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 Car Ive Ever Had - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Lowell Patterson - September 4 - 2:00 am

  I traded a Bonneville with all the gadgets for this car. The Impala has plenty of speed, torque, and great handling ability. I enjoy the interior comforts of the car, the color combinations, and the simulated wood trim that adds a classy dash to the dash. I love the computer-related adjustments I can make to adjust various features on the radio, etc.

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  Best Truck on the Market - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By walt77 - September 4 - 2:00 am

  I have only had my truck for about four months, but I am positive I made the right choice. Being a former Ford owner, that isnt easy to say. The improvements over the fords are night and day. Ride is incredible, space is well beyond the f-150. Got the bucket seats--I would recomend this as well as the 5.3 if you are going to do any towing.

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  What to sell my 1999 Suburban for. - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Booper - September 3 - 2:00 am

  A great vehicle with lots of space for people and golf bags. Weve taken 6 bags and suitcases and everyone was comfortable.

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  Consumer Rating - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By April McClain - September 2 - 7:03 am

  The Chevy Equinox is a comfortable, well-handling SUV. It handles bumps more smoothly than the Ford Escape, which I previously owned. There are a couple of downfalls however, the light interior seats show liquid stains very easily and there are many blind spots throughout the vehicle.

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  Great Value - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By BusyMan - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought the 95 Cav used with 140K mi on it in Dec 1999 for $2500). It is 3 years later, at a whopping 183K and aside from reg maint(oil, tires) I have only had to make one small repair to the bearing ($300). This car wont die! The body still looks like new, inside is great (roomy for a tall guy like me), and I still enjoy it. I have the most base model you can get, just bought it to drive into the ground (long commute). I have gotten more than my moneys worth!

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  2-1/2 ton Corvette! - 1995 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Captain Packrat - September 2 - 2:00 am

  Theres a reason the police have been using Caprices for over 30 years. Powerful Corvette V-8 engines, heavy- duty steel frame, solid construction, and superb reliability. The Caprice was designed to take anything criminals could throw at it. If a pursuit Caprice can last 250,000 miles with all that abuse, imagine how long it will last for the typical driver!

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2000 Chevrolet Tracker
  By lloyd2 - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle new and have zero problems over the last 2 1/2 years! What really impresses me about the Tracker is its versatility. It is home in the urban environment as well as off-road.

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  1994 Suburban - 1994 Chevrolet Suburban
  By cantorhome - September 2 - 2:00 am

  Although the gas mileage for this car is not very good, installing a K&N air filter seems to have made a considerable difference. This SUV is the perfect "family car". Tons of room for kids in the back two seats and great for transporting items. We recently purchased a new refrigerator and it fit in the back with the 3rd seat removed and the 2nd seat tilted down.

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  worth every penny - 1994 Chevrolet Corvette
  By sparky - September 2 - 2:00 am

  Bought my first C4 Corvette and Im happy in every way. The preformance of the LT1 is awesum and the handeling is great. You could spend alot more on an import and get alot less. I feel the Corvette is ont the best bang for the buck cars out there. You can pick up a used Corvette for less than 20K than will out preform most new imports and all domestics except the Viper.

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  super sport - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By roly - September 1 - 9:46 pm

  if you want a good looking powerful truck this is it. this is the best truck ive ever had