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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  03 1500 2Dr Stepside 4x4 - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By ZL-1 - July 27 - 2:00 am

  I am very happy with my purchase and I am glad I got the 5.3. The gas milage is about the same as the V6, however the power is above and beyond. The workmanship is outstanding for an assembly line vehicle. The gas milage and performance will improve with the addition of Gibson headers and a K&N Induction system.

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  Silverado did it again! - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Scar - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned all of the big three and drove all of them before I purchased my new 03 Silverado LT Z71 ExtCab. Nothing comes close to the performance, style, economy, safety for the dollar! I like a truck that is built like a truck and rides like a luxury car. Way to go Chevrolet!

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  My Dream Truck! - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dancer - July 27 - 2:00 am

  MY BOYFRIEND BOUGHT ONE AND LOVED IT. I DROVE ONE AND LIKED IT TOO. AFTER READING YOUR CONSUMER RATINGS, I KNEW THIS WAS THE ONE I WANTED. IT DOES IT ALL SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE REST. COMFORT, LOOKS, AND GET-UP-AND-GO!! FEEL SORRY FOR THE 2 FELLAS THAT RATED IT AT 1.0 THEY DIDNT HAVE A REASON AND PROBABLY WOULDNT KNOW A GOOD TRUCK IF THEY GOT RUN INTO.

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  08 Silverado W/T Base - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jim - July 26 - 8:10 pm

  Wanted a base longbed truck for basic transportation- prices have dropped as dealers have a glut of these trucks. Very happy with performance, satisfied with price. Gas mileage is running less than my 05 W/T, which I expected. Overall, it gets lots of compliments.

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  Love It - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By hhrider - July 26 - 4:56 am

  "Her Hignesses Ride" is what I call it! I love it, drives like a sports car, works like an SUV, eats like a compact, great gas mileage! Its like a computer on wheels. Love them gadgets and read outs! Love the solid feel, the way it hugs the road. I feel safe and secure in it. Only fault is the center console design, they kinda screwed up the cup holders, but I knew that going into it. If you want to use the cup holder, you might as well forget using the arm rest. But, all the other great features out way that.

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  Colorado - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By crack007 - July 26 - 12:16 am

  I have 2500 miles on the truck. Taken two trips totaling 800 miles getting about 25 mpg on highway and 18-20 normal driving. Pulls 3000 pound boat ok. Seems kind of small from the Z71 ext cab I bought new in 04 but traded for gas mileage and it is doing better than the 14-15 the Z got. If getting the 4cyl, go with the 5 speed if you plan to do any pulling. It will run highway speed with a load in 4th without much trouble but 5th is useless with a trailer. As far as driving empty, it has plenty of power, havent had to take it past 5000 rpm yet when pulling or passing. Mine has the 3.73 gear ratio I think this is the best ratio as it would be turning a lot or rpms in 4th with the 4.10.

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  Cavalier --- Sporty, Fun and a best buy - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Corinne - July 25 - 11:06 pm

  This is the second Cavalier I have owned. I put right at 100,000 miles with little more than oil changes, tires, a couple air filters and a set of brakes. My new Cavalier has the new 2.2l EcoTech motor that has ample power and I get about 27 miles to the gallon in town. With all the standard features like 4 wheel ABS brakes, air conditioning and a cd player, its in my opinion a "BEST BUY" among compact small cars.

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  2001 Cavalier - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Linda - July 25 - 9:52 pm

  This vehicle is GREAT! I got into a wreck where another driver hit me head on, and broke my windsheild and also made my airbags bust. But my engine was in GOOD shape nothing happened to it. Thank God!! This goes to show you that the engine in this car is GREATLY MADE!

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  Nearly perfect - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By bob k - July 25 - 5:55 pm

  I expected my new Tahoe to be great and that it is. Good riding, fun to drive and fuel mileage is what I expected based on the window sticker. 2nd row captain seats are comfy and allow easy access to the rear. If I had to complain about anything at all, it would be the 3rd row seats not folding into the floor.

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  2007 Chevy Malibu LS - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Timothy J. Konopka - July 25 - 3:24 pm

  I purchased my Malibu on July 6, 2007 and am extremely happy with it. The build quality, i.e. fit, finish and mechanics are exceptional! I was very surprised with how powerful the 2.2 four cylinder is. This car handles very well and is fun to drive! I needed a fuel efficient car since I drive 80 miles a day to work and Chevy did not disappoint with an average of 28.5 miles per gallon. An exceptional value.