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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  My second Avalanche - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By dasebolka - February 11 - 12:29 am

  I am the Avalanches biggest supporter. This is my second Avalanche purchased in three years. The first Avalanche had an unpleasant encounter with a tree and utility pole. I was able to drive the vehicle home after the accident and had no injuries. The same could not be said of the vehicle. As long as Chevrolet continues to produce the Avalanche, I will continue to purchase them. They are an excellent, safe vehicle for my family of five. The Avalanche gets two thumbs up from this customer.

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  04 Chevy Crew Cab with Quadrasteer - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By tschertz - February 10 - 8:00 pm

  This truck is great. It rides nice and has the power to pull. It is actually our family car. This truck is our answer to the Minivan. 2 adults, 2 kids, and 2 dogs. Plenty of room. The wife and the kids drive it more then me. The interior is great, and has more features then most new luxury cars today. My wife loves the fact that it has quadrasteer. She can park this 20 truck in spots tighter than most cars. It has a tighter turning radius than our S10 Blazer. The quadrasteer also give me great stability when towing a trailer. However, with the quadrasteer you can only get the 4.10 gear ratio, and that means low fuel economy. I wish they had the quadrasteer with a 3.73.

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  Sporty and Basic - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Lumina Mom - February 10 - 12:33 pm

  I purchased this car for its safety ratings and its overall design. I did not want the "Soccer Mom" mini-van but on the other hand needed something big enough to get the job done. This car was it. It looks nice (rather sharp I think) I like the leather interior and the alloy wheels. I love the interior design for the most part. The major flaws are only one cup holder and the postioning of the ashtray (almost non existent). It is a little tricky with the brakes (abs) and I am having now problems with CV joints. Other than that, its great!

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  My first Impala - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By P Harvey - February 10 - 10:00 am

  Everything so far is great. Only complaint is the constant mailings from GM wanting me to take the car in for replacemnt of an air bag sensor (WHICH WAS DONE AND REPORTED TO GM NUMEROUS TIMES)

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  good bang for the buck - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By unwarranted - February 10 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car about a year ago. Its actually a 2001 Z24. At first I was a little upset that I bought this car instead of a Honda Civic. If it wasnt for this cars poor resale value it would be ideal. If you plan on keeping this car to its end then its perfect. The acceleration and performance is much better than a Civic. The Civic I found hardly had any pep to it. The ride quality is a litte noisier than a Civic. My wifes corolla seems like a better ride than this, but I got the stick in the Z24 and it sure if fun. I had test drove both the automatic and the manual and I would recommend the manual over the automatic.

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  Love at first sight - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By cindyd - February 10 - 6:23 am

  I had to have one. I love everything about this car. I was pretty surprised when I discovered how quiet it is at highway speeds. It has personality and charm, and is a true joy to own. I have a long daily commute, and this car has made it so much better. I actually enjoy it now, well, as much as you can anyway. The car handles great, and has a really smooth ride. I like the fact that it really seems to fit females. The armrest to steering wheel span for example. I feel out of place in pickup trucks that seem to be built just for men.

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  Almost excellent but basic vehicle - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By DonT - February 10 - 1:16 am

  It does not have the power or the ride or the seats of a more expensive car, but it starts every day and I do not fear the engine or transmission failing.

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  Overall, well-built car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Blake Brown - February 9 - 11:46 pm

  Very exciting car to drive. I wake up every morning excited that I get to take a trip in it to school or work. Everybody who sits in my car thinks it very comfortable and likes it a lot. Lot of comments from strangers.

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  Astro Number 2 - 2003 Chevrolet Astro
  By TN dog mom - February 9 - 6:42 pm

  Pack it up pile the dogs in and away we go all across the USA --- most of the time Im travelling alone and rely heavily on the reliability and durability, good performance of this van! The roomy interior is just right for all the paraphrenalia that needs to accompany us on our adventures. This is my 2nd Astro ..... my trade-in Astro had 260,000 miles on it and was still going strong! I am looking forward to putting 260,000 on this one too!

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  Overall Good Small Suv - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By scarnips - February 9 - 3:29 pm

  I bought this suv used a year and a half ago with 53,000 miles. Ive had no problems so far. I have the ZR2 package and the truck is great in the snow. It handles well off-road for a smaller SUV. Minor problems are the factory speakers and plastic. The rear window latch squeaks from wear on the the latch bar, but if you wrap the latch bar with some tape it goes away. Gas mileage is not the best but its an SUV not a Toyota. Overall Im pleased with the Blazer.