June 11 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the Impala in May of 02. I looked and drove foriegn sedans as well. I bought the top of the line. It has more bells and whistles then I could have thought of. Mine came with On-Star as well. The hands free phone although expensive, is a lovely addition for a hard working mom who needs to stay in touch. The pick-up is descent as well as the handling and fuel economy. Respectable crash test ratings and a price that couldnt be beat are what sold me. Now I have to see if it stands the test of time.

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  This car is great! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By newtrailblazerguy - June 11 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased the car a few days ago. So far I am extremely impressed. The car drives very well and the design, both inside and out is exceptional. The true test will obviouslt come in the years ahead, but for now I am extremely satisfied. I think the editors review does not do justice to this car.