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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  Good car, cheap ride - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Pastor Kim - January 21 - 2:00 am

  Ive beat my 1998 Prizm to death, with a lot of stop and go city driving, and have not taken care of it very well---- I manage to change the oil about every 5,000 miles, and once in a while I run it through a car wash----thats about it. I have had no major problems with the car. I plan to drive it till it dies. With an end of the year rebate and a GM card accumulation of dollars, I paid $10,000 for this basic car----5 speed, AC, AM/FM, RWD, and thats about it for "frills". Still, it gets me where Im going. I probably would buy another one.

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  So far so good - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Swede572 - January 20 - 10:00 am

  Good Value. Purchased the dark silver metallic LS AWD. Love the look of the Equinox. It uses as much gas at my V6 Ford Explorer that I traded in for it. Thought gas mileage would be a little better but it is not bad. The car is very practical and pretty. Seat padding could be better but not bad. Has good leg room in back. Deep tint glass is nice to have. I am happy overall with the Equinox.

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  i like it - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By eurosport - January 20 - 2:00 am

  very reliable. i put 220000miles but still running great. very comfortable. long road trip is easier with this. handle very well on off-roads and snow. i lived in Colorado for 2 years with this truck. i was very suprised when i took it for off-roading... there was no limit for this suburban. i had to drive through snowy pass every weekend for snowboarding... very safe.

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  Proud Owner - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By Yellow S-10 - January 19 - 2:00 am

  Just bought this 4-dr S-10 and I love it. I traded in a 2001 Grand Am GT and I dont miss it a bit. There is as much room inside as the Grand Am. Handles wonderfully in the ice and snow and the "switch-on-the-fly" 4 wheel drive is wonderful.

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  Destorys the Mustang - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Eric_20 - January 19 - 2:00 am

  This car performs great. I live in a quite small city with less than 50000 people that is overfilled with crappy mustangs. Having the only camaro convertible (while being only 20 years old) is nice because of all the constant looks. Overall, its been a great car so far and Im gonna be with it for a long time.

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  If you like little trucks good choice - 1994 Chevrolet S-10
  By AJP - January 18 - 2:00 am

  I bought my S10 used and have only had it for a couple of months but I like it I use it to go to college and part time work even though it is no speed demon the little four cylinder has plenty of pulling power yet save you tons on gas the extended cab it great I have children and some times they ride in the back even if there is no one else in the truck they love it. I am a male about 200 hundred lbs and I have also rode in the back it was not the most comfortable ride but suitable when neccesary. Love my litte blue skidder (some times I help my brother drag down timber out of his wooded area so that we can cut it up for fire wood). Anthony

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  Good car! - 1995 Chevrolet Beretta
  By sillygirl - January 18 - 2:00 am

  This car is a good car. I havent had to many problems with it and have owned it for almost eight years! The only main problem i had was i had to replace the engine, but other than that, its very reliable. A very comfy car to drive in. There arent that many goodies with my car, just the basic radio, no tape player or cd player. But its a good car that will get you were you need to go to!

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  Good Truck! - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By Bmore Ravens fan - January 17 - 2:00 am

  Been almost a year and has been a great truck. Only problems has been some fit and finish issues but been reliable transport. Great 4wheeling on the beach and tailgating vehicle. Added Yakima roof rack for the bike and a hitch. Seems to have more interior room then a Toyota or Nissan. 4.3L has great low end torque. Great price and its got everything I need and more.

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  this is the family vehicle - 2002 Chevrolet Astro
  By momwithkids - January 17 - 2:00 am

  We are on our second Astro. We love the room, comfort & ease of movement, (important when you have to get back to little kids in car seats quickly no center console to trip over). Most of all we found that this van is reliable, powerful easy drive, sits high for great visibility. Lots of cargo room. There isnt a minivan that can compare! It is like an SUV w/minivan price w/better gas mileage and manuverability. Astros are only for the economically minded who need a reliable work horse to tote a family.

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  I LOVE MY BLAZER - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By MARTA C. - January 17 - 2:00 am

  I BOUGHT IT WITH 45,000 MILES THIS LAST JULY 02 AND PAID $15,000. IT HAS EVERYTHING BUT P-SEAT {PREFFERED}. EVERYTHINGS BEEN FINE SO FAR. I LOVE THE WAY IT DRIVES AND LOVE THE PEWTER COLOR. I FEEL VERY PROUD WHEN I DRIVE ON BAD WEATHER WHILE I SEE OTHER PEOPLE STRUGGLING. RIGHT KNOW IT HAS 53k. I STARTED TO NOTICE SOME CLUNKY NOISE COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSSION. ALSO FRONT BEARINGS ARE NOISY. IT HAS A LOT OF RUST ON BATTERY TRAY AND EVEN SOME ON THE CHASSIS. I REALLY LIKE THE SPARE TIRE UNDER THE CAR. ITS PRETTY GOOD FOR A SUV!!.