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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  Great Z71 - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Rapowitz - November 9 - 2:00 am

  We just bought an 03 Suburban Z71. Its for my wife and she loves the car! We were looking at smaller imports (Touareg & FX35), but for les than those, you get a loaded to the brim full size 7-seater. We added a 10" DVD screen and Garmin navigator and still right at $40K all-in. It drives like a dream and can handle anything. Those imports are very nice, but just not practical if you have small kids like we do. With 2500 on the odometer, no problems at all. Avg 12.5 MPG in the city. If you stay 65-70 MPH (hard to do)on the highway, you get 19 MPG. Bumping it to 75 MPH reduces the MPG to 17 - its on regular gas though. We love this truck!

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  Corvette - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Solar Fry - November 8 - 2:00 am

  Love this car. Great take off power, beats the pants off all BMW z4s. Top speed to date 155 on speedo. Still has more to go. Love to see it with a 600hp 427V8..

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  Its all I had hoped and more - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Firemansgirl - November 7 - 10:00 am

  Only have 6,700 miles on my car or so, but so far so good. I bought this after owning a Lumina Euro for 7 years. Keep up the good work Chevy! Great gas mileage and since the LS didnt look much different than the SS I get a break on insurance as well but still a fine lookin ride. WOO HOO! The only thing Id change is the color...big dummy I got yet another black car and man is it a pain to keep clean!

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  Love it - 1996 Chevrolet Suburban
  By G. Garrison - November 7 - 2:00 am

  Due to an accident I had to make a quick decision and buy a used vehicle in a very short amount of time. I found my Suburban at a small road side dealer and couldnt believe the shape it was in. I took ownership of the truck and drove it 1000 miles to Missouri from Florida THAT DAY without a hitch, burp or hiccup. What an amazing vehicle. I was especially impressed with the fuel mileage I got. Almost 17 on the open road loaded. Lots of room and more power than I could have hoped for. I am very happy with my 96 and will keep it until it finally dies. If this is any idication or future performance, Im going to have it a very long time.

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  1999 Chevorlet, Cavilier - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Elizabeth Pullum - November 7 - 2:00 am

  To whom it may concern: To let you know that my car has been a great service to me and still going strong.

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  reliable four door - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Scott4 - November 7 - 2:00 am

  no mechanical problems. only had to change oil and replace brake pads

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  What an suv - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Ed of Union - November 6 - 5:40 pm

  Just the vehicle I dreamed of. It comes with all the amenities expected in a contemporary SUV.Just the feel and looks of it brings joy; with great MPG, you cannot ask for anything else.

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  2003 suburban (More people per gallon) - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By maztec1 - November 6 - 2:00 am

  Fuel milage could be better. But over all this has been a very good truck. No problems to report yet other than a couple of small loose trim concerns on the interior. The dealership service has been top notch. This truck also handles our 29ft. travel trailer with ease, a very stable combination.Also the "on-star" system is a very welcome option is works well.

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  HHR one of the best cars I have owned - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Anissa - November 5 - 8:13 pm

  The car is fun to drive and get great gas mileage. And gas mileage is the main reason I purchsed the car to begin with. Now I just love driving the car.

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  Real Performer Plus - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Walkabout - November 5 - 6:40 am

  I purchased the 2-LT with the optional V-6 engine 264 HP. Im glad I did. Planning on lots of X-country & long haul driving. Got 22.5 mpg on the first 300 mile trip. Expecting more as engine breaks in. Once I got used to how the trans shifted I was able to really make the car move out. Very smooth and powerful acceleration. Very fast and sure. The manual shift feature really adds a sportiness to the performance. Very sure footed and sporty ride. Feels great as speed. Corners real well steering is responsive and accurate. Interior design nice.Gauges easy to see and read. Night gauge and dash lights are cool. Remote start fog lights rear backup camara nice. Dual exhaust looks and sounds great