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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  Wearing it out - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Mike - March 10 - 12:01 pm

  I drive this tracker 300 miles a week in western Pa. Factory tires were OK, but an upgrade to Uniroyal Laredo tires made driving in snow and offroad much better. The car works great for me commuting to work, but is not very good as a family use car. It has little cargo space and small rear seat. It has been fairly reliable but is now developing some problems. I had rear differential bearings replaced at 80k miles @ $500.At 100k miles the engine developed a rattling or knock at idle, I believe this to be timing chain problem. I have a wheel bearing making noise and the oil pan is rusting through from the outside. I also have had both cat. converters replaced.The car now has near 143k.

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  2003 Z71 suburban - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Mike - March 10 - 11:29 am

  I purchased this vehicle new in 2003. I had some problem with the dash rpm gauge twice which was corrected. The sending unit in the gas tank went bad and that hurt my pocket. But for as many miles this has driven and the places it has been ( I dont baby it ) meaning I point it and it goes on/off road--tow , Im happy as cake with her. Im not a little guy and its like sitting on my sofa at home. It fits 5 and tows a boat with all equipment. Hunt,fish no problem. Pull sons car out of ditches--no problem

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  lots of problems,many repairs required - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By mlh - March 10 - 10:52 am

  I have never owned a car that has needed so many repairs. Since purchased in Sept 05,it has been in for repair at least 12 times! Things like the roof almost blowing off.They tried to fix the problem but didnt. Then it was replaced with a new roof. Shorty after that,a recall for this problem was quietly announced. The list goes on:Door latch replacedrepair window so it would close tightly (twice)repair an reinstall door panel headlight assembly replacetrunk latch replaced alternator bearing had to be replacedproblem with front right wheel assemblybad paint. No room left here to list other problems. With extended warranty,I have to pay $200 labor for each repair.

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  NIce van with plenty of power - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By duraflex - March 10 - 9:39 am

  We loved our 9 year old Venture but had to replace it. The Uplander LS lacks some of the comfort features we took for granted but its a good follow-on. Missing are the swing out electric powered windows at the far rear as well as a front seat storage drawer and other storage spaces the Venture had. All the seats are not as wide or plush as the Venture but theyre not bad. On the highway, its quieter than the Venture and ours gets about 26 MPG. Around town, MPG is about the same. Handling is excellent and steering isnt overly sensitive and unforgiving like some SUVs Ive driven. Van is great looking and a pleasure to drive.

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  A Great Car ! - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Cari - March 10 - 1:26 am

  I did not plan on keeping my car this long. But it just keeps going and going and going. It has been a great car with very few repairs needed. I am still waiting for a reason to get a new one. Not yet !

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  2001 Chevy S10 ZR2 - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By MkLoe - March 9 - 3:55 pm

  This was my first car and I enjoyed it alot. I bought it with 112,000 miles and put about $300 worth of work and it runs great. When I tell people the mileage they are amazed that it is so high for the shape it is in. The all black with the big silver rims makes the truck look great!

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  2004 silverado - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Tree - March 9 - 1:46 pm

  After 13,000 miles I notice the trans slipping a little. the dash bubbled up the size of a dime and the painted plastic paint is coming off on the dash behind the steering wheel.

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  Chevy Traverse LS - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By eric_okc - March 9 - 12:36 pm

  This is a new company vehicle for me and I put on a lot of miles while driving for work. This is a solid built vehicle with a smooth and strong engine. It provides good acceleration from a standstill or passing on a highway. It has a great amount of cargo space and it very easy to fold down the 2nd and 3rd row seats. The interior design is very refined with clean lines and symmetry. The feel and quality of the plastics and leather seem of higher quality than previous Chevys. The Traverse has a commanding presence its height gives you a good view of your surroundings.

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  Love this car - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Cindy - March 9 - 12:23 pm

  I had a 2003 Trailblazer and I was NOT fully satisfied with that model. When looking for this new car I went for the loaded version. I LOVE IT. Drives great, very comfortable. Fuel economy leave a little to be desired, but thats all SUVs

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  water leaks, ignition problem - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By jonny1507 - March 9 - 11:40 am

  I have a 2006 HHR i purchased new. First was the water leak problem. after a hard rain, the driver side floor board floods. a seal on the firewall cracks. design flaw. they fixed it. Second was the shifter. a sensor broke that told the ignition the car was no longer in gear. as a result, the key would not turn to the off position. this happened 15000 miles past the warranty. 450.00 out of my pocket for a manufacture defect.