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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  ex 1990 capice police car - 1990 Chevrolet Caprice
  By young man - January 21 - 2:00 am

  I have a 1990 caprice ex cop car that my dad bought for me on my 16th birthday (last year)with 250,000 miles on it and it runs great. This fall i beat a mustang 5.0 by about 6 car lenghts. since then i have driven a couple front wheel drive cars only to find that i belong in a caprice.

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  I love this car!!! - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By tracyjog - January 21 - 2:00 am

  In the 3 years thatmI have had my Prizm I have had to do nothing more than regular maintaince (You cant say that about many cars!!). That combined with the great gas mileage has saved me a bundle. While the car is a little on the small side it is great for a single person. It is big enough to haul people around when needed and the storage room is great.

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  excellent - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Loni - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I have bought Monte Carlos before and loved them. I had to buy Grand Am next time because of price. I would never buy anything but a Monte Carlo again. I have bought two more since. The best car all way around. You get an excellent car for the dollar. I give the Monte Carlo an excellent rating for comfort, looks,performance, quality of driving. I live in upstate New York and the car is excellent in winter driving handles great. And all around an A no other car will ever touch the Monte Carlo in my book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  First c-6 in the state of OK. - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By burnngas - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I have had his car only a month. They just rolled off truck and I had already bought it. I have owned 13 Corvettes and this is by far the Best. I also have a cadillac Escalade which is nice but my Vette is the ultimate driving machine; Thanks.....Garry L. Davis

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  MY FIRST CHEVY - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By groundeffx - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I AM 6"6 AND I CAN DRIVE VERY COMFORTABLY WITH A 6YR OLD AND 2 BABY CAR SEATS IN THE REAR(3 KIDS). I WOULD NEVER BELIEVE THAT I COULD FIT THEM IN THE REAR AND BE ABLE TO DRIVE ON A 10 HOUR VACATION RIDE AND NOT FEEL CRAMPED AT MY SIZE ALOT OF ROOM .

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  new truck - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By southfljohn - January 20 - 10:00 am

  the way it drives you dont feel like you are drving an suv,handles great had a linc navitgator before this,tahoe a much better suv!also had a ford exploer what a waste on money!

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  One of the Best GM Products I have owned - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By WCHA - January 20 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle new in 1997 and have been very happy with it overall. With over 160K miles on it now it has performed well. The V6 engine and four speed automatic transmission are perfectly matched. Typical highway milage of about 29 MPG - not bad for the 170 HP V6. In typical GM style, this vehicle is not without its problems. At 50K miles it needed a new torque converter and at about 80K a lot of new front end parts to tighten things back up. Replacement parts have lasted longer than the originals. All in all, this is still one of the best vehicles I have ever owned.

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  Camaro SS - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Symanski41 - January 20 - 2:00 am

  Pure performance at a reasonable cost.

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  Wife was happy with my new truck. - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By SANMAN - January 20 - 2:00 am

  First test drive my Wife did the driving and now I have a hard time getting her to be the passenger. Easy to drive. Took family on a 3600 mile trip five months after we bought the vechile with five children and we had room to spare.

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  The Best Vehicle I Have Ever Owned - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By TheHoodster - January 20 - 2:00 am

  After looking at everything from the Expedition to the Acura MDX, the Tahoe LT was the best value overall. The safety record (rollovers) was the best in the SUV class. There is plenty of space if you have the third row up or out all together. Beyond that, the ride is incredible, far better than anything else I drove. Plenty of power to get you on the freeway even if you are towing!! If you are considering an SUV, drive them all, and then decide what works best for you. I did and ended up buying the Tahoe, which wasnt even on my list at first. Overall, this is my favorite vehicle I have ever owned.