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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  Back to a Bowtie? - 1996 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Slacker - July 3 - 2:00 am

  After owning a virtually problem free 1992 5.0 mustang for 8.5 yrs, I "settled" for my automatic vette. The automatic effectively removes the "fun factor" from this car. Very benign, boaring handling at best. I drove a manual but didnt buy it. Vibration through the steering wheel and dash shimmy are due to low structural integrity. Have the conv. X frame braces installed. In 18 mos, I have replaced water pump, Intake manifold gasket, starter, and climate control unit under warranty. Young chev. and Steakley Chev. service suck. Corvettes of Dallas in Carrolton, TX does quality work. Bottom Line: Awsome with the 6-speed. Boaring with the automatic

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  Busch96Astrovan - 1996 Chevrolet Astro
  By Kustov - July 2 - 2:00 am

  Since 1996, we used van for 8 trips of ~3200 miles from Edmonton Alberta to Las Vegas. W/ two exceptions we took the van off the road in the U.S., using it for normal city driving only in Canada. Nearly 50% of the mileage comes from eight return trips on expressways. The vans maintenance record is available: Tires ~8900 miles brakes replaced ~3 years ago, air-conditioning, rear hydraulic lift, front end alignment and other completed 2001. The windshield has a crack, and there are several scratches and dimples on its "autumn brown" rust-free exterior.

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  MY THIRD BURB SINCE 1996 - 2000 Chevrolet Suburban
  By SLA - July 2 - 2:00 am

  THIRD SUBURBAN SINCE 96. TRADE AT 65K EVERY TWO YEARS. LIKED THE 1996 AND 1999, BUT THE 2000 PLATFORM WAS A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN RIDE AND WIND NOISE. THE SECOND ROW BUCKET SEAT IS NOW A VERY "CIVILIZED" PLACE TO TRAVEL VIS A VIS THE OLD BENCH STYLE SEAT, PLUS BETTER ACCESS TO THE THIRD ROW. MINOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRIC WINDOW ACTUATORS. APPARENTLY GM GOT A BAD BATCH. IVE GOT ALMOST 63K MILES ON THIS ONE AND IT IS AS TIGHT AND PLEASING TO DRIVE AS WHEN IT WAS NEW. THE GENERAL HAS IT JUST ABOUT RIGHT WITH THIS PLATFORM.

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  Fun first car - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By houstonbabe - July 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car new as my first car. I really love the exterior, and I am small so I can handle the cramped interior. I have driven it almost 36,000 miles in two years and have had no major problems. If only the dashboard werent noisy or cracking I would be completely satisfied.

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  I love my cams! - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Spongeytim - July 1 - 2:00 am

  I own 2 camaros. I have an 85 and a 91. They both have the 305cid V8 in them. I love them both and wouldnt trade them for any car in the world.

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  Excellent little pick up truck!! - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By Carlos - July 1 - 2:00 am

  This is the best little truck I have ever had, mine is a manual V6 so I love to smoke those sittle 4s and some of the other V6s.

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  I would buy another one! - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Fulla - July 1 - 2:00 am

  I purchased it used in 2001 with 70k miles on it. It has 101k on it now and other than new brakes and a few oil changes I have had no problems with it.

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  Positive Experience - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By trenaldi - July 1 - 2:00 am

  I was concerned when purchasing because of the Consumer Reports below average reliability rating but the price was right so we went for it. Well five years later Im happy to report that not one thing has gone wrong with my Blazer (other than the normal stuff brakes, battery, tires etc.) I change the oil every 3k miles and follow the suggested maintenance.

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  To the MAXX - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Cilia - June 30 - 8:03 am

  I absolutly love this car. It is a great car for the family without taking out style. It has good gas mileage, and I can always rely on it. Its a pleasant suprise. Its a plesure to drive and to look at. It can seat four to five people. It also much better than any SUV!

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  Hey mikey i think he likes it - 1996 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Z-26 Addict - June 30 - 2:00 am

  I do likes it i likes it alot. This is the second Beretta z-26 that I have had. I crashed/ totalled the first one. I really like this thing. It can keep with and beat a lot of cars and it resonably disguised as a small coupe with not a lot of but when you want it the power is definatley there. The car it self is just too heavy if they found a way to ligthen it by about 500 too 1000 pounds the thing would be a lot better.