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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  Near Flawless - 1996 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Thebeast431 - February 17 - 2:00 am

  I read the other reviews about buy a Mustang, Viper, etc. Who want 70hp less for more money in the Mustang, and want to pay 7 time more for a Viper? My Z28 has been great to me. I have had it for 2 years and 25k miles. Replaced waterpump and power steering pump, and thats all. My other problems were related to instlling of my headers, ie. burnt plug wires. Fun to drive, eventhough its an auto, leather interior is very comfortable. I dont know what the other reviewers were talking about bad interior and uncomfortable, they must of had cloth. T-tops do not leak and aftermarket exhaust is a must.

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  Good truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Kurt H - February 16 - 8:46 pm

  Ive now owned my Z71 for a little over a year and in general, Im quite pleased. The engine runs beautifully and sounds as good as it did on day one. The interior and exterior look great with minimal maintenance. We only have one child, and this truck serves as the family vehicle,which it does pretty well. Frankly, with a baby seat in the middle of the back seat, safety for my infant is not a worry and it fits nicely.

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  Nice economy car - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By vr1000 - February 16 - 7:00 pm

  I wanted to buy a small economy car that would be reliable and good for commuting and that was inexpensive. I paid $14,200 including sales tax for my Cobalt. You cant touch a Corolla or a Civic for that price. The Cobalt is reasonably peppy, turns well, brakes well and feels very solidly built. The clutch feel and shifter are excellent. The only beefs I have are the cup holders are right in front of the heating and A/C controls and the trunk lid is high so its a little hard to see when backing up.

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  Not Bad - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Pancho - February 15 - 2:00 am

  My family purchased the car used in 1994. Since then, the Lumina has been a pretty good car. It now has around 75000 miles. The 3.1 engine is still strong. The speedometer only goes to 85, but it can probably do 105-110. We have recently had to replace: struts, a computer chip, part of the torque converter, etc. The drivers seatbelt recently broke, but I was amazed to hear that it would be under warranty. I really like the car because of its dependability.

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  Fun little ragtop for the money - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By fradel61 - February 15 - 2:00 am

  This wasnt my first choice for a replacement vehicle, but in retrospec I really enjoy this little car. It has some zip to it. Nicely equipped anti-locks, cd player pw/w/l ect. The front end has a tendency to pitch on curves and handling is only so-so.You feel every bump in the road, but for the money dont expect the handling of a Viper. Great car to just drive with the top down and the music playing. Would I buy it again....yeah I think so.

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  2002 Z28 - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Ken D - February 15 - 2:00 am

  Love it Big improvement over 2nd & 3rd gen. cars, Fun to drive. Great to cruise w/t-tops off. Runs in mid 13 second 1/4 ml. in stock form. great for a car that starts under 25 grand. To bad they stoped making them.

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  Excellent first 90,000 miles - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By dbf1999 - February 14 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my S10 for 4 years now and have put over 90,000 miles on it. I needed a brake job ($190) at around 70,000 miles...and thats it! It has been very reliable. This truck is perfect for a teenager (I was 17 when I got mine) or someone buying their first vehicle.

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  Chevy Crew a good option - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By yellowdr - February 14 - 2:00 am

  After 16 months of ownership this truck has proven itself in bad weather. The 4 x 4 has been very handy both on and off road. Having been a foreign truck owner since 1986 I was a little unsure of the chevy product. Not anymore.

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  Z24 Coupe - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Americanred - February 14 - 2:00 am

  This being my 3rd Cavalier you can see that I am partial to the J-Body. This car is the nicest looking Compact (from the outside) in my opinion. It might not be able to keep up with some of the super compacts coming out in the next few years however it is a fun, inexpensive car that is easy to take care of. Thats what I was looking for.

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  A Disappointment - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By dsf - February 13 - 12:20 am

  Ive had the car for six months and have put 5600 miles on it. I was quite pleased at first, but the quality of the car is now in decline: wind noise, rattles in dash and glove box, fuel gauge problem, occasional cruise control problems. I fear things will just get worse, and am now looking forward to the day I can trade the car in.