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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  Awesome SUV - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Alex E. V. - October 1 - 10:00 am

  This car not only performs great but it looks great. I think it looks so much better than the more expensive MDX. On long trips this roomy interior is the best. The engine is quiet. This is by far Chevys best SUV yet.

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  LS extended 4 door Silverado 2wd - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Baker, A - October 1 - 10:00 am

  V 6 Ext cab 4dr truck. I bought it with 12 miles on it. Forget an SUV, the cab can sit 6 people, 5 comfortable. Road Trips Hwy fuel = 24 mpg and city = 19 mpg. Steering is tight not lose. Hwy driving is smooth. Body is tight, no excessive noise when driving. Only needed oil changes, no repairs in 15 months owned truck. AM/FM/CD radio sounds great. Can converse with others at normal tones. Has 2 outlets for plugging in phones,etc. Roomy glove box and center arm rest/console has lots of space. We do volunteer work for haunted house in Neosho Rapids,KS and this truck has hauled us down a muddy lane back and forth with no trouble at all.

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  Awesome truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By cph 360 - September 30 - 6:26 pm

  I have owned many trucks and all I can say is my 1988 2500 2wd 5.7 regular cab has 248,000 miles and still performs like new. I purchased 2004 2500 4wd crew cab 6.0 v8 last month and all I can say is this truck is truly superior too all other trucks. Ride looks handling and most of all performance. The power is unbelievable and gas mileage is 14 mpg around town and 17.8 on the highway, what more can I say great job gm. Ford, Dodge, Toyota step aside, I"m a GM man for ever.

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  My awsome chevy NOX - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Lisa Richards - September 30 - 11:23 am

  The 2006 Chevy Equinox is a great SUV to have. It has the most appealing exterior and interior design than any of its other competitor. It is a real Chevy truck. With on demand AWD, its perfect. As a mom, Ive seen the difference we had since we traded our 2002 Toyota Rav4. The kids dont complain about the rear seat legroom. There is enough cargo space. The LT model is great. The Equinox is a strong, confident, SUV. It is the best SUV in its class. Looks almost like the Acura MDX but is a lot cheaper. Equinox looks expensive. Its a great buy!

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  Very Pleased - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Gwen - September 29 - 11:10 pm

  I bought this car in 11-00, brand new. I have been so pleased with it that I am now trading it for a new 2006 model. I need the new warranty features, if something were to go wrong. I have never had any serious trouble with it at all.

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  Huge upgrade for small GM trucks - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Colorado5cyl5M - September 29 - 6:16 pm

  I recently purchased a new 2005 Colorado ZQ8 Regular cab with the 5 cylinder and manual transmission. The truck performs well and accellerates better than I expected. The handlng is sharp, but with a slight penalty in ride quality. The interior is smartly executed, with everything in good reach, and the seats are way more supportive than the ones in my previous S-10. The Interior space is immensely more too. The styling is killer, and in black it looks mean going down the road.

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  its an all around awesome truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By doug marvin - September 29 - 6:00 am

  I love my SS ... it’s a 2003 and has 30k on at this point w/no mechanical problems ... I have towed an enclosed tandem axle 2 bike trailer to Daytona 3 times and 2 time to Myrtle ... have yet to be out launched at a light by anything including Corvettes ... yes, more power would help on the top end, but that’s the only way anything can catch you with all that traction.

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  Drive it until it dies - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By diniman58 - September 28 - 7:33 pm

  Bought new in 00 and other than the front wheel bearings and the crank sensor replaced I have not had any problems with it. 184k, repeat 184k, mostly HWY driving averaging 16 mpg in winter to 18 in warmer weather and not a drop of oil is used. I tow a 19ft runabout and there is plenty of power even later with the high mileage. Piston slap when cold starting is somewhat annoying, but service techs have said that it is common and does not cause damage. This truck will be driven by me until it croaks and then I will more than likely replace the engine or whatever else needs to be done. Transmission flushed every 60k or so does wonders. Great truck. Every Ford owner wishes they were so lucky..

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  A great car! - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jukebox Ed - September 28 - 6:40 pm

  My wife and I both drive Impalas and the LTZ is our 7th Impala since 2000. By far, this LTZ is superior to all the others. Power, styling, comfort, Bose sound system (fantasic); overall a great car. Gas mileage, however, is a disappointing 22-23 mph no matter how it is driven. Although it has 233 hp, would expect better mileage. This car is loaded with every option, including the fire engine red tintcoat paint. The car turns heads; hopefully not the State troopers (LOL). Have 8600+ miles on it since April 25 with no problems whatsoever.

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  First Chevrolet - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By The Bubs - September 28 - 2:00 am

  This is the first GM product in our household. So far (2 months and 2000 miles), weve been *very* pleased with the ride, comfort and overall performance of the Tahoe. We test drove a Yukon Denali, Yukon SLT w/Autoride, and the Tahoe w/Z71. Both my wife and I thought that the Tahoe drove the best of the three (we also drove a 03 Toyota Forerunner, but found the interior/exterior "bland").