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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  2500 Crewcab - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By Bryans 2500 - October 21 - 10:00 am

  Never buy a vehicle from Koons in the VA, MD area. Horrible to deal with. However I do really like my truck and enjoy driving it. My biggest suggestion to Chevrolet would have to be for them to add rear A/C vents for the rear passangers. The next suggestion would be for them to put larger tires on the 2500 so they look more truck like instead of an overgrown car. Make it look like the Z71 ext cabs. There is to much open wheel well space.

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  so far so good - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By garyrush2112 - October 21 - 10:00 am

  had the truck about a month. i have 1500 miles on it and i have not 1 complaint. my right front headlight wasnt attached correctly but i took care of that.so far i am at 20.5 mpg . the rock that hit my windshielsd at 200 miles bummed me out but what can ya do. i previosly read all the reviews on this site and the only "complaint"i kind of agree with is that the gas n brake pedals could be a little farther apart.road noise is not an issue,i was driving a mustang and it was 10 times worse. mine is a z71 4x4 and of course the ride will be stiff on a bumpy road.bucket seats are very comfortable.SO FAR SO GOOD

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  My Colorado Review - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By charles bailey - October 21 - 10:00 am

  Basically, when I started, I was looking for a used truck, and was willing to spen no more than $15,000. I was at Cooper Chevrolet in Anniston, Alabama, in the used car section, when I saw this base truck listed for $16,200. I asked if I could drive it, they said yes, and it was a love affair from then on. This truck has a real strong engine, vortec 2800 and gets great gas mileage (24 to 25 mpg). I am glad I bought this new truck, although it was a little more than I could afford, it is worth it. The build is a little cheap, but it is one solid tough truck.

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  great car! - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By slimgirlz - October 21 - 10:00 am

  the impala is a car i never like until i rented one..and i loved it,the way it handles,was the greatest,i was very impressed,so impressed,im thinking about buying one..keep up the good work.mrs.odom

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  Trailblazer overview - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jim Gray - October 21 - 10:00 am

  We feel that the trailblazer is an outstanding multi use car. It has a relativly small footprint for the useable space available. It is a powerhouse as tow vehicle for up to the 5500 lb limit.The design is easy to live with and the fit and finish is way above average.

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  2003 Chevy LT - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Oompa2002 - October 21 - 10:00 am

  This is a really nice truck. Power from the 5.3 V8 is excellent as I dont find it difficult passing up slow cars. The interior is accomidating as are the steering wheel controls. Almost every button/switch lights up and headlamps provide great visability. Bose sound system is wonderful. Heated seats warm up quick and provide extra comfort during cold winter days. As for fuel comsuption, well it is a truck and it does comsume a lot of fuel. I average 14 mpg in the summer and about 17mpg in the winter. My biggest complaint thus far is build quality. There are quite a few rattles and squeeks, which are VERY annoying.

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  Z06, a race car for the street. - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Terry - October 21 - 3:15 am

  427 cubic inches with 505 horsepower and 475 ft. lbs. of torque in a 3100 lb package. The car is absolutely awesome in acceleration, braking, handling. I have owned 6 Corvettes in the past. This is by far the baddest production Corvette produced so far. The torque of the engine is seamless from idle to its 7,000 rpm redline.This vehicles performance is spectacular. It is almost unbelievable this car is so docile and easy in bumper to bumper traffic as it is right at home on the race track doing 150mph plus. The 6 piston calipers up front with 14" rotors and the 4 piston calipers with 13.5" rotors making stopping unbelievable. On the race track there is absolutely no fad.

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  Tahoe is the Best - 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Tahoe - October 21 - 12:36 am

  The Tahoe has great reliability and style in the sometimes generic SUV market. The Tahoe is great for families who dont want to be seen in a soccer-mom minivan and possibly even tow the family boat for a weekend getaway with ease.

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  The best overall small car out there - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Ryan - October 20 - 10:08 pm

  The Aveo has been a terrifc car so far. I bought it brand new and in the past year it has not had one single problem. GMs rebates and GMACs low interest finance rates made the car an overall bargain. Compared to the Scion XA and Hyundai Accent, the Aveo felt roomier, more stylish, had more thoughful touches and in the case of the Accent, better built. Chevy deserves credit for marketing this European-style hatch in America, where five-door hatches have been unpopular and dismissed as cheap throw-away cars. For such a tiny vehicle, the room is incredible. Theres plenty of headroom and footroom in the front, although its a bit tight in the back, but thats to be expected. A terrific car

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  1997 Chevy Blazer - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By FRED - October 20 - 8:57 pm

  AC-bad compressor, bad fuel pump, bad wiper motor, blower motor, upper ball joints, tail gate jammed, bad transmission, outside mirror fell off truck, bad turn signal switch, bad rear wiper motor, bad catalytic converter, bad hazard switch, bad headlight switch, bad heater switch inside, strike plate on drivers door fell off truck and had to weld it back on. Bad gas mileage.