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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  Best vehicle i ever owned. - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By KC - May 9 - 1:56 am

  I am so happy with my new Equinox. The fuel economy is great and it drives wonderful even in the snow. They were not kidding when they said 600 miles to the fill up.

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  The Right Truck? - YES! - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Kevin K - May 8 - 10:00 am

  This is a great all around truck. Its good for hauling all the family, friends AND all their junk - in spacious comfort, unlike an SUV, where you get room for people OR cargo. Performance is incredible from 6.0L V8, real-world gas mileage varies between 12 mpg city - 15 mpg hiway. VERY roomy & comfortable. Very well built - NO quality or reliability issues during 1st year of ownership.

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  Fun to Drive - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Raj - May 8 - 10:00 am

  This is best vehicle in class.

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  Chevy Equinox a good buy - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jim Riley - May 8 - 3:56 am

  I am very pleased with my 2006 Equinox LT AWD. The AWD is very good in snow and wet weather. The Equinox gave confidence in December snow on remote two tracks in the back woods. My comparison is to my previously owned AWD cars: Audi A6, Explorer & Chrysler T&C. My only concern is the steering, with a large turning radius and light road feel. For the price range is is well equipped compared to other models. I rent cars while traveling on business and have experienced many car-based SUVs. Aceleration is good. I get 20 mpg on highway (75 mph) , 23 mpg if I drive 65. Ride is quiet, site lines are good. Radio is outstanding.

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  96 Caprice Classic wagon - 1996 Chevrolet Caprice
  By J Augie - May 8 - 2:00 am

  Purchased car new. In addition to regular maintenance: 2/97 serviced engine emission at 22239 mi 5/98 replaced digital gage cluster due to dim display at 39483 mi 3/99 serviced engine emission at 48399 mi 3/00 serviced auto load leveling suspension at 56156 mi 9/01 replaced oil cooler line at 61466 mi 3/01 replaced air hose to rear auto leveling air shocks at 63322 mi.

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  Nice Ride - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Tennessee Traveler - May 8 - 2:00 am

  Bought this vehicle as program car with 24000. Now have over 40000 of relatively trouble free driving.Only problems air conditioning condencer leak (repaired under warranty) and warped front brake rotors.Have been to Fla and back several times, as well as trips to Oklahoma and New Jersey. All comfortable, trouble free and excellent mileage on highway at 70-75 mph(28-33+).

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  asdfjkl - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By dwr84 - May 8 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle has over a 100,000 miles and still done little to no work.

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  Good Job Chevrolet - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By Kevin - May 8 - 2:00 am

  This is our first van and Chevrolet. We are comming up to one year of ownership, no problems what so ever. Thats a first for us. The van has nice ride, good gas mileage and tons of useful gadgets. Onstar is a nice safety and security option. Given the high level of satifaction from the van and the dealer we will be buying another Cheverlot product from Mike Shaw in Denver.

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  No more mini vans - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Mary - May 7 - 11:03 pm

  This is my first SUV and I love it! I will never go back to minivans! I love the power and the handling and even haul my horses with ease.

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  Outstanding - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By snoopy31 - May 7 - 10:26 pm

  I traded a 2005 Toyota Sequoia on this 2007 Tahoe. My new Tahoe has it all over the Sequoia. Many more features plus lower price. As an added bonus, my warranty has now been extended to 5yrs and 100,000 miles better than Toyotas. Sticker on the 2005 Toyota was $49,735 more than $3000 over the Tahoe and with fewer features. I love the Tahoe, and so far no problems with 2783 miles and average 20.7 MPG