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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  Best vehicle Ive ever owned - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Avalanche2002 - January 29 - 2:00 am

  Very powerful 2500 Avalanche with 8.1L vortec engine. 14 miles/gallon, very smooth ride, good pick up for an over 3 ton vehicle. very little sway on curves. strong runner, no complaints.

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  Enjoyable - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By imp8020 - January 29 - 2:00 am

  My Impala is a pleasure to drive. Ive had 5 people in the LS w/ plenty of room. It has a decent ride, but could be a lil softer w/ those nice expansion joints on highways. It has nice "get up and go" power, as well as ample passing power. I have taken the car on trips to Ohio from MD, and get great gas mileage. And very little discomfort after a 3-4hr drive. Overall, Im very satisfied w/ the vehicle. With the price, you cant kick all the extras you get.

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  17,000 miles and still love the car. - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By garnes - January 29 - 2:00 am

  Very solid feeling car. Rides as smoothly as much larger cars. (I have an Aurora too) Trunk at 18.6 cubic feet is incredibly large - blows all sedans away except maybe a Town Car. Seats are very comfortable - no comparison with any other car in this price range. The interior is quite handsome too. The all cast iron 3.8 V6 is basically indestructable. Oh yeah - the mileage is unbelievable for a car this size. It gets better mileage than lighter imports in this price range. It has a very high safety rating too - again better than most anything including the imports. Yeah, I love this car. No problems. Great value.

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  Tough to beat - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By SUV guy - January 29 - 2:00 am

  A very pleasant surprise. Virtually all areas of the Impala rate (by me) very high. Ride, handling, creature comfort, engine response are all top notch. Fit and finish were flawless on delivery. Impala may have a lot of competition in the $30K area, but this car sells in the 23K to 25K range. A real no brainer for anyone without money to burn.

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  Top-o-the-Line - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By True Believer - January 29 - 2:00 am

  Man oh man what a truck. This pickup has surpassed everythin that I have wanted in a truck. It has the looks, the power, and payload that anyone could ever want. To me there is not another choice.

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  2011 Chevrolet Cruze - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By kazim - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car off the lot. I was in for a minor repair on my Chevy Cobalt. I noticed this car and was asked if I wanted to test drive it. That was my first mistake. I bought the car immediately. It is the first time in many years I have bought a car on impulse. I do not regret it. The car got 38 mpg on my first trip when it had less than 100 miles on the odometer. The fit and finish are excellent and the car is fun to drive. I tried the turn by turn On-Star directions and it worked better then the navigation system on my Yukon XL. This is an excellent car and I strongly suggest anyone look at it.

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  poor mpg - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By fjvargas - January 29 - 2:00 am

  My truck says the estimated mileage is 15 city / 21 hwy I drive normal and my mpg highway is 16 mpg and city 12 this has been my worst truck in fuel consumption, you can even see a dirty black tailpipe, dealer says, if it does not show codes it is fine it drives great and I like it except the mpg and no dic switch for a Lt I guess as not to scare us for the estimated mileage it was going to show honestly, if I had known of this poor mpg I would still be buying ford trucks, they always gave about 19 to 23 mpg my wife love it and at the same time hate it because it didnt came with running boards like all my other Fords other than that it is a great truck with poor mpg

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  Nice truck - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jpb - January 29 - 12:56 am

  Purchased TB to replace an 02 Explorer (first and absolutely last Ford). Pleasure to drive, good performance, good reliability. Lots of wind noise. Not much storage up front. Seats could fold down easier with more room (they hit the front seats). Seat belts arent the most comfortable, and hard to reach. Love the heated leather, stereo, sunroof, driver info center. Gas mileage could be better. Cup holder locations arent very convenient. Great ride, though, and Chevy reliability is the best, especially after owning a Ford.

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  Not what I expected - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Nicole - January 28 - 11:01 pm

  When I bought my Malibu I thought I was buying a reliable American car. That is not what I got. Ever since I got the car there has been problem after problem. I am tired of repairing this vehicle and will never buy a Chevrolet again because of this.

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  Reliable! - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By P Fields - January 28 - 10:25 pm

  We purchased this vechile new and now have 80,000+ miles on it. Very reliable. Only repairs have been replacing bulbs (seems often). Expect to get another 100,000 out of it. Great to tow with.