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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  I Love This Truck - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Marilyn - December 29 - 6:01 pm

  I love this truck. I had no intentions of buying one. I was going to buy a Volvo XC-90. I flew into Memphis to visit my son in college. I rented a TrailBlazer and was pleasantly surprised, and the rest is history

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  No problems - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Rock - December 29 - 6:01 pm

  The Colorado has been a pleasure to own. Have had no mechanical problems, fuel economy has been respectable, and it is easy to handle in tight spaces. 220 horsepower from the 3.5 motor was adequate. With the locking hard cover it was a pleasure on trips. Plenty of space for all sorts of gear and luggage. Off road ventures no problem plenty of clearance.

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  Great Vehicle - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By ChevyTrav - December 29 - 5:56 pm

  Cant find too much to complain about yet with this car. Its roomy and rides well. A lot of nice features come with it standard (i.e. XM radio, OnStar, built in phone). Gas mileage has been as advertised so far. I guess there are two things that are slightly bothersome about it and both have already been mentioned by the editors. It tends to be a bit slow to downshift and there is a fair amount of plastic in the car. However, these two minor imperfections really havent bothered me that much. Overall, I feel that this is a quality car that Chevrolet has put out. I would recommend this car to the person who needs space, towing capacity, and decent gas mileage to go along with it.

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  Its a great car for someones first car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By toyoracing2006 - December 29 - 3:50 pm

  I really liked the car, I bought mine used with around 4k miles on it, and yet the car still felt brand new. My car came with a wide body kit that really set the car off. I like the kit and the car because theres noone out there that has a car that even looks close to as good as mine, and, the car came with 19 inch 5 spoke motegi rims that were custom painted white, and, after I bought the car I put in a custom stereo because I felt that the stereo in the Aveo didnt do any justice since theres absalutely no bass in the stereo, so i put in a set of 2 tens, 2 6x9s and a 750 watt jensen amp. My only complaint about the car is I wish it had a lot more power!

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  No Regrets! - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By jdmdzk - December 29 - 9:45 am

  Usually with significant purchases of any kind there is at least a little "Buyers Remorse". There is absolutely none regarding our 2006 Vette. I would buy a second one if I could talk my wife into it!

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  Happy so far - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Ken - December 29 - 12:51 am

  Overall, a pretty good SUV. Excellent motor and transmission, trouble free after 100K miles. Had all of the axle seals, an air conditioning seal, and a faulty wire harness on the 4WD system replaced, thankfully all under warranty. Considerable wind noise from poor quality door and window seals. Gas mileage is very good for its class. Somewhat "Plain Jane" styling and interior features, which is now typical of GM vehicles. It seems like all of the innovation is with the Japanese brands. Perhaps Michael Lopezs cost cutting measures and squeezing of GMs suppliers have finally caught up with them. The 2007 model is still the same vehicle as the 2002. Why buy another one?

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  Love, love, love it - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jan - December 28 - 5:46 pm

  I love this truck. It is very comfortable, steers and handles beautifully. Feels like a luxury vehicle but with towing and 4 x 4. All the safety features like OnStar and side air curtains are a comfort. And it looks real good. I rode in back seat recently and love the rear seat heater with upper and lower choices and fan speed. Did I say I love this truck? Am looking forward to driving this for many miles!

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  Could Be Better - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By PA guy - December 28 - 11:39 am

  Fast, enjoyable vehicle. Well maintained vehicle when I purchased with 95,000 miles. No rust. Great work truck!

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  badd truck - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By Rennat Noslo - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I think that it is an awesome truck

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  OK, but... - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By fred - December 28 - 9:43 am

  We can all read and know whats special but heres what should have been different: more laterial support for bucket seats; a 6 speed automatic tranny; rear wheel drive - the FWD has too much torque steer; no indicator on floor shifter; no truck key access; huge open gap on overhead visors; climate controll; move skyroof forward so you can actually see out of it; run on regular 87 gas.