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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  GM got it right - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By LG - December 26 - 5:36 pm

  Love the redesign. I love the ride. Decided on Chevy versus the Sequoia and am glad I did.

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  A Brick - 1995 Chevrolet Astro
  By Leifage - December 26 - 1:40 pm

  This has been our family car since 2001 and weve been very pleased. It has over 160k miles and shows no sign of quitting.

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  2007 LTZ 4X4 - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By gdahl - December 25 - 10:51 pm

  Absolutely love it. Purchased with every option except the power- retractable (BRS) running boards. Used it the first week to haul shelving with 8 particle boards. Interior fit and finish is superb and is really beyond anything Chevy has had to date. Backup camera is a great option. Havent needed the heated windshield washer yet, but the side mirror defrosters have come in handy. The locking storage wells on the bed sides are a great idea and very pratical. The bed cover is easy to remove and install, suprisingly light and tight fitting. Left the truck out during a steady rain for six hours and no water leaked into the truck bed. Very quiet and smooth on the road.

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  2007 Cobalt - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Nate - December 25 - 6:43 pm

  Great car for the performance-minded driver on a budget. Plenty of power for what is typically expected of a 4-cyl. FWD vehicle. It looks great too.The 18" gunmetal rims look incredible in all lights. Luckily Chevy offered an optional low spoiler option for 07, because that was the only gripe I had about the car. Gas mileage is excellent as well. With a 50/50 mix of city/hwy driving I get 25-27 MPG, and have got as high as 34 MPG on highway cruising. Very competitive in its class. You may find slightly nicer interior finishes on the competitors, but not enough to pass up the incredible whine of the blower at full throttle. Great sound system and the ipod jack is really useful.

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  I love this car and would buy another. - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jacquelyne beasley - December 25 - 12:17 pm

  This is one of the best cars I have owned in my entire life. If I could get my husband to buy me another one I would. I love my car and I want another one just to go to church in only on Sunday and nothing else. Great car, great design, good on my budget. Thank you GM.

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  So Far So Good - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Tom - December 25 - 11:26 am

  Have less than 300 miles on it so far. Love it just as much as my 1981 Corvette I owned many years ago.

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  Wheres the fun? - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By DGP123 - December 25 - 10:02 am

  A great car in every sense but difficult to find the "fun quotient". The paddle shifter is not nearly responsive enough. There is a definite lag between gears when upshifting. Downshifting is better but not great. I regret having a vehicle with 400 foot lbs of torque that will not lay rubber in any gear. Perhaps the standard transmission is more responsive. To date I have not found a place to drive this car to its limits. I would dearly love to have access to a track where I could test the advertised top end of 186 mph but alas that is not the case. Its not nimble enough to drive in the canyons and the run flat tires are a disaster - a lotus would be better. I waited a lifetime but.

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  What a car - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Jason - December 25 - 3:46 am

  What a car. Chevy did a great job on this one. Keeping gas mileage in mind with the most horsepower for your money. The big polished wheels give it that new sporty look that everyone wants. Performance prospective this thing has some good kick. With the sunroof, 6 disc changer, and racing feel to it, this one will turn some heads.

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  Great SUV - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
  By Tom - December 25 - 2:43 am

  We had a 2001 Chevy Tahoe that we liked very much. When it was time to trade we checked out the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid. We really love the truck, we call it the magic carpet ride because it rides so smooth. Wind noise is minimal and the power is great for a full size SUV. Recently we took it on a trip pulling our 6,000lb boat and trailer, I hardly knew the trailer was on the back of the vehicle. After 180 miles one way, we arrived as if we had been riding without the trailer. I own a 2003 Dodge 2500 with Hemi engine, that truck beats us to death and it does not pull the trailer with the ease of this vehicle. We also got between 12.5 and 14.3 MPG, the truck would get 9.5 MPG.

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  Let me sum it up - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By TCH - December 24 - 8:43 pm

  Ive had my 05 LT for 6 months/8K miles. Yes, the gas mileage could use improvement. Yes, the fabric material on the seats is horrible, they stain so easily. And, yes, the turning radius stinks (steering is very loose. However, its seems to be hit or miss for a lot of Equinox owners when it comes to reliability and vehicle problems. So far, Ive had 0 problems mechanically, it runs smooth and is fun to drive. The back seat comfort seems to be an issue for some, but I have 2 child seats back there, so I cant comment on adult comfort. The stereo, controls, features..all good. I am suspect of the overall build quality, but for under $20K, what do you expect?