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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  Car - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Chris Johnson - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Nice

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  my 97 tahoe - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By rebecca - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Ive Been very happy with my Tahoe. Ive had it for 3 years now. And just this year have some magor repairs like the pitman arm, seal leaks, gasket replacements.

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  Useful Good Value for $ - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By Jedmunds - March 25 - 2:00 am

  Crew cab while only for people in a pinch is a sound trade off for bed length. Its dry warm place for the dog or what you want to carry and in some cases it is import and becquse it is secure. The bed extender helps hauling capacity but you are doing a little extra tie down on plywood sheets and lumber. The truck rides well and the power plant while it would be great with a tech update that produces more power and better fuel economy moves the truck into traffic. All the accesories are a real value as this vehicle has some heavy discounts making a real value.

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  Unhappy Customer - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By japonica - March 25 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Malibu for 11mos and have changed rotors twice-the first time was the day after I drove the car off the lot. My automatic doorlocks, lock/unlock when I drive. My hazard lights and turning signals work sometimes. Overall I like the car & have gotten used it but the trouble I have to go through to leave it at the dealer for repairs is incovenient. My gripe is with the manufacturer. The car needs to be recalled. My father is a Chevy-man. He has owned a El Camino and currently owns a Corvette, S10 Pick-up, and 2001 Blazer. So, I went from Toyota to Chevy. Im not a converted fan. Matter of fact, I plan to trade-in this one soon.

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  1999 S-10 ZR-2 5-Speed - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By Very Pleased - March 24 - 2:00 am

  Best vehicle Ive ever owned. Zero defects from the factory and a grand total of ONE in three years. I liked it so much I bought a ZR-2 Blazer for my girlfriend.

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  1999 S-10 ZR-2 5-Speed - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By Very Pleased - March 24 - 2:00 am

  Ill be 50 this year and this is easily the best built vehicle I have ever owned. It came from the factory with zero defects and with three years of use in Anchorage, Alaska, which isnt the easiest climate on vehicles, it had a whopping total of one defect in three years. Excellent job Chevy.

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  Far superior to the competiton - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jon Dillingham - March 23 - 2:00 am

  This is an outstanding vehicle Ive really loved mine. It is a bit marginal on power but even saying that it is far far superior to the competion which is dismal to marginally adequate at best. I glad I own mine, a few little things have gone wrong but I jsut have good things to say about it I wish my lease wasnt up

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  Problems with knocking when turning left - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By lovetodrive - March 22 - 2:00 am

  I too have had the knocking sound/feel when turning left. This was at about 35000 miles. I believe the wording of the problem involved the intermediate steering shaft?? Also before that I had problems with the turn signals not working all the time. It took two trips to the dealer to fix that. If it were not for the mechanical problems, I would keep this car forever. I love the overall car. The ride and the handling is great. I am getting 27 mpg which is outstanding for the size of the engine.

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  Great Van - 2000 Chevrolet Astro
  By Backintime - March 22 - 2:00 am

  This is a great van. Its Tall and have lot of space and great cargo area. Rear seat dont reclined and they are very heavy and difficult to remove. I wish it did have a rear stereo and TV to keep the kids busy.

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  Astro Review - 2002 Chevrolet Astro
  By Houstonastro - March 22 - 2:00 am

  I found this vechicle to be very reliable. After 2 years of service, only the original battery has failed. For my purpose it has served me well in hauling boy scouts for campouts as well as family vacations. I selected the Astro van over other mini-vans because it is on a truck frame, the usable interior space & seating, and the superior gas milage compared to SUVs with comparable interior space.