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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  1999 Tracker - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By boameister - May 23 - 2:00 am

  Park it anywhere and not worry about anyone being too interested in it. Does what I want it to do. Didnt cost that much for a new car and goes where I want it to (including 18 inches of snow) and can pop the top in Summer. Wanted a car which will sell easily later on (teens like it). Never had a problem other than a bad differential fluid being put in it. Not much room in the back, but its not for traveling around the country. Here and there, thats all.

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  Fun Car - 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Bri - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Very satisfying car to own. Love the looks, sound and performance. Takes some getting used to at first, its not a weak car that you can just floor in 1st & second gear. You can get sideways in a hurry (which is fun) especially if the pavement is cold or wet. You have to learn to roll into the throttle if traction is suspect. I use it as a daily driver in Michigan even in winter. I throw some winter tires on for the 3 snowy months and it does better than our front drive minivan.

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  Brakes Suck - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By WW - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Great drive train but the brakes suck. Entirely too small for the vehicle. 65000 on the vehicle and I am ready to install the 4th set of rotors and pads. Dealerships don the halo and claim no defect in the vehicle. Talk to ex Chevy dealership personnel and you get a different story,the brakes suck because theyre too small for the truck.

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  Beautiful - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By NK - May 21 - 2:00 am

  This is a beautiful car! Seats all my kids comfortably. I have heard bad things about the reliabilty. But well see if we have any problems in the future. So far so good!

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  $50,000 lemon - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By johnf13 - May 21 - 2:00 am

  It is the worst car I have ever owned as far as quality. At 3500 miles the oil pump went, and at 7200 miles the car caught fire while I was driving it due to a defective fuel line. After rebuilding the car, several problems with the engine and AC. Lost AC, brakes and developed significant new oil leak all within 48 hours. GM refused to acknolwdege problems, and has invited me to pursue lemon law claim. Out of 12 months I had car, 9 in the shop. Would not recommend car to anyone.(Have had 2 Corvettes in the past) Notiified NHTSA re: fire and sudden brake failure, believed to be related to boost.

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  my lumina - 1990 Chevrolet Lumina
  By bisa - May 20 - 2:00 am

  i feel this car, from the perspective of a young adult, has a large outer body and unattractive appearance. due to my age i feel this car unsuitable in appearance however i give high marks to reliablity because this car gets me from locations a to b with moderate gas consumtion.

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  97 Blazer - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Gregoryj - May 20 - 2:00 am

  Nice riding car, ergnomics are super. Push button 4 wheel drive, nice leather interior on LT models. Sporty wheels.

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  Great car for the money - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By mcland1 - May 18 - 2:00 am

  There is probably no other car available with the similar load of features in the same price range. Plenty of low end torque helps you be in cotrol, tons of space inside, 5 stars for safety, very economical use of gas, many well thought features, huge trunk, comfortable seats.

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  1998 AWD Astro van - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By Morgan5 - May 18 - 2:00 am

  This is the second Astro Van we have owned one right after the other, since 1990, These vans are great in all kinds of weather, and road conditions, the AWD is the only way to go.........I have had only one problem that I consider a engineering problem and it is that the rear air conditioning has a line running from front to back, that has a tendency to wear at the brackets, costing close to 300.00 to fix! Other then that if you take care of this vehicle, it is extremely dependable. Sold the 1990 to a couple, with 125,000 miles on it and it is still in near perfect shape. Even my auto repair shop was impressed with that van!

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  great ride - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By krob - May 18 - 2:00 am

  So far the vehicle has operated flawlessly. The ride is smooth. The handling is great, and the power is awesome. The fuel economy is not wonderful, but the smooth ride was a pleasant surprise.