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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  Colorado Rocks - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Richie - April 12 - 8:26 am

  The 4WD system works great! I have had the Colorado on the beach many times. The front seat is roomy and it drives great. I am surprised at the power of the I-5 engine.

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  One Great Vette! - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By santa fe c6 - April 12 - 3:13 am

  I have owned 6 corvettes from the C3 thru the C6 and this one is by far the best! It is a pleasure each time I get into this car and drive it and the value that it provides is remarkable. GM and the Chevrolet Division deserve a "hats-off" to this world class machine. I had the first one delivered in Santa Fe and the response by others who saw it was not to be believed.

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  1st Chevy - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Tony - April 11 - 7:53 pm

  I change vehichles every 2-3 years. This is my first Chevy(except for a 79 4x4 Cheyenne long gone). Overall I enjoy it except for an annoying "clunking" noise in the front end. Especially annoying is the high speed stability, or lack of it. At freeway speeds it tends to be quick to get away from you. I must always stay glued to the steering wheel or I tend to find myself in the next lane. I had the dealership check it out but they heard no noises nor found anything wrong. I like the vehichle in all other ways but am very disapointed at its handling on the freeways. The one other thing that I miss is a hook to hang my dry-cleaning. I cant find one.

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  Sled tower - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By blaine - April 11 - 4:32 pm

  the truck has been 100% reliable with 110,000 km on it. Average fuel economy has been 23.5 mpg. I did not care for the factory seats so I upgraded them to buckets with a console. I use the truck alot for towing snowmobiles on a trailer up mountain roads and for work. the truck has also performed well off road when required.

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  I hate my 2011 silverado - 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By duffy74 - April 11 - 12:56 pm

  I have had noting but disappointments from my 2011 silverado i purchased new. From the bed rails that dent from falling acorns to brakes that overheat when the truck is empty, simply exiting the freeway???? you cant pump gas into it because they changed the down angle but no gas stations around me are updated. the traction control button stopped working at 39,000 miles, so I took it appart and found it was super glued together from the factory or dealer I dont know which but definitely cracked/broken plastic bits obviously glued back together???? (are you kidding me??? no I am not) when I asked costumer service they have nothing.

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  Um... its ugly. - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Kasey - April 11 - 11:09 am

  My Dad bought it for me when my 1985 Toyota pickup blew a head gasket. All of the girls at my school think its cute, but I still say its ugly. iI was happy to work on the Toyota till it ran again. Im a 17 y/o girl and I pretty much hated my car until my Dad bought graphics to put on the side. So now its not as ugly, but Im still not really fond of it. It works for going too and from school, but not for working with my horses. So its not really all that great for a farm girl.

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  Love this car - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By BigBrit66 - April 11 - 12:48 am

  As others have said, this too was my first car. Being a typical high school kid this car took a beating, now I am older it is still reliable and I have had few problems with it. One thing I will say is that GM does not build very good drive trains, but the rest of the car makes up for this. It handles great on the road, and unlike most SUVs has very minimal body roll, it can also tow plenty and remain stable. The Z71 editions are great for offroad, decent ground clearnace and skid-plates help, I have taken mine to Moab many times and it works great. Bottom line is these things keep going and going, as long as they are maintained. I have 150K on mine!

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  Poor Quality all-round - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jeff - April 10 - 9:33 pm

  Had this car for 6 months now. The problems have snowballed. Had 110k km on it when I bought it. Since then the transmission seals have leaked horribly and the back struts rattle continuously when in motion. Definitely a decent looking car, yet the automatic is certainly very slow shifting. The repairs have added up in a few months and Ive had enough of Chevy for a lifetime.

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Steve - April 10 - 5:21 pm

  The Colorado is an outstanding vehicle. I live at an elevation of 10,600 feet and my Silverado V8 didnt perform as well as my Colorado.

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  Rear Brake Noise - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By G. Stachwick - April 10 - 2:31 pm

  I was greatly impressed with all aspects of the car except for one problem, a grunting or rumph noise in the rear breakes when the brakes were applied at a full stop. The dealer has removed the noise with brake repair. Unfortunatley the dealer found the same problem on another unsold Malibu on the lot. So as a warning to other potential buyers, in your test drive with radio and air condioning off, listen for this noise when making a full stop, especially when releasing the brake before moving on.