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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  Never thought Id buy a Chevy - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By RickS - August 5 - 2:14 am

  After several weeks of intense research, I bought a 2010 Equinox. The Hyundai Tucson was nice but seemed harsher and less refined. The Ford Escape was my first choice but the more I looked, the more the Equinox won me over with its styling and features. It looks great inside and out. The seats are comfortable and fit and finish is excellent. The 4 cylinder engine growls a little when pressed but the power is always there. In ECO mode, the transmission feels like it hunts a bit but I dont find this a problem. The ride is solid and handling is precise and controlled. A pleasure to drive this car.

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  Cobalt LT Coupe - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Gregory Butta - August 4 - 6:01 pm

  Im 18 years old and needed a reliable car to go back and forth to college. I looked at the usual, the civic, corolla, or the focus. I liked the Cobalt better then all of them and the build quality on my 2010 is just as nice as the foreign cars. I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  Best Car Ive Owned - 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
  By sjambo - August 4 - 3:43 pm

  Im now 44 and this is the most amazing car I have ever owned - I wish I owned corvettes when I was younger. It has the speed, acceleration, style and it makes heads turn. My Z51 is not built for comfort but more on performance. I enjoy every minute of drive. I have only floored the accelerator once from 80 mph for about two seconds then I was right away at 115 mph - to tell you the truth I get nervous because of the speed and acceleration! This car is no toy and it needs a lot of getting used to. An equivalent car with this performance would cost you over 150 grand. Check the Youtube on Corvette vs Lamborghini, or vs Ferrari. The vette will easily outperform those luxurious cars!

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  The real deal - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By jeff - August 4 - 10:20 am

  Took museum delivery of GS coupe which I would recommend. Driving back from Kentucky, I averaged 31 mpg while my wife said "it felt like a luxury car compared to my older vette". I now have it for 4 months and can say this car is impressive on all fronts. Acceleration is silly fast, cornering is flat and predictable while braking is spot-on. The interior is unbelievably roomy. the trunk space is similar to a town car. I find the seats comfortable and supportive. I like the interior too which is not as nice as a 911, but its 20k less. Drove them both back to back thinking I was buying the 911 but the grand sport is a better car, period!

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  4 1/2 years of great driving - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By MtnsAndBeach - August 4 - 12:04 am

  Was an early adopter of the 2007 4wd after driving 2001 LS 4wd. Interior improvements were huge, exterior styling and finish great. I have had zero major issues with this rig. The interior still looks new. The biggest issue I had was the driver side exterior mirror whistled between 35 and 45 mph. After three "fixes", they finally replaced the mirror to solve the problem. Still driving on first set of brakes,mileage is 15.2 around town and 19 on trips, even over mountains in Oregon. On flat freeway, best mpg so far is 21. Of course, if you your foot is heavy expect 12 mpg, but that is you not the rig. Towing has been great. Would have to thing hard to come up with a serious complaint.

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  Great Vehicle - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By SS-ZULU - August 3 - 12:41 pm

  I am a 56 youthful year old male, living in New Jersey and who regularly travels to North Carolina with the comfort and reliability of my 1997 Tahoe. Also, I own a 1986 & 1987 Mercedes Benz 560 SEL, but when I leave to go to work or travel, its my 1997 Tahoe that receives the assignment. Did I mention that I stand @ 6 1/2 feet tall and enjoy full comfort of leg and height room. Power is good and fuel economy presents no discouragement for a daily driver. Clean and sleek body lines on my midnight blue Tahoe, demands road and curb appeal and evening relooks upon entering my home at days end. If you own one, my comments are understandable, if you do not, its an experience at your lost. BYE BYE !

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  love my car - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Diana - August 2 - 4:53 pm

  I love my car the ride is great i have over 145,000 miles on my car and this week is the first time i have to replace axles this car has been good & would buy another. Its like anything if you take care of it, it will take care of you. do your maintenance, it make a difference.

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  Great census ride - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By dowannabe - August 2 - 1:14 pm

  It has been exactly 1 year with my ride, hate the name hhr but love the ride, this baby took me down some dirt and Grass roads to find deer camps and other nonexistent buildings, it handled every situation with control including some deep mud, and deep ruts, my husband has pointed out a few scratches from driving through bushes, car was great, onstar phone was also a blessing to know it was there with cell phone not having coverage. 2 months with 8 hour a day driving I got to know this car, the last week I noticed it a little sluggish at accelerating. may have dust in air cleaner, gotta get it checked out, no other problems, great back area for my big dog and for hauling auction goodies.

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  First Good GM Car - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By AndyA - August 1 - 5:05 am

  My wife and I finally bought a GM NOX - and I have say its a nice car. We looked at the Rav4 and Nissan Rogue and this car for its class and features was the best. So far highway miles have been about 28.3 and City is of course lower. The interior of the Cabin is quite nice and I love a lot of the features. The drive is good, although this car does NOT have the pickup of our old V6 Altima, its not bad for a car of this size. My wife and I have always bought either Japanese or German, and I can now say that GM has come a long way at least with this vehicle. We are happy.

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  12 years, 157,000 miles, 1 owner - 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By FC - July 31 - 2:26 pm

  The title speaks for itself. Im the original owner of this truck. Bought it back in 98 with 11 miles on it. It now is pushing 160,000 and shows no signs of slowing down. I plan on keeping this truck until the wheels fall off. Every time I think of selling or trading it in for something with better mileage, it proves its usefulness, whether it be hauling a load of furniture, pulling a stump in the backyard, towing a trailer, or it snows! I could go on and on about the virtues of my Tahoe. Its taken me across the country many times, and still goes to the grocery store and work every day. Finally starting to show a little rust on the rockers, but thats to be expected.