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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  Best Vehicle on the Planet - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Jim from Ohio - May 9 - 10:21 am

  Spent a fair amount of time researching new vehicles and came to only one conclusion - 2007 Suburban. No regrets or second thoughts. This is by far the smoothest vehicle on the market, truck or car. GM leaps ahead of the competition in build quality and creature comforts. This is a machine you have to drive to appreciate.

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  Love my Suburban - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By John DeBoo - May 9 - 10:00 am

  I have never in my life owned a better vehicle than my 2002 LT 4x4 Suburban. It is the most comfortable vehicle Ive ever driven. There is no way Ill ever own anything but a Suburban again, but then I expect to drive this one for quite a few years. I cant find anything about it I dont like. Perhaps the fuel mileage could be a bit better (13 in town, 18+ on the road) but then youre pulling around 5500#s too. My wife is 5 tall and loves driving it. Overall I seriously rate the vehicle a 10.

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  Special Value Hatchback - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By michael dec - May 8 - 6:53 pm

  Having owned and driven this car for 2 months, I am impressed with its comfort and driveability in city traffic. We have studded tires where I live and the rough pavement on local freeways is a bit harsh to drive on but all other characteristics are fine. This is my 18th vehicle over 39 years and it delivers everything I thought it would! I bought this car as an inexpensive alternative to a used vehicle for good mileage in city work commutes and it fills the bill perfectly!

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  5 Years now - Still Best SUV - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Ben I - May 8 - 8:33 am

  It has been 5 years now owning this TrailBlazer. I have to say I still will not trade it for anything else that’s on the market. It has not let me down, ever. Whether it was heavy rain, sleet, or snow, I always feel safe in this SUV. It still has a very smooth drive, as if you are in a limo. Great looking SUV, elegant with a touch of a muscle look. I have to admit, I do cater to this car, keeping up with all its scheduled maintenance, and boy has it ever returned its dividends. I have been a Chevy fan since the beginning. I have no reason to buy anything else.

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  Deadbeat Duramax - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By agmakar - May 8 - 12:06 am

  I think I bought a Monday morning vehicle. The rear differential leaks, and I get abhorrent fuel mileage. 8 MPG when towing a 7500 pound trailer and adequate mileage not towing (16 MPG) I took it to the the Chevy dealership twice for the leaking problem. It happens when driving it on the highway or towing. They added an inline filter in the breather hose, not much help, it slows the process down until the filter fills up, then it leaks out of the tube. The third time I take it to a different dealer, they replace the inline filter with a smaller one and the want to re-tap a new location for the breather tube right on the rear axle housing and plug up the old one on top of the pumpkin.

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  Gas mileage and air conditioning bad - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By MJF - May 7 - 10:44 pm

  Truly enjoy this car, but gas mileage stinks. Only 22 mpg. AC barely takes edge off in hot weather. Took it in to dealership and all checks out. Cant complain about anything else at all. Was in front end collision and the passenger compartment had no damage at all!

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  2 door monsters - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Fish - May 7 - 9:58 pm

  I have a 2 door Tahoe that has been the best vehicle I have every owned. This SUV has seen a lot of road and dirt. With 175000 miles on it I have put this truck through hell and back. I have put very little money into this truck.with no leaks, no smoke, great handling, this still a very reliable monster. The only disappointment is that Chevy does not make a 2 door Tahoe any more.

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  Dont do it - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By joe s. - May 7 - 3:49 pm

  Im thoroughly disappointed in my experience with our Uplander. We made the switch from a Madza Tribute as our family was growing and the quality difference was noticable. The plastic door handle cover has been falling off since the first month. It often sputters before it starts, remniscent of a vintage auto. The interior is shabby at best. I miss my Mazda and kick myself everytime I send the payment in. Bottom line, the quality of this vehicle is near that of a Mazda, Toyota, or Honda. Dont do it. Put forth the extra money for quality. Youll get it back with better gas mileage in no time.

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  Great Value - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By azdiva - May 7 - 10:23 am

  Perfect car for Arizona driving. Good at 85mph. Quiet, good defensive car on city freeways. Brakes, handling, and power A/C very good in stopped traffic at 115F. Good engineering. Read up and do your research. If Toyota made the worst car in the world, people would stand up to buy them. Cobalt SS is underated by far. The 2.4 ecotec is state of technology excellence

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  Is Silverado mileage false advertising? - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By David Martin - May 6 - 10:00 am

  Overall I really like my 08 Silverado over my 01. The ride is much better and its quieter. I got the 5.3 engine with 3.42 gears for better mileage, but Im getting 12mpg city and 16mpg highway? My 01 got 14mpg city and 18mpg highway. notice mileage on this site is split between folks getting great mileage and folks getting really bad mileage. Something sure seems amiss! The cruise control doesnt seem to work as well as on my 01.