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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  1 year later, still love it - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By teflonjpr - November 1 - 6:24 pm

  We have owned our Avalanche for 1 year, and still are glad we bought it. Fuel mileage has increased, now getting about 21-22 mpg if we keep the speed at or below 75 mph. The 4 cyl mode started kicking in noticeably more once we passed 15,000 miles. Some minor squeaks started in the trim, but tighentened a couple of screws and they have gone away. Only minor problem we have had is with the door handle pulls, metal has started to delaminate from the plastic at the edges, fixed it with super-glue until we can get it into the dealer. Its a cross country machine, 500+ mi on a tank of gas, 1000+ mi a day with minimal driver fatigue. Makes the trip between Reno & LA a breeze.

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  Sad to see her go. - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By FastZinNC - November 1 - 10:00 am

  My Camaro has been my most entertaining car to date. Id like to address some of the complaints that people typically have about this car: 1) Ride quality: Its solid rear axle isnt going to provide a silky smooth ride, but it isnt bone-jarring either. 2) Build quality: as with all cars: if you beat it, it will break. The F-body has amazing mod potential, and people tend to go overboard with mods, and then complain about their cars breaking. 3) Noise: If you dont appreciate the throaty purr of a V8 at idle, or the wild roar at WOT, then you werent meant for this car.

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  Chevy Avalanche - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By billyjcraw - November 1 - 10:00 am

  This truck (Z66,2x2 driving package) drives like a large car, smooth and quiet. The leather seating is comfortable, power is good. Turning radius leaves something to be desired. The styling is definitely for a particular taste. I like that Im getting a scaled down Cadillac Escalade (Same frame and body is used but with little style and cosmetic changes).Im interested in how reliable it will turn out to be. Ive picked up an annoying speed related noise coming from under the hood at about mile 3,000.

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  Love It! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Cruisin - November 1 - 10:00 am

  My husband and I have had our Avalanche for 5 months and we love it. It handles great on the road, very smooth, has room for our children and we can still carry everything in back.

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  Great Small Car - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By GAR - November 1 - 8:25 am

  This is a great small car. Easy to drive, easy to park, and very smooth and comfortable for being on a truck frame. It will be sad some day to give this car up as it is the last of the really small affordable SUVs.

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  Great Buy - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By nick - October 31 - 11:17 pm

  If youre looking for an SUV look into this Chevy. Yea, the gas mileage is terrible, but it handles great, has great looks, and plenty of cargo space. The styling cues are great, and with the usual large Chevy rebate you can get this truck affordably! This is a must consider

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  Horrible Quality - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By B - October 31 - 9:23 pm

  This car has horrible build quality. I have to be back to the dealer at least one time per month to have something fixed. My car has leaked water inside of it already and it didnt even have 9000 miles on it! Do not buy this car at all. Do yourself a favor an buy an import!!! Also have you even seen the safety ratings for this car, side impact is terrible without side- airbags, which the 08s most have on them, I wonder why that is.............

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  Still running great and smooth - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By billboo80 - October 31 - 8:06 pm

  I was a little worried about the tires that came with it, but they held up surprisingly well a year later. Leather seating and comfort allows us to take lengthy trips exceeding 6 -9 hours without aches/pains.Initial flapping noise at 60 mph was found to be front windshield plastic trim. We got it replaced. Oh yeah, there is this little thing called GM driveline lash, where there is slop in the differential, between the ring and pinion gears, so you hear a clunk when starting forward after a stop. GM says its normal...Ill keep checking.

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  2007 Malibu LS - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mike - October 31 - 6:42 pm

  I am 55 years old and have owned all brands of cars, including new Mercedes. Although the car is new and therefore reliability cannot be determined, the first impression is very favorable. The car is refined, comfortable, and tight. It gives the impression of solidity. The paint and finish are top notch. Sitting position is upright. Frankly, I couldnt believe it was such a nicely designed car, European-like. All options you would want are standard, except for the safety package which is standard next year. Safety ratings are excellent. Time will tell about reliability, but out of the box its pretty much a home run.

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  Great SUV - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kshelleyb - October 31 - 7:51 am

  I like feeling that Im in a large SUV without the large SUV gas mileage. The Equinox is a quiet comfortable ride with the rear backup camera and the myLink system.