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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  Well pleased - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By pt - April 3 - 5:59 am

  Great ability to open and store deck panels by one person. Good visibility in traffic. Handles all 4W terrain well.

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  Totally Amazing Car... unbeatable - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By pjhershey - April 2 - 7:40 pm

  Dont buy anything but domestic, and Chevy if you can. On top of just the pure speed and acceleration of the car, it still gets great gas mileage and is built tougher then any other coupe on the road. Its exterior is beautiful, interior is functional and stylish... it is just a great car.

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  Excellent all around truck - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Bob Wood - April 2 - 5:31 pm

  Traded in a Silverado for the Colorado. The Silverado had a much nicer interior and more hauling capacity as well as a nicer ride. But the Colorado looks great (got the red monochromatic package), and also got 4 wheel drive for the same price as my 2 wheel Silverado. Also gets much better gas mileage and has more room for the kids than the large pickup extended cabs. Just which Chevy has spent more on the interior materials.

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  Beats the Imports - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Duke - April 2 - 3:50 pm

  Shopped the Malibu against the Fusion and found the LT1 4Cycl 6Auto to be much better; better gas mileage, standard features, interior/exterior look. Thought I had to have the 6 Cycl, but after driving the 4cycl 6auto knew that it was enough. Love that Electronic Stability Control is standard. Even though the Fusion cost a few dollars less, the Malibu had everything I wanted, standard, whereas I would have had to add options to the Fusion. The Malibu feels like a "luxury" auto for under $25,000.

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  Back to the drawing board - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mooser - April 2 - 9:40 am

  As soon as I hit 5,000 miles all went wrong.Terrible noise and klunking in front end effects how car drives but according to GM not a safety concern.Car is getting worse over time. Dealership tells me they have orders from GM not to look at front end.GM tells me to be patient they will have a solution in 3 months or so. No biggie only dealing with this since Feb. GM not helpful at all! Now I am leaking gas out of the engine. At 6,000 miles I needed a whole new exhaust system and the steering column replaced after the steering locked up on me driving to work. But hey GM says it is safe to drive! Now the car just sits in my driveway no way I am placing my family in this car or any other GM Car

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  220k later and keeps on ticking! - 2006 Chevrolet Suburban
  By dean Carter - April 2 - 12:34 am

  Suburban are the best full size suv for the money. Have only had to replace the transmission at 160k and the is running strong at 210k.Bought brand new in December 2005.

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  My Third Chevy Minivan - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Mic hele - April 1 - 10:15 pm

  After driving a Lumina APV and Venture for 140K+ miles each, I had to give the new Uplander a try. I saw some negative reviews, but much to my delight, the van has performed without any issues. The front seats are comfortable providing good back support and allow you to get a good view of the road. The headlights are amazingly bright. It has a smooth, quiet ride and has been better on gas than my past vans. The inside is roomy and the sound system is great. The DVD player with remote is good for movies or video games for the kids. The dashboard displays are easy to read and the controls are easy to use. Ive received a lot of positive feedback on the new exterior look as more SUV-like.

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  Great Car - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By wes - April 1 - 10:12 pm

  This car is great "cheap performance." It is a very reliable car. I have taken many trips in this car. One being almost 800 miles. the car ran great the whole way. Im very pleased with owning this car.

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  The closest thing to a fighet jet - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Sound of Speed - April 1 - 5:26 pm

  This car is an amazing car! 70 grand and able to beat Ferraris, Lambos and some of the worlds fastest cars. It can turn in with the best of them and then run on the straight lines. 0-60 in just 3.8 seconds is what I was able to pull off. I took this car to the track an I was ahead of cars that cost in excess of 100K. I love the Head Up Display (HUD), it allows you to see your RPMs and speed without your eyes leaving the road, everything is in the perfect place, shifter, pedals, steering wheel and the seats hold you in while you pull those 1G turns an still allow you to be comfy on long drives. Gets looks from everyone and sounds great. Turn the HUD on and floor it at the stop light

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  Solid Chevy - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jerry - April 1 - 5:58 am

  This SUV handles great and will tow heavy loads with no problem. We have taken a long trip with 7 passengers comfortably. The seats fold flat easily and the ride is great. The gas mileage is its weak point 17mpg but we knew that before we bought it.