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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  Fall Apart with $1,332/89. owner pays. - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Fall Apart - November 22 - 10:00 am

  Total mileage 37,011. Failure of bearings in the differential; Failure, bearing in rear axle on passenger side. Leak in same bearing. Oil lelaked onto emergency brakes. Cost me $1,332.89. 9. Designed to fail at 1,011 miles beyond warranty???? Dealer claiming no GM responsibilty. Results (2).. 1. I pay the bill. (2) Toyota has genuine, non mis-leading total quality throughout. Chev Avalanche taught me to avoid GM PRODUCTS. I AM PURCHASING A TOYOTA AVALON as soon as my Avalanche is available from its costly repairs. READER: Are you capable of learning from the above experience. Its only your money.

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  tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By markb - November 22 - 10:00 am

  nice vehicle...you should buy one.

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  Tahoe is the best. - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By BenChod - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I made my choice from Nissan Armada and toyota sequoia. Tahoe is the better value. Armada does have a strong engine but the interior is plastic and the dealers i delat with were really bad. Im so glad i purchased the tahoe. Im very satistifed with my purchase.

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  High Quality Large SUV - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By kge - November 22 - 5:52 am

  We drive a lot. First Suburban weve owned, and wont be the last. Avg 19 mpg hwy and 16 city in over 100,000 miles. The only mechanical failure was the catalytic converter stopped up after 80,000. Took 3 weeks for the experts to figure the problem. If it were not for that, Id give this truck all 10s. Acres of space, smooth ride. We owned 2 Windstar vans previously and this truck is far better in looks, driveablility, and maintainence. The vans were better on gas though.

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  Solid - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By daniel - November 21 - 2:28 pm

  This is a solid truck. It might not be the fastest, strongest or most powerful truck, but for the price its the best. I dont use it for hauling around tons of stuff. Its perfect for the everyday moving of beds, dressers, tables, and all the big light stuff around the house. Its great. I really like the feel of this vehicle. Its smooth and has enough power to get to the next level if needed.

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  Second Time Around - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By BOB - November 21 - 2:03 pm

  I had an 03 TrailBlazer LT. The first year, I swore Id never own another. The next 2 1/2 years it was very reliable, enough so that when my saleman called me with a deal that was too good to refuse, I went for a fully loaded LT with leather, sunroof, heated seats. Subtle interior changes make it seem a lot classier than the 03. The only exterior change is a restyled grille, and a lower hangover on the rear bumper, so you cant see the spare tire. If this one is as reliable as the last one (after the first year) Ill be driving this well over 100k.

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  OK for long distance driving - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By lagrp394 - November 21 - 12:04 pm

  Stiff, uncomfortable seats. Lack of lumbar controls. Has a tendency to hestiate on start. Overall a good car. Could have better gas mileage and more comfortable seats.

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  Inexpensive but not cheap - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Joseph P. Passaretti - November 21 - 10:13 am

  The ride in this car is surprisingly comfortable for around town. My son (Saturn owner) says that you cant feel the speed because you are sitting higher and the visibility is good. The acceleration is acceptable for the little 1.6 liter engine. The gas mileage seems to be improving from the start at 19 mpg to now 22 mpg although I only have a little over 1000 miles on her. The shape and color (yellow) grows on you and is easier to spot in the parking lot. I find that I can fit at least the same amount of sundries in my Aveo as I had in my Oldsmobile Intrigue with the exception of the Oldmobile could seat 5. Yes I am happy with my choice of the Chevy Aveo and would recommend this car.

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  Not a Silverado - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By FL - November 21 - 10:09 am

  I traded an 04 Silverado 2500HD for this Colorado. Although the trim /options package is a 3LT, it falls way short of the Siverado 3LT package with far fewer bells and whistles. The truck is fairly comfortable with a stiff chassis. The engine has plenty of power and pickup and at highway speed is pretty smooth. At idle there is some vibration. I have had a few problems with rattles inside the cab. When bringing it to the dealers attention the tech merely tied up the HVAC cables. This seemed to correct the rattles for a short while but they are back and worse at this writing. I havent had the truck through a winter yet. Well see!

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  Vette Conv. - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jeff in Key West - November 21 - 9:52 am

  What a nice car overall! The build quality is on par with my wifes MB SLK. Interior could be a little nicer as theres too much plastic. I ordered the magnetic suspension which should be on all these. The satellite nav is a must as it adds a touch of luxury to an otherwise plain-jane dashboard. GM really needs to fix this on a $65K car.