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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  Rock Solid - like the ads - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Redhead - May 15 - 2:00 am

  My Tahoe has performed admirably. Delivered with one defect - passenger seat lumbar didnt work - it stands as the most solid new car I have ever purchased. Oddly enough, it replaced a Lexus LS400 that was never right! This machine can take a beating, haul anything and never fails to perform. 2 months sitting while I travel and starts on the first turn of the key.

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  Rock Solid - like the ads - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By redhead - May 15 - 2:00 am

  My Tahoe has performed admirably. Delivered with one defect - passenger seat lumbar didnt work - it stands as the most solid new car I have ever purchased. Oddly enough, it replaced a Lexus LS400 that was never right! This machine can take a beating, haul anything and never fails to perform. 2 months sitting while I travel and starts on the first turn of the key.

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  Love my Z71 - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Waveho - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Upgraded from a Mountaineer with child #2 on the way. Roomier than the Expedition, with a great 3rd row, and lots of cargo room without even putting up the 3rd row. Opt for the 2nd row capts chairs so that it is easy to reach the last row. Lousy on gas, but really not much worse than the V8 in my Mountaineer. Cant beat the comfort for the long trips.

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  Utility at a price - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Jwelch - May 13 - 2:00 am

  The 1999 LS 2wd was our fourth Burb, but the first one purchased new. Replaced transmission at 41000. Seems like new brakes every 16000 miles. My biggest irritation has been a periodic starting problem--probably 12 times so far. It will decide not to start. You turn the key and it sounds like a normal start, except it does not progress to idle. The illness can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours. Then, it starts and runs as if nothing has been wrong. Typically, these incidents occur when were out of town.

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  Great Daily Driver - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By GsMonteCarlo1 - May 13 - 12:50 am

  I had a 1995 Monte Carlo prior to this 2002. Chevy improved the Monte Carlo greatly from 95 model to the 2000+ models. There is more room, better stereo, and bigger trunk. The styling is a lot better as well. The only thing that Chevy messed up was the integrated computer system into the radio. This creates problem with aftermarket stereos and remote starters.

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  joe - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Robert Tango - May 11 - 2:00 am

  The trim has some cheapness to it. The car was expensive in light of its subsequent, rapid depreciation. There was only one manufacturing defect.

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  Reliability Plus! - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By maxpar98 - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I have now owned this car for 120,000 miles and only replaced a $70.00 transmission sensor other than routine maintenance items. Car now has 152,000 miles and has no problems. Amazingly these cars are cheap to buy.

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  A Lot of Van for the Money - 2003 Chevrolet Astro
  By LVFosterDad - May 10 - 2:00 am

  This van has more passenger, cargo, and towing capacity than any other minivan on the market. The truck frame and suspension make it much sturdier than the the car-based minivans of today yet the ride quality and handling reflect the beefier suspension. The interior quality of the LS looks and feels cheap but I like the rubber floor mats that it came with. Compared to the 2002 Pontiac Montana that I owned previously, this van is much more capable of of hauling 8 adult passengers and their luggage. If youre looking for a van that can truly carry eight people and still cruise effortlessly down the freeway this is the van for you.

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  Gotta love the vette - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By cartman - May 9 - 2:00 am

  Ive been in my vette now for a couple of months and Im very happy with it. The car has power to burn, handles like a dream and allows you to not worry about those short passes into oncoming traffic. Love the styling of the C4!

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  Farewell GM - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Dallas Driver - May 8 - 2:00 am

  Very good experience to a point. Vehicle is 7 yrs old, only 42,000 mi. Front passenger seat EZ release cable breaks frequently resulting in 2hr labor fee. Now a head gasket is leaking. Have been told this is common to this engine. Had a shifting sensor go out at 26,000 mi. Battery tray problem resulted in leaking battery and corrosion.My previous SUV was an 89 K5 Blazer-paint peeled,factory engine defect resulted in engine overhaul at 81,000 mi and tranny went out at 90,000mi. all at my cost. Chevy engines seem to have built in problems.