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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  Great Car - everything I need - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ike079 - September 3 - 10:00 am

  The 2004 Impala is a great overall ackage. It truly has everything I need. It is very roomy, comfortable and handles well. Its engine has a good combination of enough power and decent fuel economy. It has the utility of a 4-door, which allows me to do everything I need with it, but it also has a sporty and fun feel. I love it! I have not had a single problem with it, and really cant think of a single thing to complain about. It is much better looking, more fun to drive, and a better total package than the Camry, Accord, or any other mid-size and at a much better value!

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  It rocks - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By guitarman - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Chevy got it right -- a great looking vehicle that everyone notices and totally right-sized! Not too big, not too small.

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  Buy it ... Youll Love it - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By texascoins - September 3 - 10:00 am

  I traded in my 1500 LS ext cab, since the rebates were too good to pass up. Chose the Crew Cab since the added room inside was worth the loss outside. Better traction than the Ext Cab with posi, less mileage than the 4.8l, but ok. Great visibility, wonderful standard features, and a few options put this one at the top of the list. POSITRACK is REQUIRED, since all 1500s are like a cow on crutches in the rain. Another A+ for GM, havent been able to say that much since the 1980s. Very satisfied.

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  If you can keep it running, its great! - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By indy mom - September 3 - 3:08 am

  The Blazer has a lot of interior room & is easy to drive (when it is not being worked on). 4WD works great however, engine uses environmentally friendly (orange colored) coolant, which historically causes problems with the gaskets - I ended up dropping a new engine in it at 90,000 miles & now the computer is history at (110,000 miles). Good luck.

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  Love my truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Chris - September 3 - 12:47 am

  I bought my Colorado when the S-10 that I was driving died, and it was a very good decision I must say. I was looking into other light duty trucks, but I am glad that I chose the Colorado. It gets better gas mileage than any of the other trucks I was looking at, and right now thats pretty important. What I was suprised about was that for being only a 5 cylinder truck, it has more power than I expected it to.

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  The Best Car Ever!! - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Keith - September 2 - 7:08 pm

  I bought this car brand new. It has been the most reliable car. I store it every winter. I do yearly maintenance on it like changing the oil, flushing the radiator and transmission fluid. I usually take it on at least one long road trip a year and it is awesome to get it on the road and open it up. It just went over 80,000 miles and still snaps your head back on take off

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  Silver Bullet - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By S W T - September 2 - 4:37 pm

  This truck is a huge improvement over my 95 S-10. Much larger, taller, tighter, more powerful. The 5-cyl, 3500 motor is responsive. Not race like performance (it is a truck), but quick when needed. The transmission does tend to search for the right gear too much. The truck is extremely quiet, has a solid but comfortable ride, and has adequate gas milage for a mid size pickup. Making the Z-71 suspension available in a 2WD is a good move by Chevrolet. The package makes the truck look much better without the expense of 4WD on a vehicle that will not be taken off road.

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  See Ya Toyota! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By pamemake - September 2 - 4:26 pm

  After much research and model shopping I finally made it into my local Chevy dealer. I took the Malibu 4 cylinder for a test drive and really liked it, until I took the 6 cylinder for a test drive. Wow! What a smooth ride. Very comfortable and tight. The car handled our pot-holes very nicely during the test drive. The ride was supple and controlled and the noise level was very very low. The car handled like a vehicle that should cost much more. Nicely appointed and fun to drive. I touch the gas and I go! No lag in the 6 cylinder. The 4 cylinder was a little laggy for me. After my test drive, I wanted the 6 cylinder. My Prius was boring and low powered and I couldnt wait to trade it in.

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  Better than expected - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By brian - September 2 - 3:50 am

  Driving my 2005 Chevy Trailblazer LS is like going from night to day , comparing driving the vehicles iIve had in the past . Theres hardly any if any road noise , a quiet engine , powerful 275 horsepower straight 6 engine . Showed my truck to co-workers and they were amazed on how Chevy has the inline 6 again and so was I . And with OnStar was a huge plus I will have that option when it expires in 2006 . It comes one year free , with also 30 minutes of phone useage also . Its very fun to drive and can accelerate quickly when needed . Down side even though you get use to it , it has a feeling of as if youre on a boat sometimes . Thats my only complaint and also the gas mileage .

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  Too many problems for a brand new truck - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By zach - September 1 - 11:44 pm

  Hood came loose and rattled horribly when idling. Brake lights and running lights have burnt out twice. Towing light plug didnt work fist time I used it. Half the interior lights have quit working and two speakers have blown. Im not hard on my vehicle. I do put a lot of miles on it, but it gets regular maintanence. I should not have to take it in for warranty work 4 times in the first year. Simply inexcusable. Its fun to drive when everything actually works! What problems can I expect in the future?