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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  Handling issues - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By H. Wiebe - November 30 - 3:34 pm

  I have owned my ZR2 Blazer for 21 months. It is a comfortable vehicle in the city and in the country. It is ablsolutely terrible on the highway. It has no tolerance to a gusty cross wind. It goes all over the road. I believe the problem to be the tires. I am getting the published fuel mileage however it doesnt come close to my 89 S-10 which also had a 4.3. I would think the Vortec 4.3 should get better mileage than a throttle body 4.3.

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  Best all around truck - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Karl - November 29 - 6:33 pm

  I spent 9 months deciding on the right truck. I needed crew cab,4WD,Leather/ power everything,comfortable yet lots of performance. Had it down to Tundra and the Titan. This beats them both. Tundra was like a camry inside and fell way short on the accessories and the titan was just not comfortable to drive. Silverados comfort is phenominal,looks great, tons of storage, get 15-18mpg, handles like a car, can tow massive loads, 4 wheel in the snow in Idaho mountains is incredible, and it has more features than either the Titan or the Tundra. Plus, $7000 cheaper than both models. From driving to work to beating around the back country, this truck is #1!!

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  Why did I wait so long to buy it? - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By anthonyelectric - November 29 - 5:55 pm

  I absolutely love my new Suburban. I can’t believe I waited so long to buy it. It handles towing the boat with no problem. I can’t wait to take it to Mammoth for a little fun in the snow.

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  Evaluate is reality, not emotion - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Buzz - November 29 - 4:58 pm

  A shaved down model from previous years. Intenseley cheapened. Interior noise is excessive. Placement of switches inconvenient, difficult to actuate because of positioning. Guage background in near black with dark sootlike numbers blend into an almost invisible display. Great effort to see speed, gas remaining and the like. This is the poorest of poor. Add sun glasses and the display is unreadable. The sun lightens the top of the dash which in turn reflects from the inside of the windshield, limiting your vision. The garage door opener buttons require a copilot to actuate them.

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  Love my 2005 impala - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By joe laRosa - November 29 - 2:50 pm

  This car rides like dream, and mileage is outstanding at 24 city, 28 combined, 34 highway. The dash guage setup is great and easy to read. The stereo system is 200 watt with awesome sound. Interior room is also great. Leg room is more than ample, and i am 6ft.8in tall. The impala is an allround great car.

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  This is an awesome truck - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Burt Ribet - November 29 - 11:53 am

  I drive this truck about 80 miles/day. I love driving this truck. I used to drive my motorcycle to/from work. It is more fun to drive my truck. I now have 120,000 miles and it has only been in the shop once. The transmission oil pump exploded destroying the transmission at 91,160 miles, 1,160 miles off of my extended warranty.

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  My New Car - Love it - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Sherri - November 29 - 11:10 am

  This car is quiet and fun to drive. I love the DVD system with the wireless headphones for the kids. The interior space is not much smaller than my Ford Expedition that I traded in. I actually have more cargo room while all 7 seats are up than before.

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  Itll get me by for a while. - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Tommy - November 29 - 5:27 am

  I bought it because it was cheap and I needed a little work truck/commuter. The tranny has been replaced, the AC has a leak but works if charged, the gas guage doesnt work so I have to keep an eye on mileage (270 miles per tank on average 15-16 MPG in town) The driver door spring broke off but the door still works. The ball joints need to be replaced, and the engine leaks oil pretty bad. Other than that the engine runs strong (especially after injector cleaner added to fuel). Overall, I dont mind my little beater, but it is definitely a short term solution.

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  This Blazer is OK - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By stephen - November 28 - 3:08 pm

  I bought this 96 Blazer new and have found it to be very reliable. It now has 150,000 miles on it,and yes, Ive had to put some money toward repairs, but overall it has been a very good vehicle and Id buy another one in a heartbeat. It still runs great and it has never made me walk. Its very comfortable and the body is holding up nicely. Its been a great car!

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  Cheap Sports Coupe - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Matt - November 28 - 2:37 pm

  I bought this car 3 weeks ago and so far the only problems have been a burned out fog light and a CD player that doesnt work. The engine on this car is strong and reminds me of my V6 Cavalier in that its strong and responsive. Gas mileage isnt bad for a small car but could be better: 25 MPG. It rides a little harsh but thats what you get when you get the Z24. Exterior styling with the 16-inch wheels and black paint is attractive. The interior, while functional, is full of cheap plastics and rattles. I also dont like the location of the power window switches. I love the stereo and speakers though. Rear seat room is better than youd think and the seats are much nicer than in the base model.