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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  Mr Beach - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Douglas Beach - September 29 - 7:23 pm

  Comfort and interior appointments are great. Mileage was excellent and approached advertised rate for the first 40 to 50,000 miles but have dropped to around 15 around town and 26 on the road. Very satisfied with overall performance. No trouble and only been back to the dealer for minor callbacks.

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  Bad Motor - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Robert Clarke& T.Bev - September 29 - 7:18 pm

  Motor problems before 3 year warrenty ran out. Motor had to be rebuilt. GM picked up the tab completely with a rental car for use while being done.GM gave a three tear or 75,000 mile warrenty on the rebuilt motor.Nice to do business with and happy with the results

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  AWESOME - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Michael6013 - September 29 - 5:06 pm

  This truck is awesome. I debated with myself for a long time before breaking down and getting one. I dont regret my decision, I love it. I also believe the truck looks best in the Sunburst color. This truck has the best comfort I have ever owned. I traded my Tahoe in for it.

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  Cute, cute, cute!! - 2001 Chevrolet Metro
  By kamoten - September 29 - 3:28 pm

  We bought this little car used for our son who goes to college 45 miles from home (90 miles daily in our van was killing us on gas!). It gets between 32 and 38 mpg, so we are very happy with it. It is compact enough to park anywhere (great advantage on a college campus), it is cute enough that our son is not embarassed to drive it, and it has enough safety features to please us as parents (dual airbags!). We changed the factory cassette player/stereo for a CD changer stereo and our son is very happy. I comment on how cute the car is every time he pulls out of the driveway! Were very happy with our purchase. The dealer gave us top dollar for our van and we got a great little car in return.

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  Almost Perfection - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By John Barth - September 29 - 1:21 pm

  I got my Z71 Tahoe in December of 2004 and I love it. I wanted that car for several years and I finally talked my parents into getting it for me before I left for college. Before my Tahoe I had a Jeep Wrangler, which was fun, but I wanted a better car. Since Ive gotten it I receive at least one compliment a day on my car. I love it. The only other thing I want to say is I wish it had better fuel economy and I hope you try to keep the tradition Tahoe look in the new 2007 models, I wouldnt want Tahoes to become futuristic looking like most cars do today.

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  Love it! - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By elynne - September 29 - 12:24 pm

  With the exception of a taillight that fell off the day after purchase, which I believe is not a frequent occurence, and the dome light which fell down 3 times in the week I bought it, I love it! I havent had any problems with it and its fun to drive.

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  Astro Van delivers reliability - 1997 Chevrolet Astro
  By Al - September 29 - 1:21 am

  Very pleased with the performance of my 1997 Astro Van. With the rear seats removed, it can hold alot of freight. Great for long trips. A lot of side room for traveling.

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  Best Chevrolet Product Ever - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By BillP - September 28 - 10:03 pm

  I purchased this car just over a month ago. I absolutely love this car. Ive been a Chevy fan a long time, but admit in 2005 I strayed and bought a new Honda because Chevy at that time didnt provide what I believed to be a quality product in a car. This car is absolutely one of the best handling, best looking, best built cars Ive ever driven. I have the 2.4 cylinder, but the performance is as if a 6 cylinder is under the hood! It is so quiet, sometimes I cant believe its running. I love the looks of the instrument cluster, very nostalgic. I love driving the car and have to literally pry it away from the wife to do so, since its her car. I am glad I came back to Chevrolet.

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  Love My Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Barbara - September 28 - 6:43 pm

  Altho my mileage hasnt been as good as I would like - it is getting better as the engine gets broken in - I do love this car. I is particularly fun to drive, while having plenty of room and remaining comfortable.

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  Venturous - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By La Popola - September 28 - 2:41 pm

  It was my first time buying a minivan and it was quite a good experience. I loved the room that came with it. Overall, this minivan is go for only a period of three years. After three years things dont feel the same. The brakes are a common problem when they start to squeak (something the really bother me). The electrical system was among small things that started breaking down, i.e, power locks, radio buttons (not due to abuse), power windows and back windshield wiper. The gas mileage was very poor if driving everyday. However, it was very reliable for the first three years until I went into my fourth year when things started breaking down. I would recommend it if you have kids...