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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  The Best of The Best - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By One Lucky Tiger - March 14 - 1:30 pm

  Im exceptionally a lucky Vette lover to presently own both the ZO6 and a new 2010 ZR1. Both have there own personality, but, the ZR1 is everything...and even more then what you have read about. It is so amazingly fast, responsive and still rides so smoothly and very pleasant and gentile in city traffic. While you read so much criticism about the inferiority of the interior compared to other “supercars”, you still have to keep in mind that the extra 75K$ to 100K$ difference buys another Z06 (which I did). That’s a lot of money difference for an extra fancy interior. I don’t think fancy interiors is as important as all around performance of a “supercar”. No one can argue about the perfo

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  Dream car! - 1992 Chevrolet Corvette
  By DempseyG - March 13 - 8:43 pm

  This is my second Vette. The first was an 82 Collector Edition. It was a good car and a lot of fun but had major problems. This car Easily gets 30mpg On the highway if I use "cruise". The car was sold new in Germany to a military person and shipped back here in 97. Its in great shape uses NO fluids of any type and ahs had to have no repairs since I bought it. Red w/black int. its a real eye catcher and a lot of fun that costs me near nothing! I would only trade it for a newer one. Im totally sold on Corvettes! Dollar for dollar, the best sports car in the world!

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  Solid built van, nice ride. - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Jim - March 13 - 3:40 pm

  pretty nice van built more solidly than foreign, safety of my family was a high priority. Very decent cruising for long trips, good on gas considering its size, DVD player good for kids.

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  Quality Truck - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By RacinJason - March 13 - 8:07 am

  Owned for a year. Previous owner took care of the truck and kept it clean and serviced. I am doing the same. It runs well and am impressed by the quality of engineering. The ride is excellent, especially for a truck. As long as I keep it serviced on time I have seen no indication of any service issues either in person or in the internet.

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  Consider this car - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By pghdrumr - March 12 - 2:42 pm

  I came from a honda, and I was VERY surprised at the quality that GM is producing. The car rides very smooth and quiet. The remote starter, power seats, bluetooth, sunroof all included in a super deal. Look for lots of incentives from the dealer, and plan to pay way less that sticker price. What an excellent deal for a new car with so many great features

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  Decade Van - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By Daisy - March 11 - 9:08 pm

  Bought used (9 mo. old) w/14k miles. Initial problem: A/C had funny smell when used 1st time each spring. Very roomy. Love the features incl. elec. pkg seating for 8 2 built-in child seats. Had it now exactly 10 years. Issues with automatic door lock - was a recall issue. Pretty reliable given weve put 100,000 mi on it. Good family vehicle. 10 day Family trip (1200 mi ea way) last summer with no problems. over the years we have done only handful of repairs (water pump, manifold gasket,belt tension gear) Left rear tail light bulb out every 3 mths drivers airbag light intermittently on Our other car is a CAMRY -- which we LOVE

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  Best Truck I have ever owned! - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Bman-Colorado - March 10 - 4:14 pm

  I bought this truck in December 2007 and have just eclipsed 25K. I honestly wake up every day excited that I get to drive it:~). I have put a few modifications on it such as the performance air intake, Magnaflo exhaust as well as a superchip (which, believe it or not improved my gas mileage). Last summer i bought an Coleman E3 pop- up trailer and was amazed how easy it hauled! I have taken it 4wheeling and it does superbly [i now wish i had a skid plate:~)] As to the fuel economy: I bought a truck! It has an engine that equates to a Chevy 350! I did not or do not expect to get 15mpg. (with the superchip however i have received 16.5 in the city and 21 on the highway) GREAT TRUCK!

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  The Best Car Ive Ever Owned! - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Gerry - March 10 - 7:47 am

  I had my RS Coupé built for me in 1991 (5.0 V8 with 5-speed manual - an NO T-tops!), and have been in love with Mr. Toad ever since. It was delivered with absolutely no defects, has never broken down, and has always been an absolute joy to drive, it drives like a go-cart, and, on one of my many cross-country drives, regularly turned out almost 30mpg ... not bad for a big lump of Detroit Iron V8 - and, despite its age, still has the beatings of most other cars on the road! Admittedly, I have "only" 139,000 miles on it, but that means I should still have another 19 years of life left in the engine & clutch before I need to replace them. My only problem has been the a/c unit developed a leak.

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  Believe all of the good stuff - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Ron M - March 9 - 7:37 pm

  I bought my Av new in 2004. GM should have named it the Transformer. There isnt anything I cant do with this truck. I carry full sheets of plywood and sheetrock (and it stays dry in the rain). Ive carried firewood, gravel and anything else a regular truck does. Ive gone camping with four others in the passenger compartment, my four wheeler in the back, two canoes on top, towing four wheelers and gear on the trailer behind. I live in Maine and the Av keeps me cool when its in the high nineties and toasty warm when its forty something below. It stays on the road during a blizzard like a bengal tiger on its next meal. I will own this Av forever. Really. I still own my 72 Dodge Demon.

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  Most Reliable Vehicle Ive Ever Had - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Philip - March 9 - 7:26 pm

  I purchased this vehicle with 65k on the clock, and it is hands-down the most reliable vehicle Ive ever owned. I added a lift, different shocks, Tahoe springs, and other stuff, and it drives even better. Real body-on-frame construction, and low range make this a great vehicle. Parts are cheap, and there are plenty of them, so junkyards have tons of salvage parts as well... very pleased with my vehicle!