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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  1996 LT - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By ED KOZICKI - December 7 - 2:00 am

  BETTER THAN AVERAGE GAS MILAGE FOR THE ENGINE & HP. PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1987 BLAZER AND FIND MY 1996 LT PROVIDES A MORE COMFORTABLE RIDE. HANDLES MORE LIKE A MID-SIZE CAR THAN A TRUCK. THE NEGATIVE SIDE IS THAT THERE WERE 4 RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE WHICH INCLUDED EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND ABS BRAKES.

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  Great little car - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kristen - December 6 - 7:21 am

  Second owner of car. Bought in 2011 with 60k miles. I now have 167k. All guages were broke(VERY common and they never recalled it). Dont spend the $500 for the new assembly it will just break again. Buy individual motors on Amazon ($25 for 6) and sodder them on, and set guages. Theyve been working perfectly since. Due to those being broken I had to replace the fuel pump. Normal wear and tear: tires, battery, brakes. Regular oil changes. The drivers seat has broken. No longer stays up. Easy junkyard fix. The dashboard cracks in numerous spots. Another common problem with the Cavaliers though. In the past year Ive put over 8,000 miles on it traveling all over the US with my boyfriend. My biggest problem: getting rear ended while turning, 1000 miles from home. Totalled it out. Airbags DID NOT deploy.

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  The Little Cav That Could - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CAVMAN - December 6 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car new in college in 1991. Have done almost all the maintainance myself, mainly oil, filters and brakes. Always use a good synthetic oil and good filter. KN air filter and always replaced parts with ones that have lifetime warrantys. Have replaced alternator, tensioner, power steering pump, hoses, heater core x 2, radiator, plugs and wires. The thing just keeps running and with 223,000 miles on it, I could see it easily going for another 100,000- 150,000. If you dont care to look great going to work, it will get you there just as good as a new vehicle. Very easy to work on also.

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  2000 Impala - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kevin M - December 6 - 2:00 am

  Great reliable car.

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  The Good and The Bad - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Anil_V_Reddy - December 6 - 2:00 am

  I ran into maximum problems between 43K miles and 62K miles. Steering fluid leak - 43K miles Brakes wear out - 44K miles CV joint replacement - 47K miles Gasket leakage - 52K miles Another set of brakes - 53K miles Replaced alternator - 58K miles Yet another set of brakes - 62K miles. If you dont believe me, I have all the receipts. Surprisingly, after the last bout at 62K miles, it has run very well (knock on wood) and I now have 94K miles

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  2003 2500HD 4x4 ext.Cab SB - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Tim Ketterer - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this truck for five months now. I tow a 6000 lb trailer over the mountian pass with it.The power is very good.Handles like a dream. I havent had any problems yet, no engine noise or cold start knock. I have been getting 12.5 mpg aroung city and while towing the trailer I get 10.6 mpg. The tow/haul mode on the transmission works well . Its worth it. The 6.0 motor doesnt sound like it is straining at all. The seats are comfortable for the wife nad me and the rear seat is pleanty roomy for the 10 year old boy. This is my third Chevy truck and the best one by far.

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  2500 HD Truck of the year - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Kencow - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Mileage with the 6.0 liter gets 11 city and 14 highway. It is an okay truck but you can really see where GM cut corners. Havent had any major problems.

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  Purchased mine with 10 years and 132K on the clock - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jimsrod - December 4 - 5:59 am

  Im the 2nd owner of a well kept 2003 Silverado LS 4WD with the Z71 package. Aesthetically for a 12 year old truck this one has held up exceptionally with the paint still being super glossy. The powertrain is still rock solid especially the engine. All of the electrical components work and Ive only had to change out the starter in the two years Ive owned it. I did have a total flush and replacement of all the fluids (transmission, power steering, brakes, antifreeze, transfer case, front and rear differentials) when I purchased the vehicle. I highly recommend you do this with any 4WD you purchase used with over 100K on the clock. Ive only replaced the starter and had the instrument cluster serviced (stepper motors replaced and LED lights changed to blue - $75 fix). Im very proud to own this truck because it was obviously taken care of by the previous owner. I have a couple of gripes ... the transmission is clunky shifting from 1st to 2nd and also 2nd to 3rd. Also when driving at 45 mph and at 65 mph the extended cab and crew cab versions of the Silverado (also GMCs version the Sierra) transfer vibration through the cabin. Both the shift and vibration issues are simply design flaws. GM recommends you place 300 to 500 pounds directly in the middle of the truck bed to stop the vibration (but who is going to do that). So you cant fix the vibration issue ... but I plan on replacing the tranny with a rebuilt and hardened version of the 4L60E automatic that will address the hard shifting. Fortunately you can find these transmissions relatively cheap with the biggest issue being able to find a good mechanic to install it without it costing too much. Overall for a pickup I purchased with 132K on the odometer I am extremely happy and Ive only had light maintenance done so far. The 4.8L V8 doesnt leak oil and parts are cheap because there are millions of Silverados and Sierras on the road. I plan on keeping this truck a minimum of five to ten more years. *** UPDATE *** This is my weekend vehicle and have had it nearly 3 years now. Ive only driven it 10,000 miles and the brakes just died on me. Im just finding out that the brake hard lines are made of inferior metal. Fortunately when the pedal went to the floor I was on a remote road with no other cars around. $1200 to replace all of the defective lines with non corrosive copper / nickel lines. Thank goodness I have a quality mechanic because Ive heard horror stories about $3000 fixes at the dealership. Im still keeping the truck and my mechanic says this isnt just a GM issue. He says most older pickups / large SUVs brake lines have failures and he sees this quite often at his shop.

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  Better than expected - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By GJB - December 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought this Chevy using GM MC credits and rebate. $12K out the door. Car is very quiet and comfortable for class. Engine is surprisingly peppy. I got new tires (performance) and the handling improved markedly (still leans in turns, but tracks well). Fuel economy in my work commute is ~34mgp! Fun and quiet car.

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  IF ONLY THEY BUILT AN INTERIOR - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By RC TOYOTA - December 4 - 2:00 am

  THE 98 VETTE CONV IS WITHOUT A DOUGHT THE BEST EVER THE CAR IS DAMN NEAR PERFECT AS A TOYOTA EMPLOYEE I CAN SPEAK OF SUCH THINGS AS WE ALL WELL KNOW IF GM FORD OR THAT OTHER WANA-BE CAR BUILDER EVER MAKE A CAR WITH QUALITY INT. INSTEAD OF THE HARD SWEEKY NOISY JUNK PLASTIC THEY USE WERE IN TROUBLE AT TOYOTA BUT BY THEN WILL ALL BE DRIVING JET CARS..............SEEE YA SOON