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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  We like it! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By CPTBK124 - January 9 - 10:00 am

  We traded our 2003 Ford Expedition for the Maxx for better fuel mileage. After driving the Maxx for almost 12,000 miles; our family enjoys the ride, comfort and most importantly the fuel economy. We still miss the Expedition, but we are reminded we made the right choice when we are at the pump.

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  We Love Our New GM - 2006 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Gibbs1 - January 9 - 12:53 am

  Surburban is a great truck. Recent family road trip 2400 miles roundtrip 18.2mpg. Very smooth ride and V8, plenty of power. Hydro boost brakes are strong and no rattles. Wife loves to drive it. Comfortable and quiet,great view of traffic, feels solid, better than averageg SUV turn radius and fits in the garage.Thanks GM

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  17K Miles & 15 months. I love this car! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By debewley - January 8 - 7:29 pm

  Ive put over 17,000 miles on my 2004 Aveo so far. As others have mentioned it is extremely peppy and has a surprising amount of interior room. Im currently driving my Aveo 120+ miles per day including interstate, secondary roads, and city driving. And Im averaging greater than 31 mpg. I love the small turing radius and the extremely responsive steering. Ive owned several new cars in my lifetime and this is the first one that Ive not had any problems with after prolonged ownership and driving. The quality has been excellent and I really dont know how you could expect more from a $12,000 dollar vehicle.

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  Silverado Experience - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Lazarus Romig - January 8 - 12:46 pm

  I was quite hesitant to buy American, but my fears have been squelched by the excellent performance of the 2007 Silverado. Going into the purchasing phase, I was planning on buying the Toyota Tundra, but on the test drives, the Silverado simply performed better, had more room, better visibility, and was much more enjoyable to drive.

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  Love it - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By C Merkle - January 8 - 12:20 pm

  The Tahoe is reliable, confortable, and I do enjoy driving and riding in it. The mileage is getting better as time goes on and is about 2 mpg better than my 2003 model. It is very roomy and has more space than the Ford SUVs. Thanks Chevy

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  awesome ride - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jim F - January 8 - 6:06 am

  I have only had mine for a week but I just had to share how happy I am with my new Equinox. It is everything that I wanted a nd more. If I could I would get one for everyone in my family. The interior upgrades make it a very sweet ride. I have no complaints at all.

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  Great SUV! - 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Justin - January 8 - 2:38 am

  The Tahoe is a great vehicle, we just purchased one and have enjoyed it thoroughly. We took the LS upgrade, with the upgrade engine, side impact bags, 6 disc cd, gear ratio and third row pull out. This is a great car, but do your research prior to buying, use this website thoroughly.

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  2005 TrailBlazer LT - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By ND - January 8 - 12:50 am

  I am extremely disappointed in this vehicle. Gas mileage very poor. Worse than the 1/2 ton Silverado I had. Very noisy inside of vehicle. I took vehicle back to dealer for the noise. They worked on it for a day with inpuit from GM. GM said the vehicle has high road noise. I find this vehicle to be noisier than the Silverado I had. All in all, buying this vehicle was not a good move. On the positive side, the leg room in front is great for a person +6.

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  Oil consumption problems, resolve early! - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By rich - January 7 - 11:32 pm

  I have a 2004 Suburban which suffered from an oil consumption problem. The dealer tossed it off as standard operation/consumption. The motor failed completely at 38,000 miles. Luckily I had it fully documented and they were forced to replace the entire engine due to cylinder wall scoring. My recommendation is to hold your ground on any problem, as they will try to hold you off until the warranty has expired. It is one of the most disappointing experiences I have had. It astounded me as to how brazen they could be.

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  Love my beretta but... - 1996 Chevrolet Beretta
  By AG_47 - January 7 - 11:15 pm

  I love my Beretta. It gets through the snow really well - something useful in these Minnesota winters. It has 182,000 miles on it and nothing big has gone wrong with it. I have to sell it because I need something newer. If I could keep it and afford to buy another car I would. It gets great gas mileage - only $30 to fill the tank. It is a little small but it feels a lot roomer than a caviler or a cobalt. The trunk is huge - I recently moved and only had to make a few trips. If you are looking for a great, reliable, dependable car then think about getting a Beretta!) Also, it is really sporty and fun to drive.