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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  Highly recommend the 2010 Equinox! - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By LMieser - January 20 - 3:43 am

  To start off my family is an American car family. A family member works for GM, and we drive majoritively that. My wife and I nearly bought a Saturn Vue when they introduced their new body style, but I am thrilled that we held out. We knew since mid 2009, once the 2010 Equinox was released, that it was what we wanted. We searched forever and finally in Feb 2010 we found the perfect one. We got the 4cyl 182hp FWD LT2, classed up to basically an LTZ. Black with chrome package. My wife and I are in love with this car.Im 65 and there is more room than any other car ive owned. No problems at all at 1200 miles. if you are considering to buy, you will not be disappointed.

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  Bad sheet metal - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mark - January 20 - 3:43 am

  Bought truck October 06 2009 notice ripples around fender walls.Took back to dealership. Would not do anything said it was GMS fault called them up and they would not do anything also.Just want to let you chevy truck guys or gals know to check out around fender walls for ripples before you buy.

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  SS TrailBlazer - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By MOONLIGHT CRUISER - January 20 - 1:34 am

  Not a bad truck. Has alot of power. Drives pretty smooth for a truck, handles well. All around truck. I am a car guy. Has just as much power as my CTSV, that tells it all.

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  Cornbreads toy - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By cornbread - January 19 - 10:58 pm

  The salesman was very nice. I told him my payment range and what I liked. He pointed to a silver Cobalt, then a yellow one. The yellow LS Coupe was my choice. This is the most fun vehicle I have owned. I have added ground effects, dual exhaust, cold-air intake, strut tower bar, and hopefully bigger wheels soon. I have had no warranty problems. This is a very reliable and enjoyable car to own and drive.

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  I knew GM could - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Scrissy1 - January 19 - 10:46 pm

  After many comparison tests the Equinox was the best suited for our needs. It has the most legroom..front and back, especially the back with the sliding rear seat, an option not seen on other mid SUVs. The comfort of the driver and especially the passanger in front is exceptional. Weve had previous minivans and the passenger really got the short end of legroom and comfort. Weve had many praises on the styling and overall look of this vehicle. This is the first Chevrolet weve owned and its turned out to be a winner. By the way the AWD feature is wonderfull. Ive used it in driving snow on the highway and it does not slip at all.

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  Suburban Rocks! - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By suburban - January 19 - 6:27 pm

  The Suburban beats the Excursion by far including comfort, fuel economy, and most important, style.

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  Oh yes! - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Vermonter - January 19 - 6:01 pm

  Trunk well put together. Tight and quiet. Fuel mileage is as expected for mountainous region,16.8mpg. Radio volume is a bit weak when trying to crack up to a good XM radio song. Overall, very content with this vehicle. BTW, I moved from an Diesel Excursion to this "Burban"

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  Love My Truck - 2006 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By ELMER DIALS - January 19 - 1:55 pm

  This is without a doubt the nicest vehicle Ive ever owned. I work at a Chevy dealership, so I see and drive lots of vehicles. With the exception of the new body style Avalanche, this is my favorite Chevy truck. The gas mileage is 15-17 mpg depending on how you drive it. It takes less than 2 minutes to convert it into truck mode. The re-sale value on these vehicles is great too. NADA loves em. Ride quality is great. Good power. Better than an SUV with back seat room and its hidden under the plastic cover. It keeps my wife and babys junk hidden all the time.

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  Absolute Joy to Drive - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By KW - January 19 - 9:18 am

  After much debate, I finally purchased the 07 TrailBlazer SS. Didnt get a lot of the frills, bought mostly for performance and I absolutely love the power and exterior looks. Not too crazy about the interior dash and the standard radio. Would definitely suggest at least getting the upgraded Bose sound system. The fuel economy isnt that great which seems to get less than my 02 Infiniti QX4 rated with the same mpg of 15 city and 19 hwy.

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  Chevrolet Equinox - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Asha Das - January 19 - 5:00 am

  A fun to drive vehicle. Good performance, excellent road holding, and good steering mechanasim