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 Corvette Yet! - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Silver Bullet - January 6 - 2:00 am

  In 1964, I bought my first Corvette. Thirty-five years later, my wife and I bought a 1999 silver coupe. While the 1964 Sting Ray still holds a special place of all cars I have owned, there is absolutely no comparison with the C5. The C5 is the best Corvette yet! We love it and would not trade it for anything. The performance, technology, handling, quality and ride are outstanding. The interior design has many of the Sting Ray features, which is a nice (and fast) trip down memory lane. We have had no problems with it of any kind so far. Without question, we would make the same purchase again!

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  I LOVE MY TAHOE - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Go4everFst - January 6 - 2:00 am

  I could not be more happy with my 96 2Dr Sport. I have a DVD player and a system that Snoop Dog would say turn that down. but i could not have asked for a better truck.

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  love that car!!!!!!!! - 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rick smothermon - January 5 - 2:00 am

  perfect car for older couple!

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  A balance of performance and economy - 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By unknownZ24 - January 5 - 2:00 am

  Mine has 250,000km but runs like new. The compression is still almost perfect,and it starts first go. A little bit of water under the hood, and some body rust, but thats what ontario winters do. Ive had no major problems.

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  GM knows how to build a truck! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Drum Dawg - January 2 - 8:10 am

  This truck has been fantastic! I test drove many different vehicles before deciding on the Chevy. My wife and I do lots of research before even going to look at vehicles and really cant believe someone would purchase anything but a Chevy(GMC). The engine (5.3L) is really good on gas and provides loads of horsepower. The ride feels very firm and the trucks standard features are great! My buddys Ridgeline (that he bought a week before my purchase) is a lesser truck in all areas. He regrets his purchase after riding in mine. I havent used to roadside assistance but am happy to have it. My advice... Before buying anything else- go drive a Chevy and you will buy it. Best truck ever! This truck is perfect in all areas. Make sure you buy the 5.3 L so you can get great gas mileage and still smoke the tires. Buy the level of truck that you want. The LT1 package was good for me. Rails are a good investment.

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  keep your 4th gen... - 1992 Chevrolet Camaro
  By zerogsx - January 2 - 2:00 am

  Torque monster L98. Mine was a Heritage Edition Z28, Bright Red with Black stripes. One of the more timeless designs to ever come from an auto styling studio- though Im not crazy about the hi-rise F40-style rear spoiler of 91-92. It was my daily driver for years and it only needed tires and a small oil leak fix covered under warrantee. No rattles/squeaks at all with subframe connectors and no t- tops. I’ve owned a total of 5 third generation FBodies and loved them all. Traded it in for a 96 Z28/SS 6-speed and regret every second of it (but I needed a manual transmission!).

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  Great Choice - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By MamaLuvsIt - January 1 - 12:23 pm

  Ive owned my first Tahoe (07 LT) and the whole family loves it. I got the captains chairs for the second row so kids can climb in and out (to the third row seat as well) real easy. The entertainment DVD system is a big hit with the kids - they dont want to get out of the car. The drive is especially nice and is one of the nicest SUVs I looked at. You get your bang for your buck with this car. Mileage is still breaking in and is running low (but I hear that is typical with any new car). I am going to try and run under 3500 rpm as a previous reader indicated. Only downfall is child safety windows for second row seat. They only go 1/2 way down. Once you drive it - youll buy it.

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  no better ride - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By chevyrocks - January 1 - 2:00 am

  I got my blzer in November of 2001 and I love it. Ive had very few problems with it. When I got it ithad 100,000 miles on it and now it has 240,000 miles on it. Itis great off road and in the ice and snow. Great car for a long road trip or someone who is going to college. lots of cargo room!

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  US/CANADA QUALITY - SAY NO TO MEXICO - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By MSJ4343 - January 1 - 2:00 am

  THIS CAR SEEMS TO BE A WELL BUILT CAR. NO PROBLEMS AT 18K MILES. 3.8 ENGINE IN MY PONTIAC AT 175K AND STILL GOING STRONG. GM NEEDS TO WATCH QUALITY OF MATERIALS THEY ARE USING - SEEM TO BE ON THE VERGE OF LOWERING THEIR STANDARDS IN SOME AREAS TO THAT OF FORD AND CHRYSLER MY PAST GM VEHICLE INTERIORS HELD UP VERY WELL FOR 10 YEARS NO SUPRISE TO SEE NEGATIVE REVIEWS BY SO CALLED CAR EXPERTS - BACK IN 1983 THEY HAD THE SAME BIASED OPINIONS. AT THAT TIME I WAS DRIVING A COMPANY EXECUTIVE IN MY NEW BUICK SKYHAWK TO PICK UP HIS NEW HIGHLY RATED BMW(BY EXPERTS)AT THE DEALERS SHOP EVERY 3 WEEKS.

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  Silverado Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Maxx - December 31 - 8:03 pm

  I Own two Chevrolet trucks that are used in my contracting business. The quality and dependebility Of Chevrolet trucks is better than the Toyotas and Fords that I have owned. Chevrolets Advertisement " like a rock" is very true. I used a 1992 Silverado in my business for eleven years without requiring anything but routine maintenence.