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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  No minivan for us. - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Lee - May 26 - 1:54 am

  We upgrade to the Suburban from a Dodge Ram due to our expanding family. We first test drove the Tahoe and then the Suburban. The Tahoe felt like it had too much sway, the Suburban was more "with the road". We were also sold on the massive amount of room behind the 3rd seat. After the warranty expired we discovered that the intermitent wipers were not working correctly and the intermediate steering arm needs to be replaced. The steering arm was said to be a common problem by our dealership, but one we would have to pay for. Same with the wipers. The only other concern I have is the side of the drivers seat is starting to tear.

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  Avalanche - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By John - May 25 - 10:33 pm

  Our new Chevy Avalanche is the best vehicle we have ever owned. The smooth ride and comfort of the interior are awesome. XM Radio is a surprisingly nice feature.

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  Great Truck! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Brian - May 25 - 7:06 pm

  This is fantastic vehicle for family use and towing! have had the vehicle for about a month and am very impressed with the comfort, build quality and performance. Only thing that I wished the vehicle had as an option would be a power seat.

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  Great Vehicle - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Ray and Roz - May 25 - 2:28 pm

  We bought this vehicle after owning several Toyotas, so had lowered expectations. It has proven us wrong. Have had only one minor problem - took it to the dealer and it was fixed within 30 minutes. The ride is great and Bose makes a fine sound system. My wife loves the XM radio which keeps us in touch when on long trips.

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  I love my Chevy - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jules - May 25 - 2:24 pm

  I bought my 98 Cavalier brand new, in September of 1998. I have driven this car 124,000+ miles. It has taken me all over the east coast, with no issues. This car is very reliable. I have replaced, tires, brakes, and battery, and just had to get new rear struts 6 months ago. No other repairs have ever been needed other then an occasional factory recall. Right now I have Toyo tires on it, and it drives better then ever. The only complaint that I have is that my family has outgrown it, and I am now looking to buy something bigger.

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  Corvette the Dream Machine - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Carol - May 24 - 11:00 pm

  The best Corvette yet....I previously owned a 1987 and was sad when I had to turn it in on my new 2005. The sadness soon disappeared when I set foot on that accelerator pedal and took to the road... a sports car with all the new electronic features along with the handling and performance which has always been Corvettes trademark. We are a team...heads turn when we drive along that road of dreams.

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  Love my Impala - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Harlan Epps - May 24 - 6:03 pm

  My wife and I have been very pleased with the performance of this car. We love the style and color. We are pleased with the safety features and anti-theft. We have not had any major problems with the mechanics or physical condition. Very comfortable on trips and we find it to be very economical. Do not plan to get rid of it any time soon.

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  Bought New, still great - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Mike - May 24 - 4:47 pm

  I highly recommend this vehicle. The performance is outstanding and the vehicle is extremely comfortable. We bought a Honda Pilot as a second car and it fell way short of the Tahoe. The gas mileage isnt great, but no one should really expect great gas mileage from a vehicle of this size.

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  What a riot. - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By Wingnuts - May 24 - 2:45 pm

  I traded in an F-150 FX4 for this ride and love every second of it! Talk about a fun drive, but if you are an introvert youll hate it because everybody wants to talk to you about it. Top down is the absolute best especially @60mph or less. The only issue Ive had is cavitating with the windows down and the top up over 40mph. Im glad I waited on it though as the dealer knocked off $15k from the sticker.

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  GM did it again - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Tyler - May 24 - 6:43 am

  What can I say..GM did it again. This is a huge upgrade from the Cavalier. I was a big fan of the Cavalier z-24 and im a bigger fan of the Cobalt. I got the upgraded sound system with ten inch sub. Wow good job. I never had a white car but this Cobalt looked great in white.The handling is great. The all black interior is very smooth. Great on gas. I drive great distances to work and back...all i can say is wow. The car has the needed boost to get past those slow drivers with no problem. Great bang for the buck!