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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  Better buy this one - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Luv the Impala - August 2 - 2:00 am

  Being a bigger guy (64", 280 lbs) I looked for a car where I could be comfortable. None matched the Impala in comfort, ride, performance, and price. Ive got the 3.4 and it is impressive.The mileage is far better than I would have thought possible. Its a quiet ride befitting the large car that it is. The handling is far better than I ever hoped it could be. Ive yet to feel body roll in any turn. Ive had a couple of times where the 4 wheel disk brakes were needed and I can say they are definitely the way to go. Fit and finish are impeccable. The medium gray metallic shows off very well in sunlight or clouds.

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  Hayles - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Darla Hayles - August 2 - 2:00 am

  Room enough for the whole family. Fun to drive and a since os being secure and safe.

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  Best Horse Mobile - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By holly glen farms - August 2 - 2:00 am

  This truck has it all! And then some! We are very Pleased and would buy another of this quality truck.

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  I continue to love it! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Kimmie M. - August 2 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my trail blazer for nearly two years and it continues to drive like the day I drove it off the showroom floor. Its dependable, durable, and extremely comfortable. If I had to do it over again, yes.... Id definitely go there again!

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  Redefined - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Dan - August 2 - 1:13 am

  Only having this vehicle for one week I have to say this is a really nice truck. The looks, interior and exterior, ride and comfort is first rate. GM really put some effort in knowing and understanding what the customer want.

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  One of the worst enginered cars - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By steve - August 1 - 7:14 pm

  Mine died at around 75K miles. The transmission slipped, the heads warpped, and boom, the whole thing froze. All in all, it was a basic car, nothing ever troubled me except the brakes, which were entirely replaced 4 times. The rotor design was so poor that I managed to break the rotor from the spindle and that is very rare.

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  I llove this little blue car! - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Nancy - August 1 - 4:29 pm

  I am delighted with my car! I did not have a lot of cash, but this car is so worth every penny! The gas mileage isnt what I had hoped for, but we have had a hot summer and I run the AC all the time, and still make it up the hills going 70+ mph! Great torque in 1st and 2nd, a little more dog in 3,4,and 5th gears. I get quite a few compliments on this car. People like the way it looks. I can almost cut traffic like a motorcycle in it. Just kidding, officer.

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  C-6 2005 Corvette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Rick Losey - August 1 - 11:06 am

  I have owned the C-6 2005 since Feb and I have to say the car is outstanding. It gets great gas mileage, has superior handling, and lets of get up and go. This car is the sports car of sports cars. The only cars that can compare cost tens of thousands more than the Vette.

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  2005 Uplander - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Fritz G Heinrich - August 1 - 2:38 am

  The test drive impressed us und we continue to like the car with one major exception. We noticed that like with many cars today the doors look automatically. We do not consider this safe and we told this the sales person. We were told that it is possible to program the controls that the doors do not lock automatically. The operating manual confirmed this. But in reality, this vehicle or the control software version does not allow the automatic door locking do be disabled. The dealer could not do it. Chevrolet/GM Customer Assistance Center claimed that this cannot be done as it increases the companys liability regarding security, trading safety against security in our opinion.

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  Yellow LT-4 Ragtop - 1996 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Don - August 1 - 1:37 am

  After 30 years of waiting and being practical, I finaly purchased my Corvette. I wish a hadnt waited so long! Ive always loved the styling of the C-4, paticularly with the updates they made in the early 90s. The LT-4 engine and 6 speed transmission make this car a ball to drive. The power is instantaneous and the torque makes the car easy to drive, even at low rpms. While the car is ten years old, it only had 3,000 miles when I bought it last month. Its not often you come across a brand new 1996 Corvette convertible, so. It doesnt get any better than cruising with the top down on a warm summer night!