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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  Great Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By JB - April 29 - 3:20 pm

  By far the best truck I drove. I have a 5600lb boat and I dont even know its behind me most of the time. Great room inside and more standard features than Dodge or Ford. I LOVE my truck

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  2005 Colorado- Not what I expected - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Terri McGinnis - April 29 - 9:31 am

  Fuel mileage less than expected with 5 engine. I have had too many issues for a new truck. The air conditioning is not very strong, air flow. The interior is very cheap, and cheap looking. The cloth on the front seat is puffing up, of course it is still under warranty, but the whole reason to purchase a new vehicle, is so you dont have to go in for repairs. The truck is not at all what I was expecting. Very disspointed in the truck.

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  Chevy Equinox- Curb Appeal? - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Betsy - April 29 - 7:53 am

  This is the first SUV that I have owned. I went from a Cadillac Fleetwood, which I have been driving for the last 21 years, to this car. Although this car does not have the same ride as the Caddy, it has a smooth ride. I opted not to take the OnStar, because I felt I did not need this feature. While I miss the little things, such as climate control, passenger power seats, power antenna, soundproofing, I love the roomy interior, leather seats, panoramic windows, and gas mileage. I love sitting higher, and the seats are contoured, and comfortable. I have a moonroof. It handles much better than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Liberty that I use for work.

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  Excellent mid-size choice - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Bryan L. - April 29 - 7:43 am

  I purchased a 2005 TrailBlazer LS 4WD three months ago with 7000 miles on the odometer. No problems everything works as it should. Living and driving in Chicago, its a perfect SUV (for me) for this terrain. Excellent visibility, super-tight turning radius, and it surpresses all of those rough roads and pot holes with ease. Great power from the 4.2L inline six cylinder (almost 300hp) and experienced 17.5 mpg around the city and 21.5 on the highway. No drifting has been experienced at highway speeds. The TrailBlazer has been around for awhile and has a proven design that works well for most.

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  Chevy Truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Chevy Owner - April 29 - 1:20 am

  I absolutely love this truck. Purchased used with 83000 miles on it and so far no problems. 5.3L V8 engine runs real strong. The truck is well designed and very well built. I like the design of the interior a lot. Extended cab is very roomy and the cloth seats are very comfortable on short or long trips. I have the Z71 off road package, which really handles well off road. The automatic 4wd works well and there is a very smooth transfer from 2wd to 4wd. Gas mileage isnt great(14mpg) but hey its a truck. A friend of mine has a 98 Ford F150 with the 4.8L V8 and he only gets 12mpg. Chevrolet needs to keep building trucks like this because this is what a truck should be.

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  Aveos Rock - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Aveo-Luvr - April 28 - 8:38 pm

  The Aveo is much more spacious than it initially looks. Even though it is the most inexpensive model, it rides very smoothly and you dont hear every crack in the road. It is the first new auto I have ever owned and I recommend it to anyone commuting or even as a first car. They are inexpensive, the insurance is inexpensive, and they get great gas mileage. They have a lot of get-up-and-go for such a small engine. I love my AVEO!!!

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  Could be Better - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Could Be Better - April 28 - 4:24 pm

  I really liked the look and the feel of the vehicle when I bought it. After 2 months it was in the shop for sway bar links, 4-wheel drive switch, and the 4-wheel drive had to be reprogrammed.That was over $2500 worth of work. I am waiting for more to go wrong, I was driving and noticed it is now making the same noise it did when the sway links went out. When will it ever stop?

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  More rifinement needed - 2016 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Harris - April 28 - 6:13 am

  I bought a new 2016 Camaro with the I4 turbo engine. Great power for a 4 cyl. Only problem I have is the constant cluck in front end driving over cracks in the road. GM needs to refine this. Sounds like a cheap import. Test drove a mustang and they dont have that noise in their suspension.

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  Best Car Ive Owned - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By Bob - April 27 - 10:34 pm

  My 2005 Chevy Classic is an awesome car. It has the perfect combination of safety, comfort, reliability, and performance. Fuel economy is excellent for its size, which by the way, despite being a bigger car, has the same size fuel tank as my last car, a 2002 Cavalier. The Classics cost of ownership is quite low because it costs less to maintain and insure. It also makes a great family car because it is very roomy and comfortable, and can adjust to any size person. Although hard to find, I highly recommend the Classic to anyone.

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  LT3 Impala new buyer - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Michael Capria - April 27 - 10:06 pm

  Former Avalon driver, now in a 2006 LT3 Impala and after the first 300 miles Im impressed. Great dash info display. Smooth ride, comfortable seating, extra room even for a 6th (small) person with the column shifter. I never thought the remote start would be so handy but in a hot parking lot I can step into a cooled down car, nice.