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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  Bring back the Diesel! - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Dave Tulka - May 22 - 8:17 pm

  I just bought my 2004 Suburban in April 06 after 25 years and 300K+ miles of Honda Accords. The Suburban is almost a dream come true. The LT3 interior, automatic seating (with unreal adjustments), automatic mirrors, high ride in traffic and space make this an unbelieveable vehicle. I sat in the third seat and was comfortable. The short turning radius continues to amaze me. The five of us will be taking some family trips this summer with our camping gear and luggage securely in the back. This is a wonderful truck to drive. The comfort and quiet of the interior were really nice on the 800 mile trip we took right after we bought it.

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  Blessed to be driving my Tahoe - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Lovinmytahoe - May 22 - 9:52 am

  We have been looking for a vehicle for about 6 months.I previously owned a Chevy Blazer with about 200,000 miles, so we definitely got our money worth.We know we wanted something American Made, so we looked at the Tahoes & Yukons. By far the Tahoe is the best out there! We werent necessarily looking for all the bells and whistles, but we sure found it. We ended up purchasing the LT Autoride fully loaded, and wow, what a GREAT ride! We took my parents (who have always owned Cadillacs) and they said that it rides BETTER than a Cadillac! It is so quiet and smooth, but yet so powerful.

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  What a Great Truck for Dad - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By YSSMAN - May 21 - 11:02 pm

  My Dad was looking to buy an Avalanche the day they came out a few years ago. But with all that plastic, he wouldnt buy one. But after Chevrolet made the plastics an option, he bought one up pretty quick. I was a bit dissapointed that he didnt go with an LT or Z71, but the LS works just fine. The ride is quiet, and around town the power is sufficent to keep the truck going. Fuel mileage isnt bad either for such a large truck, and even when we are doing 80MPH with the A/C on, we still average 22MPG. Added to that, the MidGate system is awesome. Going from a SUV to a pickup truck was a great idea for GM, and it has come in handy so many times, it is just awesome.

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  I probably will trade it in - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Peggy - May 21 - 8:56 pm

  My sharp LT has many upgrades and I was thrilled when I bought it. Unfortunately, I have had several problems with it; it probably would have been wise for Chevrolet to buy it back from me after the first or second problem to maintain brand loyalty. It has been back to the shop for electrical problems, a mystery problem with the catalytic converter and, most recently, it could not maintain power to get out of the parking lot at work (a 5% grade on dry pavement). It recovered spontaneously the next morning, but that did not help me get home! I have not yet taken it to the shop for an investigation of this latest problem, but it struck out as far as Im concerned. I cannot recommend it.

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  Best Truck Ever! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Carcrazy - May 21 - 8:26 pm

  This is by far the best truck on the market. Better value than F150 and better quality than the Ram. I never looked at Tundra because Ill never buy a foreign truck. Only the American brands know how to build a real truck and GM showed everyone they knew what they were doing. It has the best fuel economy while still having the highest payload! Buy this, you wont regret it.

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  Would buy again - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Black on Black - May 21 - 7:36 pm

  I bought this car used at 43K miles and did not know the previous owner. There are some issues on this car that have been unusual failures. The AC pulley bearing went bad, the serpentine belt tensioner went bad. The wheel bearings on the front went bad and the heater core went out all before 60K. Buying used, I cannot tell how the previous owner treated it so I chalk it up to previous use. It gets great gas mileage and rides very nice.

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  Very solid! - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By rock - May 21 - 3:40 pm

  Let me tell you this is a great car. Love the looks of it and rides excellent. The 3.9 v6 is very powerful and has no problem going fast but very long spaced gears. The seats are very comfortable and nice looking. The inside is a little plain but I like it like that. I have the front bench seat with the column shifter and I love the bench seat because you can fit more people. Column shifter is easier to use because it sits next to my hand. Averaging 25 mpg excellent.

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  Great vehicle, an SUV worth a look - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Jim - May 21 - 5:53 am

  Test drove several SUVs, and some lower- cost offerings like Forester. They were good, but if youre in the need of large-ish SUV, take a Traverse for a test drive, I was sold. Its very comfortable, quiet and nimble for its size. High-end powertrain and engineering all around. Great for larger families and if you rate safety high on the list.

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  Nice Car - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By debinvegas - May 21 - 12:10 am

  Monte Carlos were made for years for good reasons, they are a good car with a nice comfortable ride. Very dependable and they hold their value. I hope they start making them again.

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  Great van - 1999 Chevrolet Astro
  By proudamerican8 - May 20 - 9:57 pm

  This vehicle has been a great car. We would be purchasing this vehicle gian if it was made with a driver side sliding door. Great car. Very reliable. Can haul extreme amounts of weight. I pulled a Hi-Lo camper once, handled like a truck when pulling. Plenty of power but poor acceleration. Great family car, I dont know why GM stooped making them. not a good seller because of poor exterior design and advertisement.