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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  VERY GOOD CAR - 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
  By FASTAssCAMARO - April 30 - 2:00 am

  BEST CAR EVER, Kills mustangs easily. Mine has around 400 HP, it is a fast machine.

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  Love my Chevy - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By M.C.Sauerbrey - April 30 - 12:10 am

  I am a salesman and drive 45000 miles per year. I bought the truck because our company trucks are chevys and last over 200000 miles. This truck has the 5.3 v8 and the 6 spd trans. 2WD. I am getting 22-23.5 mpg on the hwy at 70- 75mph. In town around 18.5-20mpg. I traded a 4cyl GMC Canyon that didnt do any better on the hwy and it could not pull anything.This truck is fun to drive and very comfortable. So far I have over 8000 miles on it.

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  I love this car - 1991 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Lori - April 29 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Lumina for five years and it runs great. When it hit 100,000 miles, I had to have some work done on it but after that there were no problems. In 2002, the air conditioner broke and I decided to sell it because I live in Florida. It now has 140,000 miles and is running great. I will miss it.

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  My97 - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Sean266 - April 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used and have been very happy with it from the start. It is extremely reliable.I use it for work and have taken it all over LOng Island.

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  Top Notch - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By David Blass - April 29 - 2:00 am

  Ahead of its time.

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  Chevy - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Alias99999 - April 29 - 2:00 am

  I had 5 4runners in a row. decided to try an American car. Very nice, but only time will tell if im a convert.

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  My Equinox Experience - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Christine - April 28 - 5:50 am

  This truck is perfect for our family. The best feature is the adjustable rear seat. Somebody rear-ended me and I am renting a Jeep Cherokee. I am finding that the back seat of my Equinox has more room than the Cherokee. The Equinox is reliable, good on gas, not too big or small, and fun to drive. I love it.

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  Great Reliable Car - 1999 Chevrolet Prizm
  By CharlieM - April 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car new in 99. Mine has a 5 speed manual and I have had no maintenance problems. All I do is change the oil every 3K miles and put in gas. The milage is so good I hardly use much gas. It easily gets over 30 miles to the gallon. On a long highway trip, I get close to 40 mpg.

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  Best Car Ever Built - 1995 Chevrolet Impala
  By Remix - April 27 - 2:00 am

  If you are searching to buy a car, I suggest to buy the 1995 Chevy Impala. It has all the features of a luxury car and the perfomance of a sports car.

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  Blazer - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Chris Niemiec - April 27 - 2:00 am

  This car is a blast to drive. In all of the reviews, it gets a bad wrap, but an SUV is not build to be fast and handle well. These are the things that it is marked down on. This is a great truck.