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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  This truck - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By bowins - March 19 - 7:55 pm

  My 2007 Avalanche never ceases to impress. It looks good, drives like a cadillac, and is just pure joy. Bose stereo and electric moonroof make it oh soo much better. These guys are known to burn oil, a local dealership was able to take care of it for me though. This thing runs smooth.

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  1990 chevy full size blazer 2dr 4wd - 1990 Chevrolet Blazer
  By K5wheeler - March 18 - 1:39 am

  I purchased my Blazer with 160k on it in march of 2007. I am still in love with this truck. Very reliable. I let my pregnant wife drive it 2,400 miles by her self and didnt have a worry. gas mileage is about 17 on highway and 12 in town. not bad for a truck that old. now i have 190k on it and still find every excuse i can to drive it. still runs strong and lays rubber. if you buy one u wont be disappointed!

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  Super Car - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By XQQME - March 17 - 11:43 pm

  always loved Chevy.I bought a 2009 left over when I found out they dropped the 8cy in 2010.I think there making a mistake again.My last Chevy was a 1994 SS. The gas mileage is acceptable for those of us that demand power when we step on the gas. I drove my car to and from Fla and NY right after I bought it.What a great ride.Lucky I didnt pick up a few speeding tickets along the way.The car handles great at above posted speed limits. I only stop overnight so I drive between 8-10 hrs on either leg.I was very comfortable the hole trip.Glad I bought it.

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  A beast with manners. - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By LVR - March 17 - 3:54 pm

  It took me a while to warm up to the Camaro. Perhaps it was my own belief that, other than the C6 Corvette, "old" GM wouldnt/couldnt truly build a decent performance car. But my daughter nearly begged me to look at the new Camaro. So I did the research plus read a ton of "professional" and consumer reviews before even taking a test drive. I did the same on Jaguar XK, Mercedes CL series, Porsche, Cadillac XLR, Corvette, Lexus SC, Infinity and BMW sport sedans. Then selectively test drove the other cars again. Yes, I over analyzed it, but I usually keep and use my cars for a long time. I bought the Camaro and havent looked back. Ive driven it on long trips and its my daily driver.

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  love it - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By lilcowgirl - March 17 - 3:20 pm

  i bought it with about 150,000 miles on it,the 2nd owner had already replace the tranny & maybe one more thing. one of the tires is wearing a little on the outside so im having the front end looked at, which isnt going to cost anything to fix.i went from driving something small to driving it & the suburban was a big difference but once i got used to driving it i loved it.in fact every time i get in it,i dont want to stop driving it because i love driving so much. has plenty of room & i cant wait to go fishing. i would recommend this vehicle to anyone wanting a vehicle to drive for the family,its fun to drive,it has lots of room & lots of power. i hope to be driving it for a long time.

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  Great for a big family!! - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By jayna - March 17 - 1:51 pm

  I bought this truck last year because we where expecting a new baby and needed more room. I LOVE this truck. It drives great and you can barely hear the engine running it is sooo quiet. I have had no big problems with it. Its great for hauling stuff too. I had to move my husbands 800 series bobcat and it pulled it so nicely. I could barely tell I was hauling it.

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  FANTASTIC CAR - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By KenN - March 17 - 7:28 am

  I bought the Cobalt and love it, I keep reading its uncomfortable but I think its very comfortable front and back seat. It is very peppy on road and fun to drive, if you read the manual on Auto. transmission and use the half pedal deflection on passing it flys. Interior is mostly plastic but that makes it very easy to keep clean, seats are comfy with plenty of adjustments height, back, head lets face it its a economy car but I love it. Doesnt feel like a small car and looks sharp.

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  NASCAR IMPALA - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Nascar Impala - March 16 - 12:08 pm

  While the few car magazine reviews of this car give it less than stellar reviews, this car is a great cruiser and can be driven as fast as a car needs to be driven! Passing is a blast. While some reviews call the suspension tuning "boat" like, Id strongly disagree. I believe it handles very flat and also takes road bumps well. Very good mix. I have yet to cause the front end to push taking corners way to fast. The seats do limit your cornering as they have no side bolsters. Since most seat time is cruising, this is an acceptable trade off. Gas mileage is good also....except if you are using it for the V-8...which is why I bought it!

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  old cop car - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By don - March 15 - 1:54 pm

  I bought this car with 162,000 kms on it. It now has pushing 300,000 kms. This car corners like a sports car, brakes as good or better than most on the road. And you got remember it was used and abused by the ont Canada o. P. P. This car will bury the speedo with no hesitation. Its been to Florida with me 3 times from Ontario. Ive put a battery and 2 front wheel bearings, and a set of control arm bushing in it. I change the tranny oil and filter every spring. I probly drive it harder the the police did! I love it even tho its a plain Jane. From the lights this car surprise

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  Love it more every time I drive it - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Chick - March 14 - 10:16 pm

  I waited 50 years for my Corvette. Found this one with only 10K miles on it. Virtually a brand-new 15 year old car but drives and rides like a true GT. Mine has the sport seats and the glass roof so its always entertaining, feels like an F-16 on takeoff. If youre seriously considering a Corvette, any Corvette, buy it. Fast, smooth, and beautiful - these cars are a screaming bargain. You will not be disappointed. The C5 is probably a better car and the C6 my neighbor owns is like your own personal amusement park, but my C4 does everything I want. I bought this car thinking Id keep it for 6 months to a year. Now I think Ill keep it forever.