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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  road noise - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By bnelsor - October 15 - 2:00 am

  My one huge complaint is the amount of road noise - it is unacceptable. We have been really happy with the car otherwise, lots of space, lots of power, very nice car.

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  No Regrets - 1998 Chevrolet Express
  By Joel M. - October 15 - 2:00 am

  With a growing family, I hesitantly decided to purchase a full size van versus going mini again or Suburban. The deciding factor was cargo room. I have no regrets. I comfortably fit the whole family plus I have 4.5 feet of cargo room behind the rear bench that makes travel very nice (no car-top carrier anymore). My van has the 5.0 V8, which is smooth and has lots of power. Towing up 5000 lbs is no problem. The transmission is very smooth for a GM product. Mileage with the 5.0 is about 15/18. This van has never been in the shop for repairs (one body repair – see below) and it’s approaching 60000. I and my wife both love it.

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  Happy Owner - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Nice plain car - October 15 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for 5 and a half years with very few problems. Just the standard tire/brake replacement, and oil changes. The original battery finally died after 5 yrs of use. I did have a few of the interior plastic pieces brake, but nothing detracting. Great car for a younger person.

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  2000 Chev Tahoe - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By eman - October 15 - 2:00 am

  Great comfort for both driver and passenger. Very roomy for kids and vacation. We drove this vehicle to our Oregon property the past two years (approx drive time 7 hours), and never felt crowded. Excellent handling, poor gas mileage around city.

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  OK - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Ryan111 - October 14 - 2:00 am

  This car has good power and nice design. It had a leak in the coolant system that was easilly fixed, but the engine isnt running the smoothest anymore at 78,000 mi

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  I love GM, But this is JUNK! - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By azdbackfan1 - October 14 - 2:00 am

  I have owned Chevy/GM products all my life. This SUV is ready for the junk heap. I bought this SUV thinking that it would last. I have replaced the Alt.,Water pump, Starter, Idler arm, ball joints and had major tranny work done and things do not seem to work right yet! I am just hoping that it lasts until I can trade IT IN!

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  Its a vette! - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By TauTexan - October 14 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my torch red coupe off of Ebay. My first vette...after wanting one for many, many years. The cars a blast to drive, draws lots of attention (both good and bad!), and is just plain fun. Is it practical? No..its a vette! :) Get about 18 mpg in town...21/22 on highway. Due to its low profile and high door jam, the cars difficult to enter and exit for someone whos tall or "large." Havent had any problems with it, mechanically, and the car has almost 100,000 on the odometer. Would recommend the car...its a blast!

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  Great truck, needs brakes - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By - October 14 - 2:00 am

  I must admit, I havent owned it long, but a very good vehicle, EXCEPT for the brakes. Between the increased pedal travel till somewhat firm and a mushy pedal beyond that, creates continual uncertainty of having enough room in front of you to stop. Probably because of the 4whl ABS. The dealer checked them out and more than one person at the dealership said "thats the way they are, you have to get used to them". Otherwise it has a drive train which (so far) has been dependable and gets very good gas mileage for its size (16-18 hiway).

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  overall, a good car - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By cathy t - October 13 - 2:00 am

  This has been a good car for me, with just one problem: I have put TWO new alternators in this car! (A fault of Chevys, I believe, as a previously owned Chevy--different model--had the same problem.) Other than that, keeping up with the maintenance has been the only expenses. I believe it is a good safe car and it is comfortable to drive

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  My Review - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ken - October 12 - 12:13 pm

  Overall a decent sedan. A good family car that has good interior features. In all fairness, I am a truck person but the high gas prices influenced me to buy a sedan.