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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  so far so good - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By daisy - December 12 - 10:00 am

  My trailblazer has been a good suv so far, My husband took it for a long drive, 2000 miles and it drove well. Vehicle is comfortable to drive and is the perfect sized suv. Good exterior styling.

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  10 years and going - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Alan - December 12 - 8:33 am

  Never thought I would love a Chevy. Have my Monte for 10 years and 140k. Always reliable & comfortable. Usual repairs and maintenance and nothing too expensive. The one bother is the lights on the radio panel have gone out which makes the dash a bit less attractive. Impressed with GM, bought a Trailblazer and love that too.

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  Amazingly Fun - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jules - December 12 - 6:56 am

  Im overly pleased with this car. Dont be fooled by the small exterior size. Its very roomy on the inside. Easy to handle, very fun to drive. The fuel economy is incredible. Ive driven it around town for a month and the gas tank is still half full. Filling it up is usually $10-$15, even at todays high prices. The engine is powerful considering the lightness of the car, but even with heavy loads it has power. It feels like Im driving a 4-Door sportscar. The only downside I can find is that there is no true air conditioning, but it does blow cold air.

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  hot fast quick ride - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jack - December 12 - 1:54 am

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  2005 GMC Canyon - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By chevylover1965 - December 11 - 5:31 pm

  This truck is a cheaply built vehilce. Most notably the air conditioning is junk. Many owners are complaining about the vent temperature surging from cold to warm along with a whistling noise eminating from under the dash. GM will not admit they have a problem. The dealer told me they cant fix it. So Im stuck.

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  4 Wheel Drive Nightmare - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By Frustrated - December 11 - 3:05 pm

  We have had this truck 2-1/2 years. The 4 wheel drive module has failed 3 times this year (2005). The first time (January,2005) the replacement was on backorder for several weeks. It was replaced again in September and it just failed during a snowstorm (December 9). We bought the truck to get to work in the winter, but the 4 wheel drive never is available when we need it.

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  Despite the Engineering shortcuts - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By diliho - December 10 - 1:43 pm

  Purchased brand new in early 03. Had brake rotors resurfaced with 600! (thats right 600) miles on the car. New rotors at a few thousand miles. Another brake job at 20 some thousand miles. New tires and a wheel alignment around 40000 miles, and its finally running smoothly. dealing with GM, and service managers were a real pain. Now have 55000 miles on car and its finally broke in and rides fine with no mechanical problems (knock on wood) Im a little concerned with the intake manifold leakage problem GM has had with the 3800 motors (plastic). I guess Ill see if I get lucky with that

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  The Impala is back - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mike Davenport - December 9 - 10:10 pm

  Finally, I can buy an Impala Im not ashamed of. The new 2006 is awesome. It handles great. Is comfortable on a long trip. Has plenty of room. and the fuel economy for a large car is great. The first week I had the car I drove on a 600 mile trip each way. It was more comfortable than the Chrysler 300 & TownCar I rented for another recent trip. This is the real deal finally for Cheverolet.

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  My 12th work truck - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By bob - December 9 - 7:53 pm

  2006 LT1 Extended cab, shortbox, 5.3LV8 4X4. I have had 12 company owned trucks so far, 8 of em Chevys. Even though we had to replace a transmission at 88,000 miles, I still rated this vehicle very high on reliability because the drive train hasnt changed in several years and this was the first major problem Ive ever encountered in 400,000+ miles driving late model Chevy pickups. Heck, my 2006 still has the original brake pads at 111,000 miles! Flat, freeway driving averages about 17.5 mpg, drops to about 13mpg if light duty towing (boat). Very comfortable for long distance driving.

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  A Jewel - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Nicholas - December 9 - 2:45 pm

  Great car since Ive owned it. No problems. Always starts and handling and mechanical features on the car are excellent. For being eight years old, the car drives like it is new.