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:

• 

  My Green Malibu - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Joan Graham - October 27 - 10:00 am

  Love this car! Have leased this model twice and have never regretted it! It handles beautifully. Very little effort to drive it. The seats are so comfortable that I could drive forever and not get weary. Thinking of purchasing it at the end of the lease term. Thanks Chevy for making such a dependable care. By the way, my husband has one also! Joan Graham

• 

  Great Vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By ckellerman - October 27 - 10:00 am

  As a long time P/U owner, this adds luxury while keeping some P/U utility. The leather, sound, programables, etc. all make the Av. comfortable and fun to operate.

• 

  we love it! - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By sunshine25026 - October 27 - 10:00 am

  only had the avalanche for a couple of weeks but we love it...would not have another vehicle.

• 

  GREAT - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By ARI DELGADO - October 27 - 10:00 am

  THE G.M SHOULD HAVE A STYLE SET FOR THE Z 65 AND THE Z 71 MODELS THEY WILL COME WITH A TYPE OF PACKEGS SET UP SAME TYPE OF FENDERS AND THE OUY SIDE THE SAME AND THE INTIRIOR I HAD A 2003 KIA SORENTO E.X AND THEY COME ALL THE SAME AND THE L.X WAS DIFFERENT, BUT WE ARE VERRY HAPPY WITH THE AVALANCH I NEVER THOUTH IT WAS GOING TO BE SO COMFTERBALL THANK YOU ARI DELGADO

• 

  You just have to drive it! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Milt Fritschle - October 27 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle (LeMans Z-16) has incredible torque and cornering stability. It is performance beyond belief. You just have to drive one to appreciate the performance value for the cost. Nothing compares to if for torque per dollar spent.

• 

  Great Car - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Greg k - October 27 - 10:00 am

  I have had a very good experience with this car, I am a big guy & I have plenty of room, Some cars the same size I could not even get In. Rides nice & no real blind spots, I just real like this car

• 

  SS Meets Expectations - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By DGobis - October 27 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive, plenty of power. The AWD combined with the horsepower makes the truck stick to the road like flypaper.

• 

  love my new Maxx - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By cwesleyg - October 26 - 11:50 am

  Mine is a black LT with sunroof. It only has 191 miles on it as of yet but I love this car. The only negative I can see is the electric assist steering takes a little getting used to. It is kind of twitchy compared to hydraulic assist, but it saves HP not having the drain of running the pump. I really enjoy the manual shift on this automatic transmission ... much fun!

• 

  Great Drive - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Great Drive - October 26 - 1:59 am

  This car is incrediable. It handles wonderfully. Its fun. Best of all, its economical and holds resale value. Every time I fire it up and go for a drive, it makes me happy. The shear power and hum of the engine is amazing. Definitely, the best vechicle purchase Ive ever made.

• 

  Great price and good mileage - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By John - October 26 - 12:03 am

  Bought my special value Aveo for under $7000 brand new. Man what a deal, and Im getting 35-37 mpg every tankful in mixed driving with ~ 2200 miles on it so far. Cant wait for it to get all the way broken in. I paid $12000 for a Toyota Tercel in 1995 and it didnt have the power or room that the Aveo does although it did get 40 mpg. So that means I paid just over half of what the Tercel cost me 10 years ago. Whats there not to love ?