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:

• 

  Good van - 1990 Chevrolet Astro
  By j.c. - October 10 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Astro for 8 years now. It has been a really great car. I bought it reconditioned after a wreck, and it still has been great. This year it burned a valve in the head of the engine and is running rougher however, my father likes it so much he said hell keep it and put in a newer engine.

• 

  Good van - 1990 Chevrolet Astro
  By J.C. - October 10 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Astro for 8 years now. It has been a really great car. I bought it reconditioned after a wreck, and it still has been great. This year it burned a valve in the head of the engine and is running rougher however, my father likes it so much he said hell keep it and put in a newer engine.

• 

  2002 S-10 crew cab - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By gph - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Its all the truck I need and has the the ability to be a car when I need it.

• 

  Big Bucks for a Lemon - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Somewhat - October 10 - 2:00 am

  The Chevrolet Suburban has been a money loser since day one. The brakes are a constant drain on the budget. The windows stopped operating, gas fuel did not work and therefore it ran out of gas with the gauge on full, the cables kept coming loose, new radiator (twice) water pumps endlessly replaced. This is to name a few malfunctions.

• 

  poor mechanical quality - 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By tahoe - October 10 - 2:00 am

  two transmission failures (no reverse) which i am told is very common by dealer. no assistance by gm when only 36,800 miles (800 over warranty). now having abs problems @ 40,000 miles. also common accoring to dealer, but out of warranty. quoted $800.+ to repair. abs controller loses sensor signals at low speeds (3-8 mph) and causes system to engage dropping pedal to floor and losing hydraulic pressure. truck is then impossible to stop.

• 

  LS Coupe with Sport Package - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By mjoconn - October 9 - 11:00 am

  Surprising attributes for a compact car from GM. Solid firm ride without any harshness. Quiet, quieter than my wifes Buick LeSabre. Resonable power for a car that gets 35 MPG on the highway. So far Im getting around 27.4 MPG driving around town. (according to the trip computer) Would like to have the S/C engine in this car but dont want the stiff suspension and sky-high spoiler.

• 

  02 camaro z28 m6 - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By pfrey - October 9 - 2:00 am

  Quick, fast, 24.8 mpg average for 11,800miles. Comfortable on long trips (NY-Flordia 4200mi 11 days). No problems, never back to dealer. My 4th Z (91,97,98,02) best one yet!

• 

  Lots of Fun packed into a Small Package - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By Brocnizer - October 8 - 2:00 am

  She maybe small, but dont let the looks deceive you. I put around 25,000 miles a year on this truck with current mileage of 127,000 and it has yet to see the shop. Dont think that I baby it either. She pulls a 6,000 pound boat atleast once per week and deals with stop and go traffic every week day. The Vortec V-6 is the absolute perfect match, suprising all those that drive it and watch it work. I usually get a comment at the boat ramp from someone telling me that my truck wont be able pull the boat up the steep launch ramp, and boy are they supprised when they see it come out without any wheel spin.

• 

  My Mini Camaro (sorta) - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By David Jones - October 7 - 2:00 am

  I just bought this car its the first car ive ever owned I cant complain much cuz i got it for $1300 w/ 124000 mi on it. the accelaration is quite acceptable with the ac off. i just put a KN air filter in it and now it pulls even better. it looks and feels like a bigger car. I got it with alot of new parts just put on by the former owner (altenator, battery, shift linkage) so im hoping itll hold up for awhile. I prolly wont do anything else to it for awile besides new tires and front end alignment. All in all the cav feels like a small-scale late 80s V6 camaro, which is to say somewhat cool though it wont earn you much street cred

• 

  Pretty good for a chevy - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By TexasTraveler - October 6 - 10:00 am

  Ive had a Chevy in the past and swore I would never buy another after getting sick of getting it fixed. But this cars ratings and 0% interest offer convinced me. The ride is great. The size and style is great. Gas mileage is no worse than our old Explorer. Air conditioner has gone out twice though. And there is a lot of wind noise when on the interstate. Overall, I recommend it and like it.