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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  Great Little Truck - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By TERESA MOORE - November 18 - 4:07 am

  This is my 4th small Chevy truck, and I think its the best yet! Its got lots of interior room, and a good sized bed too. I was quite pleased that the base model comes with cruise control, tilt wheel, and a pretty good sounding AM/FM stereo. There is way too much noise from the A- pillars, window deflectors are needed! The base tires pick up every little pebble, then they "fly" when you end up on the freeway! warms up slow for a 4 cylinder.

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  Family Vehicle, Family Price - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Bret - November 17 - 9:00 pm

  Write all you want about SUV/Minivan looks, builds or whatever but to me minivans are family vans. The Uplander is for Families. We got a program one which means families like ours can afford one. It has room for families. It has comfort for families. It has durability for families. My only complaint would be Id like to see something to replace the false buttons on the ceiling console. Why have false buttons to show me what I could not afford? Other than that this a minivan for familes.

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  Not a durable work truck., - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ken - November 17 - 6:03 pm

  While It has great mileage for a full size truck, there are few other aspects that I like about it. I didnt expect much from the v-6 but this is bad, I can deal without acceleration but it delivers poor torque while loaded or towing. I like a sparse interior, this one feels cheap. Seats are uncomfortable, I hate having the seatbelt in the seat,always seems to ride up to my neck and is not adjustable (it happens to people of different body types as me). Under dash, loose wires everywhere. Minor issues are starting to appear $30 here and $40 there, wont break the bank but annoying. Poor handling, spongy suspension, like a 1976 wagon. Least favorite vehicle Ive ever owned.

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  2003 Venture LT - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Dave - November 17 - 12:40 pm

  Costly! Put in a new transmission, new radiator. Not a happy camper.

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  Blazer - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By chevy blazer - November 17 - 9:42 am

  I bought my Blazer for $1800 and put 10,000 miles on it. So far $850 for tranny rebuild. Fuel pump put on before I got it. 4wd works when it wants to. Shake the wires on transfer case sometimes works. EGR no good but you can buy a piece of screen wire from dealer for $16-20 that will reduce carbon build up. Gas mileage in city between 10 or 12 miles to gallon. Gets 17 or 18 mpg on highway. Brakes are no good. On slick surfaces they pulsate and make an awful racket. I guess it is a very poor ABS system. Not to mention I got truck for $1800 because tail lights would not work. Looks nice with $150 exhaust I had to put on because muffer rusted apart. Trim is starting to come off now.

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  Happy in New Hampshire! - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mr jay - November 17 - 2:09 am

  As an update to the below, more happy than ever. 20k miles now and runs like a charm. Everything is solid, dependable and very comfortable. My son who is not a car guy at all (he is looking forward to driverless cars). Seems to like it well enough. When driving does not feel like 19 feet! Backup camera big help in parking lots. Have not had her off roading but effortless in nh winters, ski resorts, etc. love the full time AWD in winter and the true 4 WD. When needed.really happy all around Got a 2014 high country and very happy. While expensive it is extremely comfortable and easy to hop in and out. Fairly soft ride considering it is a truck with full off road capabilities. It about 10k miles and no issues whatsoever. Controls are big and solid, no rattles or highway noise and holds together in corners as well as you can expect from a truck. Pulls my boat and snowmobiles easily-not surprising for V8. I get 18 mpg no matter what type of driving. Makes me wonder if electronic mpg calculator is working- I never calculated it manually. People love riding in the back- as much room as a limo. Back up camera is outstanding which is good because this beast would be difficult to park otherwise. And parking sensors are helpful. Overall, very happy with her especially the room and ergonomics.

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  Third Best By Far - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Glen Teason - November 16 - 9:33 pm

  I ordered a 2001 Corvette in August 2000. I wanted to make sure I would get exactly what I wanted so found a dealer who had several on order matching my needs. This is my third Corvette. First was a new 63 340 HP 4 sp. Black Convert. Loved it but QC not the best. next a new 80 bought new. This 2001 is the best by a long shot. Ultra reliable. Great gas mileage at10 city, 27 road. Great performance. Idles like a tame family sedan and has all the scoot I would want in a daily driver. Ive kept it totally stock. Most problems include headlight gears that wore out to often. I remedied this by swithching off the automatic headlight activation and manually turning on the lights. Love this car.

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  American Quality - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Joseph O - November 16 - 4:50 pm

  The Chevy Impala is an attractive nearly full size car with a lot of interior and truck space. The v6 3.4L 180 HP engine is smooth and provides more than adequate performance for my needs. A v6 3.8L 200 HP engine provides more performance and I am told 1-2 miles more fuel economy. With the 3.4L expect to get 22-23 mpg in mixed city/highway driving. Good driving and visability site lines. The interior 60/40 split bench seat with fold down arm rest and cup holder. Although the steering wheel adjusts the base model manual seat adjustment may not work for all. Reliability has improved each year and the 2003-2005 is exspected to provide better than average reliability and good value.

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  Good Value - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By hamfarb - November 16 - 3:23 pm

  Im on a tight budget with a family of 4 and needed something that will last ten years and grow with the children. After testing 4 different new and 5 used models I felt the Equinox LS offered the best value for the $$. I would have liked to upgrade to LT, but it was too much of a stretch. That said, you get a lot of "upgrade" level features on the LS. After 2000 miles performance has been great. Mileage around 26 combined. Only two minor repairs -dealer forgot to put on antenna and a cap on the windshield wiper nut fell off. Dealer fixed both -no questions. No issues in interior.

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  2006 SSR - 2006 Chevrolet SSR
  By Tom James - November 15 - 8:51 pm

  Great drive. Like it much better that our 2005 BMW M-3 convertible. Handles great, holds the road like its glued on even in heaq\vy Florida rains. Got rid of M-3 now looking for 2nd SSR!