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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  Great car for teens - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By JwSugar - May 29 - 9:23 am

  This is a great car to carry things as well as people with good fuel economy. It has great pick up and can pass with ease. I drive 120 miles to work everyday and I never feel like Im in a small car.

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  Tahoe LS - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By kaskillah - May 29 - 2:00 am

  Good vehicle overall. Can take severe abuse and still hold up.

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  A pretty good van -- one problem though - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Ventureowner - May 28 - 2:00 am

  The van has been pretty good to us so far. Weve owned this van for 8 months (10K so far) and the only problem (a recurring problem) is with the struts on the driver side. The dealer cannot seem to find the problem with the struts. Theres a noticable clunking (metal on metal) whenever we hit certain bumps in the road. I hope they can figure this out soon, were going on our third round of service calls for this issue. A side from the strut problem, weve been mostly pleased with our new Chevy Venture!

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  Unhappy with Cheverolet company - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Billie Jo Shifflett - May 27 - 3:40 am

  I purchased this car new. The first week of ownership I received a recall notice for the intake bolts due to them running hot. At 23000 miles I started having brake and rotor problems. Noticed a noise and took to the dealer and was told the steering shaft needed replacing. This seems to be a problem with these cars according to consumer reports magazine. Also with the brakes, rotors, and calipers. At 27000 miles I had all the rotors replaced. GM did nothing to help me with the latest problem of the steering shaft due to the car being out of warranty and being a 2002. I reminded them that this car has only 28000 miles on it and they need to correct their faulty parts by having a recall.

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  1998 S10 ZR2 Ext Cab - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By Bigstik - May 27 - 2:00 am

  An extremely reliable vehicle from the day I drove it of the lot. Very limited repairs needed over the 5.5 years I have owned it. Ask your mechanic about these 4.3 liter Vortec V6 engines, hell tell you that they are built for the long haul. I tow my 19 Sea Ray, haul mulch, furniture, and anything else that will fit in the bed, and racked up about 60,000 miles the first 2 years working the MD/VA territory - all highway, and I dont baby this truck. It still runs like the day I drove it off the lot.

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  Sporty S-10 - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By kherald - May 27 - 2:00 am

  First of all, my truck is the 4.3L, 4Spd automatic trans, ZQ8 suspension, locking diff (which isnt listed in drop-down style options). If you are planning on towing anything avoid the ZQ8 package because it isnt designed for towing. The engine gives me about 17-20 MPG which is as advertised.

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  Great Suburban - 1992 Chevrolet Suburban
  By MountainFamily - May 26 - 2:00 am

  We have now put over 218,000 miles on our Suburban - without any major repairs. The engine and transmission have required only routine service. I have been diligent about changing fluids, including oil at 3,000 to 4,000 miles. We live at the 8,000 foot elevation level of the Colorado Rockies and the vehicle is unbeatable in snow. Thank you Chevy for a great vehicle!

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  Very good for the money - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Cheap Lux Freek - May 26 - 2:00 am

  the back end is very high makes it hard to back up and park (Sporty look) so thats a good thing and a bad thing. The steering is too heavy, keeps my wife off the driver seat )thats also good and bad! glove box made for a pack of gum. Come-On Chevy its a full size car.!!

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  Volt component went cheap - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By Joe Bockrath - May 25 - 4:55 pm

  They went cheap on the pumps that make the whole thing keep running.

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  Never a Problem - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Jkm3427 - May 25 - 2:00 am

  Never had a problem.