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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  2.4L SS is sweet! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Quick SS - September 18 - 9:20 pm

  What a sweet car! The new Cobalt is a GREAT improvment over the Cavalier. The Cobalt has great looks inside and out is is really fun to drive. Have the first SS in the area and Im getting all the looks!

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  Quality Costs less - 1992 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Funone - September 18 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car as 14 years old with just under 36,000 miles. It looks and rides like just off the show room floor. Red with Red interior, 6 speed and all the fun you can pack into the CD with Beach Boys music. It is ALL AMERICAN low end grunt with V8 horse power! Gas mileage is great on the highway as 23 MPH and city driving at 18. My Jeep only gets 18 highwat and 14 city. Other claims of Vette milage like a Honda civic are just not true.

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  Camaro, Camaro, Camaro... I love it... - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By KingSnake - September 18 - 2:00 am

  Well, I wanted a car that could out perform all my little import friends and hang with the big boys, the camaro gave me that. Even though I have a 3.8L V6 I can out perform honda civics and Celicas. I have heard numerous people say dont get this car because it is not all that, its heavy and slow, and insurance is sky high. Well, the car is heavy and it can be slow (only because you arent pressing the gas hard enough to accelerate like a rocket), and buying this car will force you to shop around for auto insurance. Oh yah, the automatic transmission does sap some punch but there is enough torque that it doesnt effect the performance that much.

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  2000 Chevrolet Suburban - 2000 Chevrolet Suburban
  By balvord - September 18 - 2:00 am

  This is our family hauler. With 4 kids it is the schoolbus of choice for us. Going to car shows, it pulls our 55 Chevy Bel Air on a car trailer with ease. Highly recommended for big families and towing.

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  Owned 30 vettes - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Eddie RJ - September 18 - 2:00 am

  Best vette convertible I ever owned. Had a gauge burn out and thats it in 62,000 miles. Changed tires to Firestone Firehawk for better all round performance. Car turns heads and always gets comments. Love the red/tan color and its a pleasure to own. Had over 30 vettes and this is the most pleasurable yet.

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  A very high quality, high value used car - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By robs6wagon - September 17 - 4:06 am

  I just recently purchased a 2006 black SS with every GM option, including the gorgeous black leather seats, XM, 6 disc, Bose, sunroof, etc. The driving experience is nothing short of exhilarating! The ride is very comfortable and smooth, especially for a sport suspension. The lines are beautifully sculpted on this car, both inside and out! The sound of the ultra smooth V8 coming out of those polished exhaust tips is better than many classic hot rods! I am looking forward to many miles of thoroughly enjoyable driving. If you are looking for the ultimate drivers package in a mid/large size sedan, the Impala SS is your car!

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  2002 Camaro - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Pitpens - September 17 - 2:00 am

  I love this car!!

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  50th anv. - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By MARTOIA - September 17 - 2:00 am

  great car very fast, tour ride makes a big improvement

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  2003 Chevy Tahoe 4dr LT - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Reuben James - September 17 - 2:00 am

  Suberb vehicle, plenty of room inside. Not mechanical defects to date. Seat warmer controls are too close to the window control turning the warmer on each time the window is open or closed. Runs well on regular 87 octane gas lessening the "fillup shock" of a normal high performance SUV. Great towing capability. The autoride feature is well worth the expense if you have a boat or camper.

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  Z71 Rocks! - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By mikey10_21 - September 17 - 2:00 am

  Even though I have only had my Z71 for about 1 month I LOVE it! I dont even mind paying $2.13 for fuel (too much).