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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  Fantastic vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By durbah - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned BMWs, Mercedes,Citroen and a host of american cars.I absolutely love my Tahoe and cant think of another vehicle that Id trade it for. Gas milege could be a little better but, I ll settle for marginal gas mileage for all the other things I like. The Tahoe has a European car like ride but still feels good off the road. Idont think that the Cadillac or the GMC dollar fkor dollar offer more SUV. Ill stick with my Tahoe.

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  Chevrolet Tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By cevans1004 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Ive had three Suburbans and two Tahoes in the last few years. I love them both.

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  `03 tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By hd88302 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  overall a nice vehicle. the only complaint is the brakes,too soft.fit and finish are good.comfort is great.

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  Family Perfection - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jim Ray - April 3 - 2:00 am

  My 2004 Trailblaizer gives the ride of a full sized vehical. The interior is well liad out for convients as well as hardee look . The third row seat is perfect for children so they will have their own space. Its not to bad for the parents either. Iam very pleased with the sturdyness of my vehical. Last month my wife was hit in the passenger door and rear door by a 99 accord . The accord was totaled . The trailblazer was driven away with very little damage. My seven yearold dauther was sitting in the seat where the vehical was hit and was not hurt.So I like the look ,the way it drive and all the extras but I love knowing that my family is safe.

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  vinces chevy truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By vince gurley - April 3 - 2:00 am

  very comfortable,good exceleration.good brakes

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  Excellent truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By BPB6454 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  It has been a Great truck. I commute 60 miles a day in this truck. I could not have picked a better truck than the Silverado!

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  very good small carI drive 100 mile - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By john - April 2 - 8:52 pm

  I drive a 100 miles a day to work. The car does what I got it for. The mileage with out the air on is very good. With the air on, you get about 36 miles per gal. 2yrs and no problems.

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  Great Overall Value - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Michael25503 - April 2 - 4:24 pm

  I bought this vehicle primarily for fuel economy. I consistently get 36-40 mpg in normal driving. Babying it a bit has returned several 43-45 mpg tankfulls. Running it hard on the freeway (80+ mph) drops the mileage to the 30-33 range. Comfort is good for a car of this class - comparable to my old Honda Civic. I love the lumbar support in the drivers seat. The transmission is geared well to deal with the cars modest engine torque while coming up to speed and cruises well at highway speeds. I have not encountered any high speed or crosswind instability. Vehicle is built tight, and after 3500 miles, has proven to be quite reliable. Cornering and braking are better than I expected.

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  Can we say Recall/Class Actio? - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Karyn - April 2 - 4:00 pm

  That noise you all here coming from the front end is your struts! I bought mine w/25k on it 10/2005 and within months had problems, had rattling since beginning, told it was nothing, now found out it was the strut (s) at 47k, had to replace all 4 brakes already, tires were shot at 40k. If it wont start just take the key out and try again, its a security feature, happens all the time! Now my tail light is not working apparently an Electrical problem! Gets good gas mileage only right after oil changes and with new tires! Better make sure you replace that air filter when it says too also! Front suspension shot, brakes shot, Electrical shot, seat fabric shot, get the hint, its a piece of junk!

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  A good value in an inexpensive car. - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Cavalier Driver - April 2 - 11:33 am

  Our Cavalier has been very reliable and inexpensive to own. The only significant repair we have had to make, beyond routine maintenance, was the replacement of the fuel pump at about 80,000 miles. Even though I now work for a new car dealership of another make of cars, I have to say that our Cavalier was a good purchase for us.