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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  Questionable at Best - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Lars_220 - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Any consumers that are considering buying a Monte Carlo between 1995 - 1999 should strongly reconsider. I didnt know until after I bought it that they got such poor reviews. Mechanically, the car is horrible. In the almost 4 years that I have had it, I have put in over 5000 dollars into the car. Major engine and transmission problems were a large portion of that money.

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  04 Malibu LT - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jim cunningham - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Overall satisfaction is high. LT model is loaded with enjoyable extras. Comfort is high for mid-size car. Dealer follow up far above expectations.

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  Gotta luv it! - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By danlwil - April 21 - 2:00 am

  If you drive one... everything else seems impractical. The versitility. styling and comfort are the best part of this truck. Did I meantion mods? This truck was built to modify.... do what you will. It will only make cool cooler!!

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  amrican bad ass - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By reaper7979 - April 21 - 2:00 am

  just got a new 04 vette 1st car other thean my dads let me tell you ricers got nutthing on it allready beat the two "fastest cars" in my school a civic hooked up beyond belief at least 10 k in it an a trans amm, nuthing beats it 4 power to price not to meantion it looks fast when parked.

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  My ZO6 - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dadman - April 21 - 2:00 am

  This is too much car for one guy to handle;-} It just jumps from the line and is so powerful! I cant believe how it handles. I swear it bends in the middle! My only complaint about it is that here in PA we have a lot of concrete highways and the suspension is stiff and you can take a beating from the bump-bump-bump of the concrete squares. Also, it is a bit noisy. But that was in the reviews that I saw b4 I bought it.

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  Awesome Car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Kingston SS - April 21 - 12:10 am

  Awesome Car for the price you pay. Excellent performance in the high- revs, this thing is a Civic killer. Most other small cars had better watch out.. as fast if not faster then a V6 Mustang. Tires wear quickly but have ultra-hard sidewalls and will take alot of punishment. I hit a curb going 50kph on a turn and took out a chunk of rubber the size of a nickel, no cord, nothing. barelly a scratched rim. Awesome car.

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  HHR - Cool little ride - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By dmcdulin - April 20 - 3:16 am

  The HHR looks nice and has some good features for a low priced SUV. The remote start, dashboard storage, and cool chrome displays are all solid, especially on a car at $15,000. Only drawback so far has been when I need to push the endgine for a littel extra power, it delivers but when the AC is on, you can tell the power drop a little bit.

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  Best Vehicle Ive Owned - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By IMPALA LOVER - April 20 - 2:42 am

  This car is great. Driving to and from work (38 miles each way) you cant beat the gas mileage... 29.7 miles per gallon! The Impala has a great smooth ride. If I ever buy another car, it will be another Impala!

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  My Experience - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Tommy - April 19 - 5:08 pm

  Since I have had this truck I have loved it. It feels more comfortable than my old F250 that I traded in and the fuel economy is much better. I have made it from Stow, Ohio to Roanoke, Virginia on half a tank of gas. The truck runs smooth and quiet, you can really feel the power of the engine as well with all of the pick up and go. Since I have had the truck I have had the bed lined with Line-X and I have added a class 3 hitch to pull a pop-up camper and my boat. Even when towing the truck has shown no problems. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a good mid size truck today.

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  Not bad but not good either. - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By truck owner - April 19 - 2:42 pm

  I have been the original owner of my 2001 Chevy Tahoe Z71. I have had minimal trouble with it. I now have 100,000 miles on it and am starting to expeience some difficulties. The window motors are starting to burn up and the windshield washer motors are starting to crack and fail due to freezing. I have concerns about the transmission. It has been known to slip and I am the last one of all of my friends that has not had the transmission rebuilt. I have done all regular maintenance and I change the oil every 500 miles. My complaints are not with fuel mileage as I have the 5.3L motor and I average 15-16 mpg and I have more room than a 4Runner that get about the same mileage. Poor handling!