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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  Whats Not-So-Good About this Car - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Dawnie - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Had no problems for 3 years, in the 4th year its almost coming apart. Ive had to replace the brakes, the computer, the ignition switch, the cruise-control/windshield wiper lever, and an internal ignition function - all after warranty, except for the computer. Ive had to get a front-end alignment twice. I might contribute all the problems with not keeping up with maintenance, but as I rely on my car so much, Im careful in that area. I am at 60,000 miles now, and my transmission is starting to get sluggish - every so often the car seems to struggle with shifting gears. At this point Im looking for a new car, because Im getting tired of all the problems.

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  sucks to buy used - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By leigh - December 3 - 2:00 am

  the salesperson told me that a complete tune up was done, tires had recently been put on, and that the truck was cleaned inside and out except the glove compartment which at the time the handle was broken. WRONG!!!!! i paid $3ooo from the dealer, in the three months i had to put new tires (recently done-right) $250, new battery $75, new starter $110, new u- joints $150, and basic tune upandthat the work i did, the dealer had to put a new timing chain, which cost me $650 all in all for a new (to me) truck that was supposed to cost $3000, it has cost me another $1300.tough lesson to learn

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  Transmission Blow out 42,000 - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By gkehler - December 2 - 2:53 pm

  Great looking car for the money. However, I have had a many problems. Keyless entry never work correct and tire sensor. Was in shop a couple of time until fix right. Body work poor has as sections came unalined. Note: all items were fixed at dealers cost. However, my transmission went at 42,000 (all highway). Chevy would not stand behind the transmission even with me only be 6k over in miles. I will tell you not to buy without the extend warranty or you will get screwed by Chevy(3800 fix). PS put in a transmission cooler. I would upgrade brakes as stock has had many recalls (Cheap fix for add performance $700)

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  nice starter car - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By 1stnewcar - December 2 - 2:00 am

  good value for the money

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  The best of both worlds - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Quickshift - December 2 - 2:00 am

  I just bought my Prizm this weekend. The car is a blast to drive. I bought it used w/ 20k mi. Even though it is equipped with an automatic transmission, it quickly picks up to the speed limit. I have to keep my eye on the speedometer from speeding. It has the new 16 valve DOHC vvti engine from Toyota. The gas mileage is very similar to my former car, the Accent. The ride is smooth til you hit some rough roads.

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  Its a Trooper! - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By DCGirl - December 2 - 2:00 am

  All I can say is this car has been good to us! We have driven across the country from Washington, DC to California TWICE with not a peep from our Cavalier (except for locking the keys out in South Dakota). My only complaint is how easily it gets dinged and dented, even with very minor impact.

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  the 5.3 tahoe is the mac daddy - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By franchiselife - December 2 - 2:00 am

  have owned various suvs including honda crv, ford explorer eddie bouer, 2002 gmc envoy, 2001 isuzu rodeo. my tahoe has the 5.3 and the 3.73 limited slip rear end with leather. that tow/haul switch, the engine power and the gearing all make towing our 6500 lb boat a breeze. i am very pleased. great value.

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  1992 Z-24 - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By sonnyphysh - December 1 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car with 32,000 miles, still under fact warranty, and the car drove very nice. I just traded my car in on a Pontiac Grand Prix with the same size motor 3.1L..I had over 160,000 miles on my Z-24 and never had any engine work done other than a water pump, altinator, and a battery, but thats normal.The transmission was replaced 2 different times while under the warranty, and when I traded my car in the transmission was going to need worked on, because the syncronizer in third gear was going out.I wouldnt hesitate to buy another one, but it was time for me to buy a 4 door car.

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  Very poor vehicle - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By kval87 - December 1 - 2:00 am

  We are very displeased with this vehicle. in just five short years we have had to fork out over $8000 to fix this "lemon." I wouldnt recommend buying another one EVER.

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  Got SSpeed? - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Godspeed - December 1 - 2:00 am

  Quality vehicle that is very fun to drive. I have test driven the likes of Mustangs but it does not draw as much attention as an SS. Heritage + 300 plus Horses = The Untimate Driving Machine