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:

• 

  IMPALA 2000 - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By jshort - September 12 - 2:00 am

  I love this car. Plenty of room, Great reide and 32MPG>, What more do you want with no problems!!

• 

  Matt - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Matt - September 11 - 4:20 pm

  This is an excellent vehicle. It gets pretty good mileage in town and is ver comfortable. I have to rent vehicles for work often. I have driven CRVs, Escapes and Jeeps. I always love to get back into my Equinox. It is much better than all of the rest.

• 

  Silverado Rules - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Sharpie - September 11 - 4:13 pm

  Great puller with the DuraMax and Allison trans. Traveled about 10,000 miles this last year (first year of ownership) with a 28 travel trailer got 10 MPG usually driving 65 or faster.

• 

  Love The "Nox" - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Dave D - September 11 - 1:33 pm

  Fun vehicle to drive, great in the snow. We got one with all of the goodies. Havent had any problems at all with it. Its not a powerhouse but its power is more than sufficient (I wouldnt tow my 7000# camper with it, but thats not why I bought it, I have a Tahoe for that). The seats in the back are a little stiff but comfortable. I highly recommend this vehicle (so far....well see what happens in a few years...).

• 

  good used care - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By okanne - September 11 - 2:00 am

  good used car, purchased new and still driving 100,000 miles and 7 yrs later.

• 

  1991 Z28 CONVERTABLE - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By AWALTDAVIS - September 11 - 2:00 am

  FUN CAR, EYE CATCHER, NEVER WILL SELL THIS CAR. ALL OPTIONS, REPLACED FRONT SUSPENTION- AS IT NEARED 100k BLACK AND SEXY.

• 

  Great choice - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By 98zq8 - September 10 - 9:03 pm

  My 08 LS Auto is fabulous. 2.2 motor 149hp is more than adequate despite the heavy vehicle. Ride is soft as expected and comfortable. We use this as a family hauler with two kids 3 and 4. They can actually get in all by themselves unlike the large SUV guzzlers out there. This is an inexpensive, economy vehicle with some flair and modern features. The info panel is fantastic and interior versatility is top notch. GM is offering the goods to the lower price buyers for a change, not just the monster SUV crowd. Interior quality is better than expected for price and segment. I think it looks more premium than the msrp commanded. Replacement parts are inexpensive too (brakes, rotors,etc)

• 

  Best Mini SUV ever - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Mac Daddy - September 10 - 2:00 am

  This car is can haul alote(4 a 4cyl), great on road proformance as well as off road.This little suv can take lots of abuseand and run good.

• 

  WHAT A GREAT CAR!!! I LOVE IT:) - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Johnny b good - September 10 - 2:00 am

  We bought our Malibu brand new, have not had 1 repair done to it since day 1, other than to change the oil and rotate the tires( which are still original) and yes the brakes are fine, a/c is working great. Great handling car, super fuel mileage, comfortable road car. Does great in snow/ice, when other japanese cars are spinning their wheels on snow trying to get going, Ill go right on by them. I love it.

• 

  HARD TO BEAT - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By JOE MILLER - September 10 - 2:00 am

  THIS TRUCK HAS STYLE.I CAN CHANGE IT INTO A PICK-UP IN "3MIN". I CAN PUT WOOD IN THE BACK 12 16 OR LOCK AND COVER SOME 10 AND ALL 8.THIS IS A WORK TRUCK AS WELL AS A FUN TRUCK. IT IS COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE LIKE A CAR. I BUY NEW CARS ONLY AND THE LAST NEW CAR WAS A BUICK. I THOUGHT THAT CAR HAD A NICE RIDE UNTILL I GOT THIS 2002 AVALANCHE. "YES IT RIDES BETTER THAN A BUICK."