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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  malibu 2000 - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By bhaberman - January 8 - 2:00 am

  fun to drive, lots of initial power, good sound system,

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  camaro z28 - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By dangerisland - January 8 - 2:00 am

  fast,goodlooking and smooth.did i menton that its fast

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  A good used car! - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By LmnaDrvr - January 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought the 95 std lumina in 2000. Since then the only money I have had to put into this car was for new tires. Ive left home for college and my car sits outside unused for long periods of time,even in the cold and it still starts easily every single time. It gets pretty good gas milieage for the size of it. While all my friends have newer cars with less miles on them, they still are having to spend thousands of dollars on repairs for their cars, while my old, yet trusty lumina is always there to give them rides while their cars are in the shop. The only problem I have had with the car are the dashboard lights.

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  nice ride - 1996 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Slash - January 7 - 2:00 am

  Nice sporty ride. Very reliable. At 52,000 miles and counting.

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  03 Z71 - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By casper101 - January 6 - 10:00 am

  raildust?? truck showed signs of rust problems @ 6000 miles...dealership buffed under warranty, but vehicle has poor paint adhesion on front grill & painted surfaces. 4WD inoperable @ 9000 miles... dealership removed error codes and problem has not yet returned.. highbeam relay failed causing the lights to remain on & melted down the fuse panel under the hood @ 11000 miles.. dealer replaced components under warranty (all except the blackened cover).... overall i like the truck, but am disappointed in the quality... the guys @ the arlington plant need to do their homework!

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  Unsatisfied - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By TBlazerLS - January 6 - 10:00 am

  Air conditioner wont work after only 2500 miles. Not enough leg room in rear seats. Recommend buying the RAV4 instead; better build quality. Only gets 15 mpg. Rear cupholders let drinks spill out all over new car with the slightest bump or turn.

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  Unprecedented Reliability - 1991 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Brian Mills - January 6 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car from an elderly lady during college with 30,000 miles. Needless to say, it lasted through college and 5 years later @ 140,000 miles, its still going strong. GREAT ENGINE, bad exterior paint problems. Its Lt. Blue paint color chips like crazy, but the engine more than made up for it. Great Reliability!

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  good vehicle - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kve754 - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Very good performance so far. Few trips to dealer to fix climate control and audio. Overall very dependable and an excellent value for the money if you want to keep the vehicle for longer period

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  Good Car - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Jeff3396 - January 5 - 2:00 am

  This is an overall good car

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  Solid Venture - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By markusnow - January 5 - 2:00 am

  Only standard maintenance items ever needed so far. Very reliable in our experience.