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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  Awesome vehicle - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By simplefello - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I currently own 2000 z-71. I love the truck, needless to say. It handles excellent offroad, and the 5.3l v8 has plenty of power and torc to get you out of some sticky situations while offroad. I would recommend this vehicle, and although I have not had any problems, I would recommend purchasing the extended warranty. The warranty is not expensive, and if you dont get it you cannot get it when your warranty runs out. good luck.

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  Hard Fax - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Practical Engineer - January 9 - 10:00 am

  Drove 1500 miles in the first month. No problems; handled a near miss with another car and it handled more like a car than a truck. Gas milage really depends on weight of foot ( wife 18.5mpg Me 19.5mpg both around town). Comfortable ride, best SUV for the road save for the yet to be proven Murano.

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  Functional Fun - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By larry - January 9 - 8:55 am

  This is my first American car in over 20 years. Im very satisified. This auto has the space I need, with cool retro styling, and the right mix of power and economy. I dont cary a load every day but when I do this car can do the job excellently. Im very pleased with the smooth ride, very comfortable and easy to get in & out. This is a great buy!

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  Z34 3.4 Engine Timing Belt Poor Design - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By 93 Lumina Z34 Coupe - January 9 - 7:21 am

  I bought the Z34 Lumina 2 years ago and and was told that the timing belt had been replaced and would need to be done at 111000 miles. I have only driven 5000 miles since I bought it. Had not a single problem until just after it passed inspection 2 years after I purchase it, in one day it needed a water pump new serpetine belt, oil pan gasket, oil pump.and water pump. If I did not keep in garage and drive it so little these problems would have shown up in a month or two, most likely. I hear that the timing belt replacement every 60k is a must. The ABS brakes never worked and the ABS dash light came on right after 2 yr inspection. I understand that in NJ that is not cause to fail. Great otherwise

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  HHR Rocks - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Scott - January 9 - 5:56 am

  The LT2 with all options gets all the looks on the highway from everyone who sees it. It is peppy but still has good mileage. A family of four is very comfortable for long trips, and the large gas tank provides many miles between fillups.

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  Chevy got mine right! - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By denny270 - January 9 - 2:23 am

  Purchasing Sivlerado new was a very smart move for me. At the time Im writing this I have 185,000 miles on the thing. Im on my third set of rear break pads, I replaced the fronts at 173,000 miles. The only currrent issue is a very small amount of surface rust on the rocker panels (rust is expected in Michigan). Ive got the 4.8 liter, it just keeps running and getting around 18MPG(average). I had to replace the drivers window motor at 39,000 miles, the instrument cluster and drive shaft replacement were both warrenty work.

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  HHR SL - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Steve - January 9 - 2:20 am

  Great small hauler. Good with the family and has the power and interior room to make it more than just transportation. Good mileage and I disagree with others who say it doesnt handle well. I am a Ford man but was intrigued by the HHR and now am glad I bought one.

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  Safety First - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Safety First - January 8 - 5:32 pm

  So I bought this used Suburban about 3 months ago with about 66000 miles on it. I was looking forward to many years, but it only lasted 3 months. A lady ran a red light, and I hit her Tahoe in the side at 55 MPH. I cant say enough about this truck. I hit the other lady so hard that one of my headlights was stuck in the side of her car, yet I was not hurt at all. I was able to walk around right after the accident. Sure I was sore the next week from the force of the impact, but considering how hard the impact was I am amazed at how my lack of injury. I will definately be buying another one. I know that I am safe in this vehicle. Thanks GM!

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  A Waste of Engineering - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By ArcadeTom - January 8 - 4:21 pm

  We bought three identical ones for our company. So far two of the three have been very unreliable. One had the transmission completely rebuilt under warranty at 15000 and the second rebuilt at 26000. On all three the AWD is a complete joke. If you take off quickly on wet pavement you will spin the front tires for 1 or 2 seconds before the AWD engages. In snow and ice it is a complete joke. Leave it at home and drive something else. The center "console" is a joke as well as the location of the parking brake. It makes you wonder if a freshman design student came up with the plans. Really loud wind noise at speed on the highway that the dealers cannot remove.

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  A great bet - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Luke - January 8 - 2:21 pm

  Although not the most stylish or fast, this is truly a reliable car. First one that I bought and owned, I havent had a major problem after 60,000 miles of driving. The only problems were a burnt out light bulb in the dash, and a little leaking brake fluid now that my brakes are getting to the point of needing replacement. It handles fairly well in the snow with the cooper tires on it. The side air bags give it a good safety rating, and the overdrive on the Lsi means great gas mileage. I know theres a Chevy emblem on the front but theres "Toyota Corolla" printed on the gas cap ) Its just a good, solid car.