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:

• 

  Bad machine - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By PATRICK - October 20 - 3:47 pm

  This is my fifth Vette, 61,66,78,96 & 06 and this is the best overall. Speed, performance, looks, and good ole American muscle. Compared to foreign cars this one is a steal and a head turner. Congrats to gm and more importantly the corvette division. Great job, keep ‘em coming and make the Vette live on, for ever and ever.

• 

  A Truck Worth the Money - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Brian - October 20 - 8:56 am

  Traded my Ford F-150 in for a Silverado. This truck feels more sturdy and a heavier duty truck, even though its technically not a "heavy duty" series.

• 

  LBM Coupe - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bill - October 19 - 8:52 pm

  Second one Ive had, much better than 2002. Daily driver and vacation driving are a pleasure. Quiet until you ask for more, nice quality on the interior, body is solid, anndlin is great. Mag ride is worth the money, and Corvette Museum delivery is a nice option.

• 

  Excellent car/value! Ex Accord owner - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By TomT - October 19 - 6:55 pm

  My last car was an Honda Accord which was a very good car, but too much scheduled maintenance/expensive to get repaired. Looked and drove Malibu LS and I was sold and very glad I went with it (saved some cash too!). Just turned over 10k miles today and ZERO problems/issues. Car is solid and I cannot beleive the gas mileage for a 200hp 6-cyl (ave 28.8 miles per gallon city/highway. The good old USA is back! I was very skeptical at first moving back to American cars again, but I should not be. With what is going on in the world today, Im very proud to say I have an American owned companies car! GM keep up the great work! You now have my support!

• 

  Fun for all ages - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By ljarodsky - October 19 - 3:58 pm

  My first Corvette, having owned Mercedes and BMWs. I wondered about quality, but the quality is excellent, performance is fantastic, and its fun to drive, as well as reasonalbe fuel mileage. If you are driving a foreign performance car you should give this one a try. I rate it very highly and Ive had them all.

• 

  2006 Chevy Malibu LS - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By albert raposo - October 19 - 3:33 pm

  My 2006 Malibu is a wonderful vehicle. My gripes about it are that it came with no mats and the gas gauge is of low quality. It is a very spacious style. My friends even tell me that it looks like a luxury car. I have it in the dark blue metallic color. wow! At night time it looks black, and in the shade its a dark navy blue. In the sun its a sparkly cheerful blue. My car is a 4 cylinder and it gets as much mileage as my old 2002 Nissan Sentra. For a base model, this car is loaded with features.

• 

  Excellent for the price. - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By tronno22556 - October 19 - 11:21 am

  I paid $7999.02 with taxes, tags, etc a year ago, brand new. Excellent price. I needed a car, and cheap at that. Im not unhappy with the car or the purchase at all. I put about 17,000 on it delivering pizzas and it performed wonderfully. Its very reliable. Nothing gave out yet, except for the tires. It ate the factory tires bare. New tires had to go on at 21,000 miles. It averaged about 28 MPG delivering pizza, and about 30 to 33 during "normal" driving. The trunk is huge. Easy enough to do my own oil changes and tire rotations. The only mechanic work Ive had to hire out is installing the tires on the old rims.

• 

  Vette 4 - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By NICK56 - October 19 - 11:18 am

  Handles like no car Ive ever driven. Accelerates like a rocket. Great looking body. Interior is a little weak. Some wind noise comes in through the side window. Sometimes feels a bit firm, but it is a sports car. Overall, a fantastic car. in my opinion, better looking than the C6. No regrets.

• 

  Reliable, Do-it-all transportation - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By misterco - October 19 - 7:26 am

  Bought this truck new 9 years ago, have put 98,000 miles on it and still running the original front brakes! Had to replace the rears at about 90k. Its a 4.8L and has had very few problems: ABS sensor quit around 39k, just after warranty expired, but dealer fixed it for a hundred bucks; fuel pressure regulator quit around 85k, and that cost me $300; had to replace the battery about a year and a half ago; and leaky rear sliding window was fixed under warranty. Still runs and drive just about like new. Does tick for about 30 seconds after cold start, and fuel gauge is erratic. Overall a quiet and solid truck. I haul dirt bikes occasionally and it rides better with a load.

• 

  Summer Cruiser - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By This Cars a Keeper - October 19 - 6:14 am

  This is the best summer cruising car ever. It is not very practical for a daily driver as it is bad on gas and the top tends to leak. The body style is sweet. The car is super fast and very fun to drive. A real head turner