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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  Cool Chevy Tahoe! - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Claire - September 10 - 12:29 am

  We love the four wheel drive! The LS model is just fine for us. It has cloth seats,no leather! Ours only seats six. That is a major drawback.

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  Still a Champ - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By DuckHunter - September 10 - 12:26 am

  I bought this truck from a family member. It was better than new then, and is pretty close now. Im amazed at the power and handling that this truck has when compared to its size. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good used truck.

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  Gee, I could have had a V-8 - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By RCHopper - September 9 - 9:56 pm

  Satelite radio, OnStar, sunroof rear wiper 4WD, trailer hitch. Comfortable ride. What more could one want? AN ENGINE, THATS WHAT! I was willing to trade down from a Tahoe and save on gas and emmisions, etc. I have a sluggish car that gets less mpg (12-15) than my I got with my V-8 Tahoe. Very dissappointed in this L6.

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  I Love My Tahoe with the Cattle Catcher! - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By penny - September 9 - 3:46 pm

  I love this vehicle. Yeh, I padi through the nose (actually still am), but I love this truck. At 93,000 miles I just replaced the fuel pump, muffler. Needs U-Joint. Hope this doesnt set precedent for continuing repairs.

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  Internal problems of the serious kind - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Alex Williamsom - September 8 - 8:14 pm

  I liked the vehicle when I purchased it in May of 2006. The truck is a 2007. I have had some major problems with it, like the main electrical switch for the door and window operations has been intermittent for some time. My air conditioner blew hot and cold simutaneously. The transmission has some major missed in it going forward and backward. Everyone can hear it, they just dont know what to do with it and how to fix it. It is at the dealer now, they thought it was finished but when we went to pick ip up, it is making the same noises in the shifting gears and they are quite loud. What does it take to get your truck fixed? We buy fleet sales for construction crews so please fix it!

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  My Dad is a Corvette/Trailblazer SS - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Dave Bjoralt - September 8 - 4:43 pm

  Have had the car about one month. Love it, have had two new C6 Corvettes a 98 & 2001. This is not a Vette but is a lot of fun anyway. My wife had a 2004 Trailblazer and wanted a new one. She wanted a sunroof and such. I wanted a Vette so we met about half way. The power is great. The gas mileage is not as bad as I thought. The first tank was on a trip over trailridge and back was 19.5 this is at 10,500 feet over sea level. It did not know we were on a hill. All the power you could use.

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  LT tahoe - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By 02duty - September 8 - 3:12 pm

  I purchased my 2005 tahoe LT with every possible option (Navi, leather,sunroof,DVD, 5.3 V8,etc). The vehicle runs great but has major flaws. First, the A/C doesnt blow cold when its hot outside.(Not a dealer fix...its just horrible) At highway speeds the wind/road noise is unbearable. The seatbelt chime is so loud I can hear it inside my house if the car is in the driveway. The tranny slips once every so often. (Dealer said this is normal?!?) Third row jump seats are too heavy. $49k sticker and no back-up sensors or keyless pad entry?! Im not a Chevy hater, Ive had them before...but give me a break. I needed the room for kids and now Im suffering. Buy the 07 or buy a toyota sequioa.

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  Reliable Car - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Andy - September 8 - 1:19 pm

  I enjoy driving my Prizm. Have only performed routine maintenance like tires and brakes in the two years since purchasing. Paid $3,500 for the car and still books around same price over two years later.

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  Best Car - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By hogan035 - September 8 - 11:46 am

  This bye far is the best car I have ever owned. Great room, performance, gas mileage, and i like the style of it even though some say they dont, I see these Malibu Maxxs all over town now, only a few in Dec of 05 but now i see them all the time, so they must be selling well. The standard features cannot be beaten in my opinion, car starter etc. and the sound system is the best i have ever had in a new car it is just awesome and will blow most aftermarket systems away in my opinion. My car is very quiet and comfortable on the road, city or highway . For those thinking about this car try it i think you will be presently surprised it is a great car for the price and features.

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  Love my HHR - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By afs - September 7 - 8:52 pm

  Ive wanted one of these since I first saw in 2005. Finally bought it as a b-day present to myself--absolutely everything I dreamed it would be! Comfortable and fun. I am a Chevrolet-gal. Its black, chrome package, chrome wheels/roof rack/running boards, gray leather, heated seats, iPod PAL, remote start, premium mats, sunroof, etc. Was going to order 2008 blue HHR, but this was too loaded to pass up and a great deal. I have had so much fun driving it and love having folks ask me about it--and Ive only had it a week! Highly recommend and look forward to many fun years of driving!