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:

• 

  Happy so far... - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Brian - January 6 - 11:11 am

  Purchased this summer. Quiet, sturdy, easy to drive. Suspension is a little soft but that makes for a better ride. Does not accelerate extremely fast, but its not suposed to be a sports car. Very nice interior. So far a front wheel bearing was replace but other than that everything has been good. I get about 19mpg city and 23mpg highway. EXCELENT in the snow.

• 

  Good truck just got better - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By chevy truck - January 6 - 3:40 am

  I had to drive 170 miles to find the truck that I was looking for. Whenn on the way home ran in to bad weather. It was sure footed. The 4WD worked great and it never got loose and we were on ice roads and slush. I was impressed by and still got 17 miles to the gallon in 4WD.

• 

  I really wanted a Toyota - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By MR.BILL - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Numerous difficulties; right quadrant of taillights has short that has them turn on and off intermitently, Spare tire release under the bed was broken from the manufacturer. I learned this from the tire store. His remark was "none of them work, I do not think yours will either" he was right! Battery terminal was broken on this brand new truck. Right side window does not work at all. Frozen in the up position. Lights on dash come on at strange times. Leak in cab on drivers door in the middle, this a chevy standard feature.

• 

  great vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By gregg fail - January 6 - 2:00 am

  This is a very dependable vehicle and the ride is outstanding. The versatilty of the mid gate and the three peice topper is also very nice. The quality is very good and the styling looks terrific.

• 

  Z-71 Surburban --Exceptional - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By John Morrow - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Without a doubt, the most functional vehicle I have ever owned. In fact, we liked it so much, 3 days after purchasing this vehicle, we purchased another one exctly like it for my wife.

• 

  Nice pickup - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dockhawg - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Bought used and love the truck, only maintenance issue was fuel injector pressure regulator $90 @ 49k. Truck hauls boat like a dream ( 4000 lbs) and gets 15-16 while towing on open road. In town mileage 14-15 and 16-17 on highway. Great looks and peppy even with small V-8.

• 

  Best car we ever owned - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By bls1999c - January 6 - 2:00 am

  We love this car. We have put over 25,000 miles on this since we bought in 11 months ago (best deal is to buy the extended warranty!!!!) It drives like a dream, hauls like a horse, and is comfortable. The four wheel drive is great---no problems.

• 

  Thought Chevys Were Best? - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Macee - January 6 - 1:49 am

  My car was a good car up until the past three months. It ran very well and the feul economy was pretty good. But then a squeaking sound started in the front end that the dealership could not figure out what was wrong. Turns out, it was the shocks. Then, I started to hear a grinding sound: rotors are grinding. And now the transmission is slipping at second gear. Now, my dad is a mechanic so it was well maintained. I love my car...it was my first new car. It was my graduation gift from my parents. And until now it was great...but now its falling apart!

• 

  Snowed by a Tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By tim terrific - January 5 - 11:07 pm

  I have owned imports for the last 20 years. I took a chance on a new Tahoe. The size is just right for me. Great horsepower from the engine and a very nice ride. BUT fuel ecconomy stinks. The interior is cheap cheap cheap. Ive got potholders that hold better than the carpet. Leather seats have lost luster, crack and are spongy. Tailgate says open when closed been back three times to dealer. Window trim pieces now squeak. Transmission slips and brakes groan and its not even a year old!!! Heated sears are nice. Onstar is a rip off. GM wants $295.00 a year to renew it. They can keep it. LT= last time Ill spend the dough. There are better values in the market place.

• 

  2005 Cavalier LS Sport Coupe - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By James Jardine - January 5 - 10:47 pm

  Very good ride. The engine is smooth with excellent fuel economy and surprising power. The 5 speed manual is excellent. The durability, reliabilty and cost of ownership have been excellent and keep me coming back.