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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  america strikesback - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By vindog - February 26 - 10:00 am

  gm is on the upside with there latest models. With models like eqinox,malibu,silverado,colorado,and tahoe,things are going to get nasty in the ever growing car industry . And america needs to lead by example, or its going to get really ugtly in the next few years. Alot of american jobs are at stake lets not lose them to mexico or any other country

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  This is a great truck! - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Patrick Moore - February 26 - 12:19 am

  I love my Colorado LS. It has plenty of power. It has good looks, and a nicely designed interior that is comfortable. It has nice options including traction control, compass, thermometer, sliding back glass, power windows, auto darkening rearview, fog lights, 3.5 liter engine, 6 cd changer, and a good trim package. It gets good fuel mileage. The pricing was right too. To me there is just no other truck that compares. I get exited just thinking about driving it to work. I just love driving it!

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  The best one yet. - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By the dean - February 25 - 8:29 pm

  The car is now 18 months old and the performance is better than ever. I drive long distances and the car is wonderfully comfortable. I can drive 800 miles a day and still feel relaxed at the end of the day. This is my 4th Corvette and it is clearly the best one ever. For the price, it has no equal.

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  Disappointment!!! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Hadnor - February 25 - 7:48 pm

  Although the interior is roomy and comfortable, the electrical problems are frightening. The vibration in the rear end is annoying and Chevrolets customer service is nonexistent. My Trailblazer has been reprogramed so many times, it should be able to do it itself. Although Chevy says they want to keep me as a customer, they continue to dismiss my complaints about the electrical problems. I have been completely disappointed with the quality of the Trailblazer as well as the horrible customer service provided by the dealership and Chevy.

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  It Goes and Goes - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Howard - February 25 - 1:30 pm

  Over 100K miles and it has yet to break down. The only mechanical problem so far was when an electrical problem caused the fan not to work at the lower speeds. This is my concept of a luxury car. Although nothing about it is spectacular, there is nothing that is truly deficient. It still runs just about as smoothly as the day I bought it.

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  Need some improvements - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By soft ride - February 25 - 11:48 am

  I have owned this car for a year, had some trouble with the front end, other then that, it has been a pretty good car so far. It could be better on gas and comfort on long trips for the passengers. The only thing I do not like is the middle seats do not have arm rests for the passengers, so they do not like to ride in the car.

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  1996 Collector Corvette - 1996 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Joe St. Romain - February 25 - 9:28 am

  Ive bought this Vette new in 1996, and drive it about 6000 exciting miles per year. It is bullet proof sound. I never worry about it leaving me. Other than oil changes, the ONLY maint. on it was 1 set of brake pads, 2 sets of tires, 1 water pump, and 2 batteries. This is a VERY reliable car that can be driven hard if you want to.

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  my first maxx - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By blueoleander - February 24 - 8:06 pm

  I bought a 2006 maxx ss model BRAND NEW in sept. 2009. For all you maxx lovers there is one more left, brand new in silver, ss model with dvd player, onstar and 2 sunroofs. Anyway, smooth quiet ride, lots of power, nice interior, awesome AC, lots of features. I like the adjustable gas/brake pedals, you can move them closer to you with push of button!

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  A real toy - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Chris - February 24 - 4:47 pm

  Excellant sports car for the money. It turns lots of heads when we go out cruising. A real sharp body and performance package. This is our 4th Vette since we bought our first one in 1999. Would highly recommend this beauty to anyone wanting a great looking high performance sports car

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  Cracking up over my Chevy - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By VBS 1999 - February 24 - 4:24 pm

  It is pretty reliable so far EXCEPT for the battery life. My battery died on me within the first 2 years that I had the car. Never left the lights on, just wouldnt start. It happened again 2 year - 2/12 years later. Guess what, on my 3rd battery now and it did it again. Interior is garbage quality and the body is garbage quality. The dashboard piece that meets the windshield cracked for no reason. Dealership never offered to replace the part since the warantee expired. The darn thing started cracking around year 2. Did I mention that the power windows dont work as of 6 months ago? I loved my Z24, alot of great memories, but wont buy another Chevy ever again. Toyota...here I come!!!