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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  My First Venture - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By LIGram - July 18 - 2:00 am

  Changing from a SUV was a bit of a challange but from the start, this vehicle was easy to enter, easy to operate and has plenty of room to take the entire family with us. One must for us is a vehicle that we can take out of state family members on tours of New York City and Ocean villages. Both are easily accomplished with our Venture. I love to shop and with the 3rd seats down can get about any furniture inside.

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  Chevy Rides Again - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By John - July 17 - 11:10 pm

  This car is first GM product I have purchased since early 70s and its deffinetly a winner for both performance and reliability. Car is also excellent in fuel economy

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  Love my Monte - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By chevy girl - July 17 - 10:36 am

  Id never been in a Monte Carlo until I test drove mine. It was love as soon as I sat in the drivers seat. Way comfortable, love how it handles. But it seems like its lost power and isnt fast enough for me anymore. It didnt hold its value as well as i was hoping it would have too but its one hell of a solid car!

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  Rated on a 1998 /and 1987 models - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By carpenter - July 17 - 2:00 am

  2nd S10 that I have owned this is on a 87/98 extended 3 door cab LS model

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  Great truck - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By bowtieguy - July 17 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my S-10 for almost 6 months and have only had 2 problems with it, both under warranty, and fixed by my local dealership in a few hours. NOt that i recommend doing it allot, ive hauled over a half ton of dirt in my little quarter ton truck. Plus its the 2.2 four. I get almost 30 miles to a gallon, and once i put a taneu on it i expect it to jump higher. I took it camping with a big load in the back and the truck never had problems accelerating, even passing on the expressway.

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  Z-28 - 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Valerie - July 17 - 2:00 am

  From the day the vehicle was purchased back in 1997 untill today 2003 we did not have any problems. If the regular oil changes and yearly check ups and brakes replacement dont count the car was never in the repair shop. One of the best vehicles we ever purchased. Still drives as the brand new.

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  Number Two and Would do it Again - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By cjfanning - July 17 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I lived in Alaska for many years. We found the Tracker to be a great ride on the snow, ice, dirt roads. This little Chevy is one of the best all around 4X4s I have ever had in the snow.

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  My vacation - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By jayb - July 17 - 2:00 am

  My first Venture was a lemon being towed three times in one week. The last time being the Friday I was leaving for Vacation. My plans where to go to Florida with my grandchildren and spending the day in a dealer ship (Meisner)was not my idea of a good start. After getting a lawyer and GM buying that one we really liked the van so we went to a different dealership and purchase our new one. We have not had any problems with this one and its great when you have 5 grandchildren.

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  Fun to drive! - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Douglas - July 17 - 2:00 am

  Great car. Very dependable. Cant wait to see the new style this year!

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  Much more than a PT Cruiser - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Keith - July 16 - 9:03 pm

  When I first looked at the HHR, I immediately drew a comparison between it and Chryslers PT Cruiser. However, a retro wagon appearance is all they share. The HHR is towable 4 wheels down in an automatic, the PT is not. And although they have similar cargo room (about 65 cu ft., the seats need to be removed from the PT to accomplish this where in the HHR, they fold flat. Additionally, many items, like A/C and cruise control are options on the base model PT, but standard in the HHR LS. Finally, with a larger fuel tank & better fuel economy (23/30 vice 21/26 for PT with an automatic) I will be stopping less often to fill up. So the HHR is not a copy, but an upgrade from the PT Cruiser.