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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  Solid after all these years - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ct - March 19 - 9:44 pm

  This has been a great truck. I drive it off road about 4 weeks a year and in the snow during winter in Colorado. It handles either great as well as dry pavement. It could get better mileage but hey, its a full sized SUV what do you expect?

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  2006 Chevy Express - 2006 Chevrolet Express
  By a66cuda - March 19 - 8:48 pm

  We bought the van due to the fact that we out grew our Grand Caravan, and we love the fact that we can tow anything that we want. I have only owned it three months, and I love the room, and power it has.

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  Gutless Fuel Hog - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By Loyal Stutzman - March 19 - 4:20 pm

  4.5 MPG loaded, 12 MPG empty! Duramax with Allison automatic transmision is a joke! Low power, worse fuel economy! This was by far the worst value for my money since I started buying vehicles in 1986! Will soon be selling this pile of junk for a more powerful, economical gas rig! I loved Chevy trucks until I bought this hunk of junk. You cant even start up an incline loaded without using low range 4X4! Forget quick take-off! Imagine 25 MPH uphill in the Rockies for miles and miles! Yes, I bought it brand new, had it dealer serviced right on schedule, all the updates they had, etc. and still no performance!

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  05 C6 Corvette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By gbw1972 - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this 2005 millenium yellow Corvette for 2 years now with very few complaints. The XM satelite radio is the biggest disappointment with lower quality sound than regular FM radio. As for the drive, the occasional bump in the road will jolt the steering wheel a bit, enough to make me anxious if my speed is excessive. 400hp really is more than enough. The exhaust sound is less than adequate but is easily fixed with an after-market replacement. My MPG is over 20. The acceleration is incredible. As far as sports cars go, there isnt a smarter buy around, anywhere.

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  Updated review - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Willard48 - March 19 - 12:44 am

  Now that I haved driven this truck for 6 months, I wanted to update my initial review of 9/24/06. Most of the rough idle and cranking problems were solved with a software update to the onboard computer module. Soon after, I had to take it back for a defective ignition switch. (Engine would die suddenly while you were driving along!) Since that first month, I have had no problems whatsoever with the vehicle. I will say that this is the first vehicle that I have ever gotten so many questionnaires about.(5 so far,I think.) Most included a new one dollar bill. Evidently a lot of people are interested in all aspects of this truck.Overall,I like this truck a lot better now than I did before.

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  Built by proud designers - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Lynn Johnson - March 18 - 8:11 pm

  My second Corvette (1991, Ive had a great deal of fun with both the "01 and the 99. After reading "all Corvettes are red", I realized the 99 must be an unusually fine automobile and I believe it is. I drive it the speed limits, and when I brought it back from buying it in Austin, Texas (some 1000 plus miles) my average mpg was 36. However everyone wont be able to get 36 mpg, because the car just asks to be driven hard.

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  Nice Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Buddy - March 17 - 11:44 pm

  I really enjoy driving this vehicle, however, I only get about 13-14 miles to the gallon. The other issue I have experienced is, behind the rear driver side passenger seat, it leaks water every time it rains. This will be my third time taking it to the dealer. Im considering getting different truck.

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  Great, but easily could be the best! - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By pkieffer - March 17 - 10:47 pm

  The 07 LTZ Avalanche is like driving a luxury car. Very smooth and handles great through the Minnesota blizzards. Very safe. The back seat has lots of leg room. Kids love the wireless DVD player. It is a great looking truck. I try to burn E85 as much as possible. The 8 cylinder to 4 is a joke. It only drops to the 4 when you are going down hill or coasting. My mileage is 14.50 on regular gas and 12.00 on E85. The engineers should look at the competion like Tundra and Rideline, they could build the best of the best. Look at my suggested improvements below and simple things like mudflaps, reciever hitch plug, a business card slot, put a K & N filter in as stock. A quicker engine would be great

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  Fun-tastic! - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By New Vette Owner - March 17 - 10:01 pm

  This is my first Corvette and Im very impressed. I looked at several cars and the Corvette, in my opinion, is the best value for the money. Its fun to drive and reliable. Impressive acceleration, surprisingly smooth ride, comfortable/roomy interior, and great design. I strongly recommend this car.

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  Really neat car - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By skistler - March 17 - 6:19 pm

  I have owned over 50 cars and I can say that my 06 SS is one of the neatest cars I have ever owned. It is a blast to drive and having grown up in the late 60s, I can say this is the whole package for handling, power, and comfort in an affordable car.