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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  Still Buying Another - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By grandpx96 - July 27 - 9:16 pm

  The TrailBlazer is an all-around fun truck. They need to add more leg support. The drive seat, to me, is more like a bench seat from the 70s. On the long haul, they are very uncomfortable. Styling is great. The 2003 features are great (they cut back on the 2005 I found out). But I am trading it in for a LT EXT next week.

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  Daytona Sunset Orange - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By pk - July 27 - 6:09 pm

  I drove the car from California to Florida with absolutely no problems. I got 25 miles per gallon (per the trip computer). I have to say it is the most comfortable car I have ever driven (I have a bad back). I want the Z06 now!

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  Youll Love The Extra Room - 2005 Chevrolet Express
  By J. Hillsoto - July 27 - 5:42 pm

  The Express 3500 is highly recommended for large families or people who want to travel in comfort with a lot of gear. We love the extra roominess of the extended 3500 and for a vehicle of this size we have found that it handles very nicely and gets very good mileage. When it comes to parking, we sometimes have trouble in the narrow parking lots. Our 3500 is about 20 feet long and seat 15 adults comfortably.

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  Jenns car - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jennifer Hurtt - July 27 - 2:07 pm

  This is my very first new car and I love it! I checked this car out before making my purchase and every person that I knew that had one said " Its a great little car!" I feel the same way! I was also glad that it had a 5 star crash rating!

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  Should have bought the Corolla - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Jake - July 27 - 4:40 am

  This is a cheap unreliable car. Electrical problems, Numerous recalls, cheap interior, A transmission that cannot decide which gear it wants to be in, 5000 mile oil change intervals by me with Mobile One fully synthetic and now the Turbo is out with only 56,000 miles. THIS CAR IS A JOKE. My daughter is still driving this car. Coolant leaks have been a huge problem with this car, water pump, thermostat housing, hose fittings. I have all the leaks repaired at this time.

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  Reliable - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By imacruiser - July 26 - 11:50 pm

  Never a malfunction of any components.

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  I want another one - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Cliff - July 26 - 5:31 pm

  This is my second GM SUV. The first was a 1999 Yukon. When It hit 80,000, I had to trade for the new body style. This has been the best truck I have ever owned. I am currently holding out for the new 2006.

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  Needs improvement - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By cheri - July 26 - 2:04 pm

  I replaced rotors at 60,000 miles, along with the steering couplerer, and new tires. This car is a nice size, and has great speed, but Chevy needs to try to improve their cars more if they want people to continue buying them compared to others.

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  Never Again - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By disappointed - July 26 - 12:13 am

  Since it was purchased this spring we have had to replace or repair the air conditioner, brakes, alternator, strut work, body mouldings, and the driver side sliding door was locked shut twice. This is not a vehicle I would purchase again!

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  Love My Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Cathie - July 25 - 10:09 pm

  Very nice looking truck. Very comfortable. The kids love the DVD player (Playstation may be used) The ride is great, and I feel very safe! I had a Suburban before, and we got rearended. Te only thing that saved the backseat people was the size of the truck. Hit at 50 miles an hour sitting at a stop light . This truck saved us. I love this truck and will always own one.