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 - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 2fast 4u - September 11 - 2:00 am

  Looks great and runs even better. High styling with power to spare. The 50th Anniversary color is beautiful, especially in the sun. This model is very quite on the road except for the great sound from the exhaust system. Its a keeper.

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  Love it - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Shell - September 10 - 5:00 am

  I love this car. We recently got rid of my husbands pickup and I went from driving a Tahoe to this and I think it is great

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  New veh review - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Billk - September 10 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle gets around very easily and is responsive to driver inputs.The acceleration is quite adequate for a vehicle of this size.Having driven a Windstar with a larger engine during my evaluation process, I find the smaller engine very adequate and the fuel economy offers a savings in fuel costs.

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  the best - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By petecamaro - September 9 - 2:00 am

  it is a great car. it is so much fun to drive.

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  Best American Sport Car - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Kino A - September 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought a 2000 AT Corvette and fell in love with it, but i wasnt too happy about the AT transmission, so i thought i would try a more comfortable car and i bought a Mercedes. All it took was 3 days in that Mercedes and i had to get rid of and went and bought me My Vette Back, 03 yellow, i tell u what...a Dream Come true! i will always have one

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  Old reliable - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Massimo - September 8 - 2:00 am

  We got "Lumi", as I call her, back in Jan. 2k w/ 180k on it from my father-in- law, who purchased it new. "Lumi" has been a pleasure to own. She currently has 232k on the orig. drivetrain and continues to run beautifully. the 3.1L v6 runs like a top and rear disc option is nice. Only things I have done are maintenence items. This car just keeps on going.. and cosistantly knocks off 24 mpg avg. I highly recommend this car to anyone, young, old, married w/ family, or single. Comfort, reliable, economical. Its currently up for sale, because my wife wants to update our vehicles, but man Im reluctant to sell this "GEM".

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  Excellent - worth every penny! - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By KYfarmer - September 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought this truck, b/c I get the GM family discount. However, I would have bought it even if I didnt get the discount. It is fun to drive, not hard to park & is great when I need to load large objects. I still have room for groceries when I have my childerns stollers in the back - love it!

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  Excellent Ride! - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By jeslynall - September 7 - 8:36 pm

  I bought this car with 62K and now have 112K on it. I am in love with the car and cant say that I have has any serious problems besides over $2K in brake work which is linked morely to mechanic than Chevy itself. Monte Carlo is definitely worth the cost and definitely gets looks everytime I drive it! I gave it a 8 on fuel economy because no matter what you do (especially if you are lead footed like me) you wont get much more that 18 MPG, which is actually good for a V6!

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  Impala 2007 - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Toledo - September 7 - 5:50 pm

  Driving is smooth. Nice dashboard controls and space design up front. Remote starter sometimes shuts off too early. Back seat is not for tall people, but what back seat is these days. Trunk has plenty of room for a nice long trips. Exterior design is streamlined and modern. Enough power for the average driver. I like what I ride so far!

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  This car is the best! - 1990 Chevrolet Corsica
  By jman6 - September 7 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this car from my grandma in 2001 with 26,000 miles on it. It is VERY reliable and quite fast too. I beat Civics all the time in racing. I love my Corsica and wouldnt give it up for any other car. The only thing that is bad about this car is the paint job. As soon as I get that done then it will be perfect. If you treat these cars with respect then they will give you many miles and years of reliable service.