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 Last Hurrah! - 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Arlene Johnson - June 30 - 1:55 am

  I received this car in April of 1994 as a birthday gift from my husband. It was my 60th birthday and I wanted something sporty before I was too old to enjoy it. I have never been disapointed in its looks or performance. It drives like a dream, has a super motor, and great pickup. I have kept it garaged for all 13 years I have owned it. It still looks new and has only 78,000 miles on it. I truely am your little old lady with the cream puff car. I now need an SUV and so I am going to sell my litttle dream car. It is arctic white with a black top and custom beige leather interior. It is a 1994 z28 convertible with automatic transmission, V-8 engine, and loaded with accessories.

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  Shaky Chevy - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jim - June 29 - 11:23 pm

  Have a 2006 1500 Work Truck. The transmission went out at 7,000 miles. The heater blower wiring burned up at 8000 miles and again at 22,000. The exhaust has a vibration at 40 to 45 mph and the dealer said live with it. Another dealer repaired the wiring correctly and is sure he can fix the vibration. This is a 4.3 V-6 and I would say there is a major difference between service departments in Austin Texas.

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  Im Gonna Miss Her - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By coyote58 - June 29 - 6:50 pm

  Writing this just before picking up my 07 SS. I have 90k miles on my Impala LS and havent had it in the shop once! Its big, beautiful, responsive and has been the best car Ive ever owned. This has been the most trouble free ride.

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  Sorry owners - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By McKinley - June 29 - 4:37 pm

  The front bucket seats are not very comfortable for long trips. This van lacks the small storage spaces that we have been acustomed to in the past 3 GMC vans that we have owned. The fact that the middle row bucket seats do not adjust allowing more leg room is very uncomfortable. I never realized that the storage behind the front seat would not hold the Atlas we always carry and that the earphone holders were not removable. We really wish we had not bought this van.

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  Duramax is great - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By kacansas - June 29 - 9:53 am

  This one of the best vehicles I have ever owned! That is out of 40 to 50! It has never let me down and has helped me help other in deep snow, on ice, in the heat and in the cold. It has a Cadillac ride plus the capacity to tow a house! What more can you want from a vehicle? Good ecomony for what you drive? Well it delivers on that too! I have gotten over 27 mpg highway and get 22 city all the time! Yeah I know I can get a hybrid that can do 50 mpg but it cant do anything but hual me. My truck can do a lot more so I love my truck!

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  Great car - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By chevy_man2u - June 28 - 8:49 pm

  I drive my Dads 1998 Malibu with a 3.1L V6, and everyone says its horrible. Well, in all the time weve had it, we never had problems with it. We got 43 mpg highway, average 30mpg city, 25mpg with my teenage driving. It has great performance, its comfortable, and Ive had very few problems with it. However the problems I had were from me putting off regular maintenance. The car handles great, and when I get on the highway I never have to worry about coming on too slow. It stops well, turns well. This car is awesome

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  Awesome car. - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Easy - June 28 - 7:38 pm

  I love this car. The performance is unbelievable. The styling is sexy. The quality is first rate. My only complaint so far is some of the plastic in the interior is not up to the rest of the car. The best.

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  Loved My TrailBlazer - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By James - June 28 - 5:45 pm

  I bought my TrailBlazer new in Feb 2003. Overall, I have been very pleased with it. I looked at the Explorer, the Durango and Gr Cheerokee as well, but the TBs HP and styling won me over. Great for long trips, tons of storage, great in the snow (I have the locking rear). I too had problems with a leaking taillight and the trim around the license plate, but they were covered under warranty. Also had a rear window motor go last summer, but my dealer got GM to cover the part even thought the car was out of warranty. Wind noise was louder than I was used to. Mileage 15 city/22 highway. Just traded it on a new 07 Suburban - I was very sorry to get rid of it, but we simply outgrew it.

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  Good solid van - 2004 Chevrolet Astro
  By Jayvict - June 28 - 12:44 pm

  We have four children and love this van. It has plenty of power and room. For the money it was and is a great deal.

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  Heritage High Praise - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Todd - June 28 - 12:39 pm

  Had to get rid of a gas eating 93 Explorer and needed fuel efficiency, and something with a longer roof line for carrying a 96" surfboard. Liked the solid feel, styling and ride, 5 star crash ratings plus a nice list of standard features at a very good price. Very peppy for a 2.2L Auto, with smooth shifting that averages about 26MPG in stop and go commuter traffic. Close to 1K miles and my wife and I are very happy(she wanted one 1st). Will hopefully add a 2nd in a year or so. It was great to go out and look at cars and have a US made vehicle meet our needs and come out on top! So far so good!