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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  Wonderful bang for the buck - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Michael M - July 9 - 2:00 am

  I really like my car. Ive had it for 3 years now and 46K miles and it is fun, grogeous, fast and was dirt cheap to buy. Great fuel consumption too. The V6 with the manual is fast enough for me and insurance is very reasonable compared to the V8. This is a great car for those of us who love a sports car but cant afford a BMW M3 or an AUDI S4. Only problem has been radio static since about 10Kmiles. Dealer has tried everything and cant fix it. It is really annoying... I will need to buy another car in the next couple of years as we now have two kids and I have no idea what to get. I wish they made a 4 door camaro... :)

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  I still love this truck! - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By MIZZSS - July 8 - 3:56 am

  Wow! Three years later and I still love everything about this truck. I love the handling, the sleek/tough look (mine is black). Can a truck be your bestfriend? Mine is, its does what I need when I need, and is always willing to give me a lot more, if needed. This truck is one of the funniest vehicles I have driven.

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  1995 S10 - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By Todd Neu - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Fun car! Now has 118K miles. Replaced A/C compressor

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  Total package - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Smiling Brad - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Absolutely wonderful SUV. This is my 2nd Suburban (previous was a 97 SLT). This is loaded, comfortable, and driver friendly. If you are looking for a total package, look no further!!!

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  Loving My Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jacqueline - July 7 - 1:00 pm

  I truly love this vehicle. My Equinox is easy to control, drives wonderfully, very good on gas and it LOOKS good. I love all the room within the vehicle. And the features I truly enjoy, such as the DVD player, satellite radio, sunroof and the OnStar. I especially like the OnStar system, due to the fact that I know Im protected at all times. The vehicle notifies you of mechanical problems.

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  ZR2 Rocks! - 1996 Chevrolet S-10
  By gtbrad - July 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 96 ZR2 from a private owner in Sept. 98 with only 39,000 miles on it. It now has 62,000 on it, and with the exception of relacing the A/C compressor and a broken A-Arm in the front suspension, the truck has been wonderful. Ive put my truck in some god awful places, and it still has no rattles whatsoever and drives as good as the day I bought it. I am now only replacing the brakes for the first time, and need an oil pan gasket. Other than that, the truck has been great.

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  Great looking big sedan with many extras - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By duraflex - July 7 - 2:00 am

  Great road car with time-tested 3.8 V6. Actual highway mileage up to 32 MPG !!! Intuititively designed, user friendly features. Feels big and safe to drive. Especially comfortable for long drives. Good fit and finish. Best bang for the buck in a sedan for under $30,000.

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  2001 Tahoe - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By WILLIAM - July 7 - 2:00 am

  This is our 2nd Generation of Tahoe ownership. They just keep getting better and better. Weekly trips to the Jersey Shore give us an average of 20.9 M.P.G., The Auto-Ride option was well worth the additional money. Lease buy out at end of 3 yrs is 22,000. We will more than likley purchase this one.

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  2002 Tahoe LS w/ pref. equipt. group - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By bige - July 7 - 2:00 am

  Just bought a Loaded Tahoe LS. After driving Grand Cherokees for the last 6 years, Im impressed by the overall solidness of Jeeps GM counter-parts. Test drove both 2002 Tahoes and Yukons and also Sequoias, just for giggles. No real discernible difference between the Tahoe and the Yukon. Much V8 pep in both, the GMC was slightly more expensive and the dealers much less willing to deal, even during July 4th week. Made a pretty good deal thanks, in part to the present $2500 factory cash. This truck is just a blast to drive. Do check these beauties out.

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  Excellent Vehicle -Drive one! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By formerChryslerEng - July 6 - 3:50 pm

  Excellent vehicle - good fuel economy, power (for a 4 cylinder), rides and handles excellent, comfortable seats, and is quiet! Drive one - see for yourself how nice it is! 4 cylinder engine and 6 speed auto rans are matched well - vehicle shifts smoothly and is very quite for a 4 cylinder. trans is always in teh proper gear, it dont hunt like other competitiors I drove. Radio controls are very intuitive, I didnt even have to read the manual to program the stations - which by the way you are not limited to one set of AM, one set of FM , and one set of XM - you can mix and match your presets in the order you want- very nice!