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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  S-10 ZR5 - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By Chevy Queen - December 31 - 10:52 am

  Although the seat material is real bad its a nice riding truck and the ZR5 comes with a very nice design. The Colorado , to me, has absolutely no storage. You can at least put things behind the seat of the S-10, where the Colorado hasnt even got run for a long ice scraper

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  Fun driving it - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Henk DeBruyn - December 31 - 5:11 am

  I bought this high milage 2002 Impala LS with all the options, and the feeling of having fun driving came back to me.

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  great - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jose - December 31 - 4:11 am

  No problems, I own two Hondas and I wish that they would make something of equal size. I will buy another Tahoe

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  Trail Blazing in the 925 - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Jack West - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Great Buy for 1% over invoice for a XLT LS with the LS Group2 package, and even more extras.

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  Great Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By redbart - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I have not had truck for long time, but what I have seen so far is great. It is very comfortablenad has a very solid feel to it. The engine has all the power I need. Over all the fit and finish is excellent.

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  Computer missing - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Grote - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I got the car, and in less than five weeks my computer had to be replaced. Then after getting the computer back someone rear-ended me. I must say considering the force of impact the car withstood the blow. Im still waiting to get it back.

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  ITS GREAT - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By PATTY - December 31 - 2:00 am

  WE COMPARED TO OTHER SEDANS IN THE SAME PRICE RANGE AND DECIDED THE NEW 04 MALIBU WAS THE BEST VALUE OF ALL. ITS A GREAT CAR.

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  Perfect! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By MaxCalifornia - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Im astonished at how perfect this car has been. It has no perceptible build problems whatsoever, gets 25+ MPG, is very quiet (for the class), has plenty of power for acceleration and passing, and looks great.

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  A sophisticated solid NICE TRUCK - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Adam Bakh - December 31 - 2:00 am

  HI, I have been driving trucks for a while now. I used to drive a standard isuzu with no confort options. I got my Colorado almost fully loaded (all except the leather and the Onstar). Now instead of dreading the drive to work I love it. This truck is comfrtable yet regged, sporty yet serious, and generally a damn good truck. and the 4x4 with the rear wheel deferential is excelent in snow, Ice and heavy off-roading a must have for anyone in CANADA. I did a lot of investigating before I bought this truck. and I tell you compared to this truck the Ranger, Dakota, or even the toyota Tundra seem like WWII technology.

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  Fun Car - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Patch - December 31 - 2:00 am

  A real screamer. Loud as hell. Lots of engine note and road noise. Take the good with the bad, I guess. Chevy dealers (service depts) need to get used to dealing with people who paid 50K+ for a car and are used to BMW/Mercedes standards of service. Treating service customers like crap wont do.