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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  Best car Ive ever purchased - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Shannon - April 12 - 7:23 pm

  I love my Uplander. Im a single mom with 3 kids (twin teenagers and a 5 yr old), and there wasnt enough room in a regular car for all of us comfortably. I started to look at bigger SUVs and minivans, but I also wanted a car with a DVD player because we spend alot of time in the car, between soccer games, running the teens everywhere, and we do alot of traveling with my sister, nephew and my mom. I looked at the Venture and was ok with it. My salesman called me the following week (because I couldnt make a decision on a car )to tell me they just got the new Uplander in that day and he wanted me to come up and look at this car. I fell in love with this car. Im glad I made this decision.

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  Affordable Icon - 1994 Chevrolet Corvette
  By SparkyOKC - April 12 - 6:44 pm

  Best American car - bar none. Exceptional quality for a US mfgr. circa 1990s. 3300 lbs. w/ 300 hp & 330 ft/lbs torque. American pushrod smallblock V8s rule. Amazing technology for the 90s. 5 onboard computers, ABS, ASR, dual airbags. Great weekend or summer hobby car.

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  Show Stopper - 2005 Chevrolet SSR
  By mtunstl - April 12 - 6:31 pm

  This is a well designed and well built muscle car for the new century. A sleeper at the stop light and a lightning bolt on the straightaway. Its not a "cop catcher" but it is an "eye catcher". Men and women of all ages love this car because it is fun and different from what you see all over the roads today. It has a little retro styling with all the best technology of today. Form and function in one cute little pick-up.

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  Great when it works...but rarely works - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By cschroed - April 12 - 5:31 pm

  Overall we were satisfied with the Venture. Unfortunately, were on our third hub/bearing assembly at 60,000 miles. The rear heat controls fail intermittently and blast the back seats with straight hot air. The brake fluid low light comes on for no reason. Our intake manifold gasket leaks coolant, and the air conditioner stopped working this week. Its a great van when it works, but theres always something wrong with it. Unfortunately most of these issues are well known to Venture owners and dont seem to be addressed by Chevy. Most of these problems happened shortly after the warranty expired.

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  My car is GREAT! - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Brandi - April 12 - 5:18 pm

  I love my new car! I bought it brand new, and its wonderful! I really needed a reliable car to get me back and forth to work and college, and the Cavalier I bought exceeds my expectations. The price was great as well!

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  Trailblazer 4wd EXT - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By DDMDM - April 12 - 5:09 pm

  We have had the Trailblazer since October of 2002 and have had great experiences in it. We have gone to Yellowstone in it with the family, as well as numerous trips between our home and other points in Oklahoma for our sons University visits and a number of doctor appointments that require turnpike travel. We have never had a mechanical problem in that time, and the number of rattles and squeaks that have appeared have been almost non- existent. It handles well in the wind and other weather, the 4wd has been used a number of times in snows over the past two winters, and over all it has been a very reliable and fun vehicle to drive and own.

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  My Lumina - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Raye - April 12 - 5:04 pm

  A mercedes hit me from behind going 45 miles per hour. My Lumina stood up against it fabulously. It is a nice looking car with plenty of room for the whole family. I love it!

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  Awesome! - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Patricia Evans - April 12 - 4:49 pm

  AWESOME! We have had our Uplander for 2 weeks now and absolutely love it! Roomy and well thought out design. I cant think of much more I would need in a vehicle, its more like driving a family room with the DVD and stereo system. We had a Venture prior to this and we are delighted with the standard items that this vehicle has to offer and the drivability is much better due to the wider wheel base. I do wish that it would have a little better gas milage with the recent gas price increases!

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  Best MiniVan Ever - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By MetalMomma - April 12 - 4:43 pm

  This is the best minivan design ever! It looks like a SUV with the inside of a minivan. It is wonderful for young mothers like me who need a minivan but dont really want to give up the sporty look of our SUVs. I have only had the van for 2 months but so far I am very happy!

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  Z-71 Experience - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Rick Gorham - April 12 - 4:11 pm

  Smooth ride w/ excellent towing capacities. Hatch door better than barn door which obscures view. Leather appointments hold up well. Large mirrors which give good visual impacts. Steering is tight and a/c makes some noise....trying to cool down the big interior. Computer set- up not easy to learn and evaluate