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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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By virtual geezer - November 26 - 2:00 am

  My wife chose this truck at the time I would not have chosen such a large vehicle. However, after over two years of trouble-free performance, Im a believer. Our Minnesota winters are harsh the snow, sand and salt are tough on everything. But after two winters, our 2002 Tahoe still looks and performs as new. These are handsome, comfortable and durable vehicles.

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  Great for the REAL world! - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By KensZ71 - November 26 - 2:00 am

  5 months & 4500 miles & I love my Z71. Wow,the visceral feel of nailing the throttle on those 285 ponies. Yowie! Everything is still tight and rattle free. It fits my 62" frame better than any other vehicle Ive been in. it handles great and the tranny shifts are seemles. Gas mileage is good. 15mpg around town (come on people its 285hp pushing around 2 and a half tons, be realistic). It feels, dare I say almost sporty around town and down right plush on the highway. The Bose stereo kicks butt as does the Autotrac system. The incentives were great and the resale should be above average as well.

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  Love it! - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Ali - November 25 - 4:10 pm

  Having two small children, I did my research and decided on the Cobalt. I was very surprised at the roominess the back seat had. Most sedans I looked at had little if any room in the back. The 4 cylinder engine surprised me with its quickness. It handles & rides great. Gas mileage is awesome. I went from having to fill the tank 3 times a week with my SUV to only once a week with the Cobalt. The standard options were enough for me. However the car did come with a few extraÂ’s including anti-lock breaks. For an inexpensive car it has an expensive look. While at work I get at least one person a day, if not more, wanting to look at the car and asking questions about it. Chevy did an awesome job.

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  Very impressed, good buy - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By howellad - November 25 - 10:46 am

  We purchased the car in late February after waiting 8 weeks for delivery. We were nervous about a GM purchase, but this vehicle is all we had hoped for after 2 months of ownership. We love the style and its drivability. Interior is of great feel and appearance. We love the center console and it is in easy reach of the driver. The navigation system is amazing, we find the seating very comfortable and roomy. We admit we hope the mileage will improve but we have done little freeway driving at this point. The Equinox handled our spring Colorado snows storms with no issues. The quality of the sound system is impressive and easy to use. Congratulations Chevy you got the Equinox right.

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  I LOVE MY AVEO - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By G.D.L. - November 25 - 10:00 am

  I RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW AVEO IN 4/04. I LOVE IT, I TRAVEL ABOUT 70 MILES A DAY BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND ITS GREAT ON GAS. ABOUT 43-45 MILES PER GALLON. I HAVE 6,245 MILES ON IT. I GOT A GREAT DEAL ALSO, MY OTHER CAR WAS AN 88 FESTIVA,SO I GOT NO TRADE IN ALL SAID AND DONE WITH 2000 DOWN I WALKED INTO ONE (WITH THE 5 YEAR 100,000 MILE BUMPER TO BUMPER EXTENDED WARRANTY) FOR 9,124 DOLLARS. I THOUGHT IT WAS A STEAL, I AM NOW SEEING THEM FOR 9,000 WITH A 3,500 TRADE IN AND 3,000 DOWN. I BELEIVE THEY WERE A GOOD SELLER SO THE PRICE WENT UP. GREAT JOB CHEVY YOU HAVE A WINNER AND A LONG TIME NEW CUSTOMER!!!!!!!

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  Get One! - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By dano8710 - November 25 - 10:00 am

  The Impala SS is a really sharp looking car for starters. Sure, its a 4 door sedan but, its not grandmas Impala. Start the engine and you can tell that theres fun going to happen. Nice exhaust tone....and fairly subdued until you punch it and watch the S/C boost gauge; smooth power and torque when you want it. Im glad that Chevy brought it back.....and you can get one with no options (standard features are plenty for me) for right around 22K, after all the rebates !

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  Dont knock the nox! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By missvansmom - November 25 - 10:00 am

  I bought the nox about 3wks ago and so far so good. It has a spacious interior but the trim is a little cheesy. The engine has good pick up for typical driving. The ride is smooth and fairly quiet. I opted for thenox because I wanted the height of an suv for getting baby in&out of her carseat. I also wanted AWD for our N.Eastern winters. The Trailblazer was larger than what I wanted so the nox is the perfect size. I would call it a replacement suv for the Blazer/Jimmy as opposed to the Tracker. GM has come a long way w/this suv. A real contender for the Escape, Liberty, RAV-4 etc. Equinox is destined to be a top seller.

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  Buy American - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By BILL - November 25 - 6:13 am

  This car is better than my 96 Cavalier with 186,000 miles and sister-in-law is still driving it. The Cobalt is fun to drive and we get a lot of compliments on its looks. Very solid ride and feel. You feel like youÂ’re in a much bigger car.

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  Got Road! - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bajad - November 25 - 2:00 am

  A lot of car for the money and can be overpowering if you do not watch out. Very hard to not go fast as the power is quite addicting. Like driving a Harley...you get membership in a very exclusive club status. Really like the special 50th annv. red color with the shale interior. No problems to date except that we too had the rear shipping shock stuffers left on by the dealer.

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  Idle problem - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jimstaff - November 24 - 2:00 am

  Ive really enjoyed the features and performance of my Tahoe however it surges when idling. This summer it would not pull the AC and now it dies sometimes when I turn left. Dealer says it needs "throttle body clean out & reprogrammed - $300+). Im skepital about paying that. This is the second time this has occurred. First time was under warranty. Ive tried different fuel brands and grades. It does seem to run better on premium. Tahoe has 75,000 miles. If this is resolved, all else is satisfactory. Any feedback appreciated.