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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  Z71 Crew Cab 2 WD - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By drsherw - September 8 - 10:00 am

  Have had it for about two months and absolutely love it. Its a car, but its a truck too. I had a Dodge Ram but the gas mileage on this truck is so much better. It is not as big as a Ram, so I can get in and out of places much easier. The center of gravity makes it easy to maneuver. I am anxious to see how it performs in cold weather.

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  KING OF THE ROAD: Best Family Hauler - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Z71 For4 - September 8 - 10:00 am

  Looked at all the rest; minivans (Sienna, Caravan, Odyssey), crossovers (Pacifica), mid-fullsize suvs (Toureg, XC90, MDX, RX330, Armada). We kept coming back to the Z71. Safety features, cargo space and creature comforts all fit the bill. When you want to travel in style, in any climate, you cant beat the value this mature platform brings to the table. Youll find yourself jumping behind the wheel for no reason at all other than to tour the neighborhood! And...yes...for those who whine and pummel the Tahoe for its fuel efficiency...maybe you should have considered a smaller vehicle or a hybrid..hmm? Until then...leave the BIG DOGS alone!

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  2004 trailblazer - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By koula - September 8 - 10:00 am

  the trail blazer is one of the best suvs i have ever driven top rate interior for an ls 4x4 its like a truck not a family suv. but still a an ok family suv pesonally i think its tougher than a doge ram 1500 and more reliabale and better looking too great car cheap and usually comes with a 4 inch lift

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  weak little truck - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Just junk - September 8 - 9:36 am

  I pull horse trailers for a living and I have several trucks in my fleet. This year I thought Id try something new and I made a huge mistake. My Dodges all handle better than these have more power. Even my 1500 HEMI can pull a bigger trailer than this waste of space. I couldnt believe how slow this truck was going over the coastal range. And when we took it out on the beach I had to get pulled out (by a dodge) Im never dealing with chevy again.

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  2003 Malibu 4 DR. Sedan - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By LGR14481 - September 8 - 12:22 am

  The 2003 Malibu has been a ok ride. The only major problem since Ive owned it has been the brakes anywheres from 8- 10,000 miles alway needing work, recycled rotors, replace pads etc. I have replaced with remaned calipers, that included new pads, I feel it has done some better with anti-seize on the slides as far as the leangth of time between pad replacement? The brake problems appeare only in the front end,due to poor design, not so much in the rear? I love the 3.1 engine power, it has and pickup is great? The Malibu is a comfortable ride, with pleanty of room for five passengers? The arm rest has a tendency to loosen up over time I believe due to poor design? Told 2004 & 5s are better?

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  2004 Chevrolet Colorado - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Larry Newton - September 7 - 10:11 pm

  My wife and I really enjoy our new Colorado as a second vehicle. We selected it because of its very comfortable ride,the ease of entering and exiting the vehicle, and its hauling capacity. It is giving a good 28 MPG on the road and 19 MPG in town. The five cylinder engine has terrific acceleration especially when needed to enter Atlantas interstates. I recently read Consumer Report on the Colorado, and I think CR totally mis- represented the vehicle. We tried and my son bought a Toyota Tacoma. After test driving the Toyota and driving my sons Toyota, I still like the Colorado for its comfortable ride, acceleration, mileage, and ease of getting in and out.

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  Love out AVEO - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jane & Jerry - September 7 - 8:53 pm

  We got an AVEO LT loaded with all the options including the sun roof. It is fun to drive, seems incredibly roomy inside, even the back seat. There is plenty of trunk room even with the back seat not folded. Never though we could get so much for the money!

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  2nd Hand Beauty - 1990 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bill - September 7 - 12:07 pm

  Nice car, good buy for anyone who wants a sports car but doesnt have big money to buy one. Still turns heads.

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  This is the worst truck I have ever had - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jim - September 7 - 9:56 am

  This truck is a joke as far as I am concerned. It has a terrible clunking noise when up shifting into second gear and also down shifting. The dealership has checked this out and I have a document from GM that says this is normal clunking. (Did not clunk into gear when I bought it). Tough to resell now. Also now when cold starting there is clattering going on under the hood. This goes away after a few minutes but again the dealership says this is normal clattering. HMM!! did not clatter when I bought it. I will not buy another GM truck as long as I live.

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  Chevy Blazer 4x4 2 dr SUV gold - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By dan - September 7 - 2:36 am

  This is second Blazer 4x4 in 2001 I bought. Yes gas, but other than gas, my first was a red 4 door 4x4 that was hit/wrecked the frame so Allstate settled on a total loss and since I owned this car, i bought a 2 door 4x4 Gold and tinted and even smoother than the 4 door. My wife and I love it and love this SUV and as long as you take good care of the car, I believe this will well serve anyone looking for a reliable SUV. Others have written bad comments but maybe they didnt take good care or maybe they bought from other than a dealership because theres nothing wrong yet with the 2001 4x4 Chevy Blazers. Other SUVs dont match up to the Chevy Blazer for the money.