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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  Cavalier - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By ChazH - April 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is small and quicker than I expected. It is a five speed, which makes the fuel economy even higher. I usually get 480mpg. There is alot of aftermarket items avaliable which makes it easy to up the performance. I would highly recomend this car to anyone.

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  Price vs performance - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Ed Krohn - April 1 - 2:00 am

  Best in class in value of a high performance production vehicle

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  Great vehicle for the family - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Gerb - April 1 - 2:00 am

  Purchased the suburb in Green Bay at Broadway. All the people we delt with were great and very helpful. My wife picked black for the color and I picked the 1500 LS 4x4 with trailer package, lift gate and premium tires. All the other features that we were looking for were standard on the LS. Including four wheel anti-lock disc brakes, 3rd row seat, power everything and much more.

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  Excellent Car. 240 HP - 28 MPG - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Michael - March 31 - 3:13 am

  Half the miles I drive are on the highway. This car is a quiet ride on the highway. Im averaging 28 MPG. The seats are big are comfortable. The steering wheel mounted controls allow you to control the radio function and cruise control. Overall it has been a great car for me. I highly recomend this car. It definitely has enough horsepower as well. Its fun to turn of fthe traction control and smoke the front tires.

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  S-10 Extreme - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By Zelmo - March 31 - 2:00 am

  The S-10 extreme has been an exceptional vehicle for its price range. I have put 34000 miles on it since buying it used in 2000. It has only had to have new front brake pads and noting else other than oil changes and filters. It is loaded with accessories and has been great for the price range it is in. It looks great and the interior has held up well. The only problem at all with the vehicle is that it has a 4 cyl. motor that is some what under powered for all the othe features of the vehicle.

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  2002 Z28 Camaro - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Caramo - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Ive had more expensive sportscars in the past, but my Z28 is tops in bang for the buck. Plus I wanted to get one of the last of the breed before they were gone forever.

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  Happy - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Kayaker712 - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Wonderful vehicle. I love the solid feel and the 5.3 Vortec is a dream in traffic gob and gobs or low end torque. The truck is solid and feels like a bank vault on wheels going down the road.

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  So far so good - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By David - March 30 - 1:13 am

  I ordered this truck w the 6.2, max pack, and love it. Plenty of power w a lot of power. It is a pleasure to drive and with all kinds of extras. I have been a Ford man most of my life but after months of research I ended up with this truck. It is just what I wanted. Dont concern yourself with gas mileage because its a truck but go w what you want and you will be happy. Gas prices go up and down. If this what drive you then get a motorcycle.

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  Great "Tweener" - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By millermt - March 29 - 2:00 am

  I chose the S10 ZR2 because it seemed to have the benefits of both a bigger and smaller truck. Sizewise, it is between compact and full-sized truck thanks to the larger suspension. The 4.3L Vortec V6 produces plenty of power (which you wouldnt get in a compact truck), but still gets decent gas mileage in comparison to the full-sized trucks. Ive put 48000 NJ Turnpike miles on my truck in the 2 years Ive had it, and I havent had any problems. I did get rear-ended at a stop light. The repairs for my truck were $400, whereas the other guys car was totalled.

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  Great Ride - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By adjmcloon - March 29 - 2:00 am

  I actually had settled on an Expedition and was shopping around when I decided to try the Tahoe. What a difference! The ride and power were a huge step up from the Expedition. The interior seats are soft and comfy, and I love all of the gadgets. I tow a trailer regularly (2-3 times a week) and I was amazed at how well the "tow/haul" mode worked. I was thinking that it would just turn off overdrive, but actually it changes the shift points to allow the vehicle to act like it does when its unloaded. Also, the autoride feature is the bomb- it levels out the vehicle suspension when its under load. Gas mileage is much better than the Ford.