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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  I like my truck - 1993 Chevrolet S-10
  By TxTruk - February 27 - 6:51 pm

  V6, 5 spd. manual. Replaced rear main seal, clutch, pressure plate @ 50K. Most milage is trips over 30 miles.

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  Ive Been Happy! - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Michael B - February 27 - 6:12 pm

  Purchased this car w/ 24K.Bought it to enjoy w/top down. Comparble convertible of this size & quality would have cost much more. Been extremely pleased w/reliability of this car. Normal wear & tear things replaced.Power top works great. Still get great comments on car & can keep up with rest of traffic when I am not leading it. Get in the 30s for mpg. Drove this car w/ top down into new millenium. Give it a chance! So far I have put 58K on mine for a total of 82K.

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  Observations - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By D Webster - February 26 - 4:08 pm

  As a previous Dodge Caravan owner, Im happy with the Venture, and find it as good a vehicle as I might have expected from Chrysler. Gas Mileage is good, it has a solid feel, is peppy enough for a minivan, and has a good ride and a good turning radius. It has the standard 3.4 litre, six cylinder engine and automatic transmission.

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  a good knockabout - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jbert - February 26 - 12:24 pm

  This is the third Cavalier in the family and all have been reliable, even into their older age. It sure isnt fancy -- lots of cheap plastic -- but its kept on running w/ basic maintenance for 10 years and 100K miles.

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  New S-10 - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By gjc866 - February 25 - 6:06 pm

  Just purchased this S-10 two weeks ago, already logged 1100 miles on it. Fun truck to drive, very nice interior. 4 cylinder with automatic a little weak, but easy on gas. Thats the trade off -power or economy. Felt better than the Ford Ranger I drove, tighter, and less expensive vs features than the Dodge Dakota which was also very, very nice.

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  As good as the imports - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By al - February 23 - 5:36 pm

  Purchased my new Colbalt in Feb. Already have a 2004 Saturn ION and even though I like the ION very much it is no comparison to the Cobalt. This car is solid inside and out no squecks or rattles and a great attention to detail. Without a doubt the most quiet economy car I have been in. GM keep up the good work America will eventually figure it out.

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  Dream car - tempered by reliability - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bob - February 21 - 2:23 pm

  Buying a new 2005 Corvette was a long awaited "dream" event for me. My initial excitement at owning and driving a car that not only looks great and drives great has been severely tempered by the fact that the car has suffered repeated reliability problems (mostly on the same issue) that have left the car in the shop for over 30 days in the first 1700 miles of ownership. Hopefully this will be resolved and I can actually start to enjoy my new vehicle for the reasons that I bought it for: looks and driving excitement!

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  Used 99 Tahoe 4WD LT - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By afdsjr - February 20 - 1:17 pm

  I purchased the vehicle used with 38,000 miles. I have taken the Tahoe on a couple of trips and have enjoyed having the V8 and the space. I had the dealership perform the 45,000 mile service on the car. I have noticed only one thing out of the ordinary with my Tahoe. The lights both interior and exterior flicker with the car running. I am not sure what the problem is ,because I have a new battery. Any ideas?

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  yellow is HOT - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By lettuce47 - February 18 - 10:00 am

  Was the first yellow Monte in Pa. Love the car and the performance off the line for a V-6. Sleek body design, and the gas mileage is outstanding. Have 22k on Monte now, with absolutely no problems. Love this car...

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  Best of the bunch - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By wmcneil - February 17 - 10:26 pm

  This is an awesome truck. They added just the right balance of features. Everything that I wanted and almost nothing that I would not use. The suspension is a little soft in the twistys, but perfect everywhere else. The only thing that bugs me a little is a blank area on the dash. It is saved for the transmission temp on the HD model.