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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  Never buying GM again - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Tiger - October 28 - 8:41 am

  Look up information before buying the 2000 or surrounding years. It has been nothing but problems. As soon as we hit 60k, things have just been in constant repair and I do all schedule maint. also. From Cheap alloy causing the recliner levels to snap off, Oil cooler lines going bad EVERY 14k miles (issue because of way GM routed them), Door hinges coming off after 130k. Clogged heater cores costing another $1k to fix, ball bearings and joints, Differentials. THis car is costing us an extra $100/month ever year to keep up but we cant afford another car loan at the same time. Do your research through google or anywhere else first. Worst vehicle I have ever owned. NO MORE GM for me.

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  Think Twice! - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By WWooten - October 27 - 6:48 pm

  Everything has went wrong with this car. It has been a huge money pit. Make sure to have an inspection done prior to purchasing. I have had problems with everything from the transmission to the fuse box.

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  Dont buy a Colorado - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By kwhitehorn - October 24 - 12:30 pm

  I am a devoted Chevy supporter, but I wish I would have not purchased this GM product. I havent had the truck 2 years and my transmission needs to be repaired (cost $2500). I can not begin to understand how the torque converter overheated causing the 2nd and 4th bands to lock up so it will not shift into gear (its an automatic). Since I have had the truck, it was not calibrated correctly to make a left hand u-turn, you have to back up and make 2 or 3 attempts to complete a left handed u-turn. I have had issues with the tailgate lock not unlocking. This is a poor product GM has come up with to replace the S-10. Gas mileage is horrible, I only get 18 mpg on the highway. Recall had to fix 2x.

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  Dangerous Turbo Lag - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Nolij - October 18 - 3:13 am

  Not recommended. Purchased in 2012 with 20,000 miles. Currently at 49,500 miles in 2016. Needed a $1000 AC repair in 2015 but that could have been a fluke. Its good on gas and fairly comfortable for a small car. Cargo room is also decent for the size. Im 61" and the side pillar makes looking over my shoulder difficult (the pillar is right next to my head when the seat is back in a comfortable position). Those flaws are forgivable if the price is right. However, the inconsistent turbo response has almost gotten me in several accidents. Sometimes you have power off the line, sometimes you have absolutely zero power for 5 seconds. Ive had left turns become very scary as I essentially idle through the intersection while oncoming traffic approaches (pedal to the metal with no wheel spin and hardly any RPMs). Stop and go traffic at 30 mph is also super annoying as you go from zero power one second to full power the next when the turbo kicks in. If you value being able to predict how much acceleration you have, then dont get a Cruze with the turbo.

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  What a disappointment - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Hate Chevys Now - October 14 - 7:50 pm

  Wow! I loved the style. I loved the deal. But like mama always said "that which is too good to be true, probably is". After 8 trips to the dealer, they are finally replacing the steering colunm, brake rotors, tie rod ends, ball joints, and brake rotors. These have all gone bad within the 16215 miles I have driven this year. This car rattles, shakes and shimmys its way down the road with great style. Too bad it has a four speed auto when most others have a 6spd auto. I cannot wait to get rid of this car, but its value is still plummeting like a comet falling from the sky. If build quality and rattles with no hint of dealer help do not bother you, please buy mine, it is for sale.

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  falling apart - 2000 Chevrolet Astro
  By Joe Horton - October 12 - 8:31 am

  Ive put 40000 miles in 3 years since I had it. I must admitt its a good runner with the 4.3 6cyl. but simple things are going wrong that should not happen. Expect to replace the drivers power window motor cuz everyone Ive talk to had a problem. Front and rear air you will have a major leak from front to back. You want your fuel guage to work forget it. How about lights behind the radio just drive when the suns out. I like the dutch doors except for the famous rust under the lift window. And IM retireed UAW oh well.

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  Wont buy another one - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By PeterK - October 12 - 7:49 am

  Nothing but problems. Transmission had to be replace after 65,000 miles, passenger seat back handle broke twice, both CV joints replaced, gas tank pump and sending unit replaced, dashboard lights up like a christmas tree randomly.

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  HHR=Horrible Horrible Ride - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Brandon Mayo - October 11 - 4:49 pm

  I have owned my HHR for less than 3 months and it has been in the shop for a total of a month and a half. It rattles squeeaks and shakes and the front end sounds like it is falling out from under it. DO NOT BUY ONE! Check out some of the forums on the internet. I sure wish I had before buying mine. Truly sad because the car looks good and I love the features. Hoping they will buy it back!

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  2005 impala police package - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By d.sampath - October 9 - 2:33 pm

  This car is driven by myself only as a municipal vehicle, it has had a rattle in the front end and been back to the dealer 3 times for this in addition to 3 fan belts. I dont know how in Police Officer could drive one of these uncomfortable, rattle boxes all day long truly a mistake in buying this car.

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  Dont be fooled by its looks - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By tankerman1919 - October 4 - 9:00 pm

  I was in the army and this was my first car coming out. I now sell cars. Dont get the 3.4 Monte. Its no good. At 45K new tranny. At 60K intake leak. Now Ive got lifter noise. But cant afford to have it fixed. I mean this car looked OK. But far from the best. I would rather have my old 89 Honda Civic again. At least I knew it would run everyday.