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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  Great all around - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By SteveO - February 9 - 10:50 pm

  This is a real truck. My buddies with Fords agree. Have taken her off-road several times. No problem getting around or pulling buddies out of the mud. Anybody looking for the best truck needs to look and compare this truck to any thing on the market. Hands down I am now a Chevy driver for life.

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  Great Deal - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Gohtraw - February 9 - 8:20 pm

  When I went to buy a car, I had a few in mind. My original list consisted of a Camry, Accord, Malibu, and an Altima. The new Camry was well, a Camry. The only V6 in my price range was the LE (good luck finding one with a V6), thats not much. The Accord was refurbished but basically the same car from 4 years ago. The Altima was a skiddish car and I would have been buying a used 3.5. The Malibu SS had everything I wanted except a sunroof, standard. 18in wheels, 4 wheel disc, abs, side airbags (5* crash test), sport suspension, remote start, climate control, cruise control, three spoke wheel. Since it was a really big dealership needing every sell it could get, I was able to haggle it to 22k!

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  best vette ever - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By mamasita - February 9 - 6:00 pm

  fun to drive

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  Awesome Truck! - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Jason - February 9 - 3:30 pm

  I purchased my 2002 Chevrolet 2500HD 4x4 Ext cab truck in 2003. Other than the fuel economy of this truck, I have no compliants. I take care of it but I also use it as a truck. I am a hunter and commonly go off-road on some horrible roads. I have never been stuck and the truck is all stock. I plan on keeping this truck for a long long time and hopefully passing it on to one of my sons as a first truck. Chevrolet really put time, heart, and guts into building this machine!

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  Best kept secret - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Froderick - February 9 - 12:56 pm

  It looks great! I have every available option. Love the OnStar! The gas mileage is fantastic. What can I say I love this car.

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  Outstanding Buy - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By hunt0694 - February 9 - 9:16 am

  Anyone who believes that GM cant build a quality, fun-to-drive car at a resonable price should try the new Malibu. Ive had a lot of cars but nothing this good for the money. I had no intention of getting a Malibu until I test drove it (I was set to buy a Camry.) The Chevy won in ride and performance, and interior styling was way better than the Toyota. And the deal being offered made it thousand less. I know everyone talks about how the Camry delivers more on resale, but youre paying way too much up front. And the Malibu is way more fun to drive. If youre on the fence about buying a mid-size car, do yourself a favor an drive the Malibu.

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  Colorado - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By stephen - February 9 - 8:50 am

  My Colorado has been such a let down. It feels way too light going down the road. It bounces and is not responsive. Although aesthetically the car is nice, it just did not perform the way I thought it should.

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  Love my van! - 2002 Chevrolet Express
  By Susan - February 9 - 7:28 am

  I would love to drive a sporty little Thunderbird, but reality is that I have 4 teenage athletic boys. We bought the van to cart the boys (and their teams) to various sporting events, plus we like to travel. With 12 passenger seating, 6 of us can travel from MN to TX in comfort and we can haul the entire soccer/basketball/baseball team to games, no problem, yet it still fits in my garage fine. With my hitch, I can haul anything. My beefs are: braking system - pads need to be replaced often, and with the most expensive pads to keep them from squeaking badly the gas mileage stinks! Plus, I usually do end up providing transportation for the entire team/youth group, since I can.

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  Improved Quality - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Primo - February 8 - 9:10 pm

  The Cobalt SS 2.0 is fun to drive and a big step forward for Chevrolet in its competition against the imports of the same class. The Cobalt SS 2.0 handles nice, stops well rain or shine, and accelerates with the power of a V6.

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  First Vette - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Mr. GZZ - February 8 - 6:12 pm

  I will totally surprised at the ride. My wifes first words about Corvettes is that they rode rough. I was thoroughly surprised and please with the ride and really surprised how well the car handled.