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:

• 

  New SUV Driver - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jim B - July 29 - 8:46 pm

  This is a good vehicle, overall. I would like to see some of the features on the dash moved just a little, but is otherwise very nice to drive. Its a lot of fun!

• 

  Flawless - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By cc6 - July 29 - 8:40 pm

  I bought the Z71 in July of 2002 and havent regretted it a day since Ive owned this truck. Great engine. Quiet and comfortable. Handles snow with ease. Its an overall great SUV. I will buy another.

• 

  Excellent, Fun, Blue Flame Special - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Aveo Fan - July 29 - 4:11 pm

  We originally got this car for our daughter when hers needed to be replaced. My wife insisted on one with pinstripes and blue flames on the doors. We drove the car for that weekend and decided to keep it for ourselves with our daughter getting my current car. The car has terrific interior space. It rides as well as cars more than twice the price. As for fun, Ive had several Corvettes, and except for sheer acceleration, this car is as big of a blast to drive. Folks seem to like the quirky styling. It was rear ended (about 5 mph) by some fool a couple months ago and the car took the impact very well with only minor damage to the bumper and one fender. Its had no warranty issues at all.

• 

  Everybody makes mistakes - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Norbert - July 29 - 12:55 pm

  After 18,000 miles and 3 General tire failures, a new set of Goodyears were recently put on. I still get a vibration between 45 & 65 mph. The airconditioning failed and it took a week to fix. Front bucket seat is uncomfortable. Very little leg support. My elbows are raw from the lack of padding on arm rest and center console.

• 

  99 Chevy Suburban - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By frank - July 29 - 12:50 pm

  We did a lot of shopping around, and we love our Suburban, no turning back. Great vehicle for the family and nice to drive. Yes it likes gas, but we find it pretty good as we had a truck before this. The room is worth every penny1

• 

  Very much surprised at 4 cylinder performance - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By IRWIN RABIN - July 29 - 7:12 am

  I am very happy and satisfied with my Malibu. I have arthritis, and found that the adjustments to all hand and foot controls made it easy to get in and out on drivers side. I am an old Chevy truck manager for a dealerahip in Long Island, NY and am happy that GM has put in coveniences for comfort and easy handling.

• 

  Accident Review - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Cav Owner - July 29 - 6:50 am

  I enjoyed my Cavalier very much when I first bought it, just as any new car owner enjoys their car. It was smooth sailing until I got into an accident where I was T-Boned by a Corolla (a car not much bigger than the Cav). After that, things just went downhill. First of all, it crumbled like a sheet of paper in the accident while the Corolla had only a few scratches on its bumper. Shortly after, my A/C went out, and now it rattles at low speeds. Its a good car until you get some mileage on it.

• 

  Very Happy with my Truck - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
  By mike - July 29 - 5:56 am

  This is the first non big block gas truck that will actually tow and haul large loads without having a gear too high and a gear too low to tow with. The 6 speed with 4:10 gears works great and doesnt hunt. I can haul my slide in camper with a towed or hook on to the 30ft enclosed 6 place sled trailer and head to the mountains 1200 miles away. It handles remarkably well for its hulk size and the ride quality is excellent. I get 12-13 in the city and 14-16 on the highway which I cant complain. I had a 1500 5.3 which did great but I couldnt do anything with it. I have had absolutely no issues with this truck and love it.

• 

  This car is a steal at this price. - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By hanktohendrix - July 29 - 4:50 am

  Three weeks ago I bought a black 2LT with 3.6l V6 option. I drive 2 hours each way to/from work. Ive already got 3,000 miles on it. I paid right about $23k, even with the bigger engine thanks to a $3,000 off coupon I got in the mail. I get 26mpg combined. If I ride it gently on the weekends I could get better, but thats usually when I have my fun. Instantaneous mpg is at 30mpg if I set cruise control on the highway! The ride is smooth and quiet, better than my dads luxury import. For a mid-size sedan it gets an awful lot of looks and compliments. It doesnt quite satisfy my appetite for speed/style, but Im not willing to pay for gas on a Mustangs V8.

• 

  Wow! - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By moning - July 29 - 2:06 am

  The ride is smooth, and seating is great. My back doesnt hurt on long drives. Its powerful for what I do. It has better gas mileage than my trade-in did, and it was a 2004 Frontier. The steering is light and quick. Large mirrors enable me to see other traffic with less blind spots. Its a great truck. I really like it.