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:

• 

  06 Monte Carlo SS - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Chris Paffett - March 1 - 1:46 pm

  I have a bias for the shape of the roofline on 2006-2007 Monte Carlos. For me it has lots of interior room, something that cost above 40K in a Asian or Euro coupe. It is very fast when you stand on it. I have upset at least the following imports; Audi Q7 with V-8, BMW 650 convertble, Porsche boxster. Yes it is a front wheel drive and a amiable performer one click down from the Pontiac GTO and the last year of the Z28 Camaro. It will deliver 25 to 28 mpg on flat highways when driven at speed limit, I average about 23 mpg on highway due to spirited driving. The Goodyears hum at around 45-55 mph then get quiet. Plenty of trunk room, leather seats are firm and so is suspension. Like it a lot.

• 

  Great Little Truck! - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By chonny - March 1 - 4:42 am

  I really enjoy driving this truck. Ive had no problems at all. I have yet to get under 21 mpg. Have gotten as high as 28.1. The 2.8L 4cyl is very surprising in the amount of power it puts out. Would definitely buy another one if I was in the market.

• 

  A true "LEMON" - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Disgruntled Owner - March 1 - 12:30 am

  Ive always been a Chevy person. I owned their full size & compact Blazers, 1500 pickup & two extended cab trucks before throwing my money away on the Tahoe-Lemon. To test drive the Tahoe is to want the Tahoe... roomy interior, smooth ride, just the right size. Unfortunately, to own the Tahoe is to be broke. Poor mpg (less than sticker indicates) & Constant Repair! I have replaced the tranny, starter, alt, water & fuel pumps, windshield wiper moter (recall), front interior door handles, passenger seat belt assembly clasp/lock, idler arm, brakes & rotors several times, & plug sets too many times to count. Steering scensors fail on/off as do electronics, interior plastics are now breaking.

• 

  Great Car - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By JoMama - February 28 - 10:55 pm

  My 3rd Impala since the new model in 2000 - kept the second so hubby can commute with it. Our kids are amazed at how spunky these sedans are, and the mileage is amazing. The SS mileage is lower, but of course the ave. speed is higher...great fun to drive. Makes the 2 hours/day a treat most days.

• 

  Very good for first 53,000 miles - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Michael - February 28 - 7:20 pm

  I bought this truck to pull a 10,000 trailer part-time and eventually pull a much larger trailer. Never got the heavier trailer. New engine fuel milage was disappointing. Fuel mileage got better as engine broke in. 15/20 empty and 12 pulling. At 53k miles engine spun power steering pulley off the shaft. Replaced PS pump, pulley and serpentine belt. Next week blew ERG pump.

• 

  A car is a car - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Tur Bo - February 28 - 3:22 pm

  Ive only had my car for about a month and so far its pretty nice to have. As with others my gas mileage is only about 22mpg with the auto, but I drive kinda crazy. Other than that the car is great. The driving position is great. I feel like Im in a mini SUV. The radio could go a little louder. It has lots of ammenities though its a little underpowered. All in all its a great car for the money. I think the Aveo is like an inexpensive Beetle, its colorful, cute, shapley, and it has personality!

• 

  Best of all Crossover SUV - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By innofish - February 27 - 11:50 pm

  This vehicle is great compared to Escape, CRV, and RAV4 (style, comfort, and features. I traded my 97 Merc Mountaineer AWD (14 mpg). Never heard of Equinox until I started shopping around and researching to take advantage of the CARS program. I was very impressed the first time I test drove it. Stopping myself from purchasing the first one I test drove, I tried the 3 others mentioned above. I kept coming back to Equinox. Ideally, I wanted LT2 with 4 cyl but could only find LT2 with V6. I chose 4 cyl to take advantage of the mileage (to save almost $2K in fuel/year from my Moutaineer) so I had to settle with a sharp looking gray LT1 with black and silver interior.

• 

  2004 North Face EXT - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jwoodie - February 27 - 4:42 pm

  This has been a great vehicle with no problems other than automatic wipers sometimes wont turn off. Plenty of headroom w/o sunroof. Interior space and 3rd seat comfort unbelievable unless you have been in one. Long wheelbase gives extremely comfortable ride but can be difficult to maneuver in tight spaces.

• 

  It really isnt too good to be true - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By RJCHudson - February 27 - 3:08 pm

  We have done several long trips in our Lumina and it has performed well in all conditions, even out performed some SUVs on the slippery stuff. It has loads of room and good features for the price. After our first accident (being run off the road at 30 mph) we had to replace the intake gasket (probably going anyway )the preformance picked up like you wouldnt believe. I just got rear ended by a Wrangler (me 0 mph them 40 mph) and we have less damage than them, currently waiting to find out what the insurance company wants us to do but we are hoping to be able to keep it

• 

  New Love - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By PJSRIDE - February 27 - 1:29 pm

  I am a new/used Avalanche owner, and I am so happy with my purchace. Somebody pinch me. I traded in a 99 Tahoe, which I was very happy with, but we were approaching 100,000 miles, and hubby said it was time to trade it in. I only test drove Avalanches, because I liked the size and interior of my Tahoe, but would like the versatility of the box for bikes, fishing poles, etc. Also love the look. Love the zip, steers like a car, so so happy.