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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  My Favorite Suburban - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Val - September 12 - 1:00 pm

  We had baby #3 and decided to move up from our Tahoe. This is my first Suburban and I love it! It is very comforable inside. We have buckets in the middle so the big kids can get in and out easily. The extra room was very needed. In the Tahoe to use the cargo room, all the kids had to sit in the middle seats, that made for lots of fighting. Now we can utilize the whole interior! The DVD system is still a big hit, although with three little kids, controls in the front might be nice.

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  Great Value - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By SMR - September 12 - 10:00 am

  My last two vehicles were a Honda and Nissan. This time when shopping for a car the best value was a Cavalier. Nothing can compete for the price with traction control, ABS, cruise, power windows, CD. Mine drives great and I expect good dependability like my Cavalier I bought 10 years ago with less options for about the same price as the 02 I just bought. You cant beat it for value.

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  2005 "Nox" Review - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By toeknee1970 - September 11 - 11:46 pm

  Unfortunately, I bought this vehicle on looks alone, my first mistake. The price was right, but I guess I got what I paid for. Although it has more pep than my 2004 GMC Envoy, it doesnt even compare with overall quality.

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  2006 SS - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By ssowner - September 11 - 9:56 pm

  Great vehicle. Still trying to sort out some bugs with the tire monitoring system with the dealer. Warning light on almost every trip. Had troubles with the block heater system, engine falsely recording overheat condition.

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  HotRodHarrys 2005 Tahoe Rocks! - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By HotRodHarry - September 11 - 2:54 pm

  My family has owned numerous Tahoe 4x4 trucks and it was about time for me to try it out. As I always loved driving theirs. Well..this 2005 Tahoe is just awesome. And I love the Bermuda Blue Metallic paint. Thanks Chevy!

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  LT Coupe w/automatic poor mileage - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By richard dallas - September 11 - 2:16 pm

  Traded in my 2003 Cavalier for this Cobalt. After reviewing all information on competitors, foreign and domestic, found this to be the best for the money. I got it loaded with all the bells and whistles including leather interior, XM radio with Pioneer sound system and the automatic transmission. It is by far the most fun car I have ever driven! Its sporty and fun to drive with the tightest turning circle,easy to park. My only complaint so far is the poor gas mileage. I am only averaging 19-20mpg. I only do city driving though.

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  Peterview - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By petejr - September 11 - 1:37 pm

  This vehicle is a perfect fit for parking and driving in NYC. There is plenty of room inside and also my vehicle came with a cover over the bed which keeps out rain and any harsh weather. The black color is eye catching and an attention grabber.

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  2003 Cavalier - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jim - September 10 - 3:57 pm

  After owning a 96 Cavalier coupe, and putting 175,000 miles on it with no problems, original everything, I had to get a new one with the awsome ecotec. Performance mods are endless. even better than my first!

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  Fantastic GM Car - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By StormyLiz - September 10 - 12:30 pm

  My husband and I absolutely love this car! There really are only a few minor complaints: the sun-visors have a poor design, the cruise doesnt hold as well as I would like, and the road noise is more than in other similar models. Otherwise, this is a great engine with lots of torque, the fuel mileage with the VVT can get up to 33mpg on the highway (with the wind at your back...30 otherwise), and the interior is very comfortable. The lumbar support is fantastic. We made a long road trip this past Christmas, and I am pregnant, and I did not get back pain at all. The fold down back seats were great for transporting stuff. Oh, and my husband loves the remote start in the cold weather!

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  Never Again. - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By am12 - September 10 - 4:34 am

  I would never buy a Monte Carlo again. I love my car but I have had it for almost 3 years and have had nothing but problems. I am having to get my roters changed CONSTANTLY. If not, and I am on interstate and slowing down to get on the off ramp, it shakes horribly. Anyone else? Then sometimes when I turn real sharp, it makes a screeching noise and sounds like my power steering is going to go out. Now recently, it has been leaking antifreeze and overheating. I talked to a dealer and he, himself even said they are nice cars, but have many mechanical problems.