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:

• 

  Chevy Burb best large SUV on the road! - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Mark - December 30 - 12:44 pm

  Ive had many Chevy Suburbans and they just keep getting better! Anyone who rides with me is impressed with the quality of the ride and all the features loaded into the cabin. Front and reat heat & A/C makes it easy to keep everyone comfortable. The turning radius is still best in class, with no other vehicle able to turn inside the tight distance it can (Ford cant do it with an Explorer, let alone the Excursion!) Off road, it goes places Ive taken much smaller 4X4s and gets me back too, not that most owners will ever see backwoods with their Suburbans. Towing is fantastic, with ability to haul just about anything a person could ever need (or want to). Boats, trailers, & even skid steers!

• 

  Would buy again - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By sargeantcm - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Great car, especially for a first-time car owner. Brakes are somewhat poor, although personally I dont believe the easily warped rotors are any more the cars fault than Midas parts. Otherwise great, good acceleration, solid fuel mileage (25/32) and convenient interior design (cupholders, console, etc.)

• 

  2002 Chevrolet Impala LS driving fun - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Alexander J Ricci - December 30 - 10:00 am

  The 2002 Chevrolet Impala LS is a great car to drive, it feels like a much more expensive car, it rides good, comfortable seating, it handles really well with a good feel of the road and has just about all the features you would find in a car costing way more. Although the interior is laid out well, easy to read gauges and easy to reach controls, the enterior could be alittle more plush, the rear seating area and front and rear door panels are rather bland.

• 

  One of the Bast - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By ronw - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Very comfortable, great ride quality and handling. Very quiet

• 

  Miss the old 89. - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By larry j - December 30 - 5:56 am

  We owned an 89 Chevy pickup and loved it, even at 110k miles, it still ran great. A very tight machine. We made the mistake in assuming Chevy would continue the tradition when we bought the 01. Engine makes a knocking sound from day one that the dealership mechanic "couldnt hear". Makes the sound to this day. Performance is sluggish and youd figure if you have slow performance, at least the gas mileage would be good. Wrong. 12- 15mpg. I guess we got spoiled with the 89 p/u truck; wish we still had it.

• 

  Will never go back to Chevy after this... - 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport
  By amyjv8 - December 29 - 11:45 pm

  My car easily reaches a 5-6 RPM when accelerating. - And it would not even beat a snail in a race. I have an average MPG of 21, and I drive about 90% interstate. I have brought the vehicle into dealerships for inspection more than once but they say nothing is wrong. It shifts hard, it idles hard, and it sounds like a 1992 vehicle - when it is really a 2012. This was my third Chevrolet vehicle and I can say, due to this experience, I will never own another one. STAY AWAY!

• 

  Best SUV ever!! - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jeromy H - December 29 - 10:30 pm

  After a long wait I finally pulled the trigger on my new Z-71 Tahoe. After trading up from a 96 2Dr. to this 2005 there is no comparison. Too many favorites to list here....

• 

  Watch the Underbody - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Chip Cipriano - December 29 - 3:46 pm

  My tailpipe rusted off 3 years after I bought it & found that you could not just replace the tailpipe you need a complete exhaust system. The price of the system $18,000 (not including labor). At 5 1/2 years, my front "Crossmember Stablizer" RUSTED off (with NO WARNING) it cost $350.00 for the part and another $200 in labor.GM would do NOTHING because it was over 80,000 miles. WHAT MILEAGE HAS TO DO WITH A "RUSTING FRAME" THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN? Anyway, Im happy with the vechicle over all, but watch for rust underneath. it is very light metal.

• 

  mine not listed - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Margaret Payne - December 29 - 12:33 pm

  04 Colorado 4wd ls ext cab Z85 4spd automatic transmission vortec 3500 220 hp 3.5 5cyl engine. Great ride, the only problem I have is the tires. The tires are not very good and break tracksion on wet streets in rwd.

• 

  Interior Needs Redesign - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Blackwell - December 29 - 12:31 pm

  Maybe because Im short-windshield view is very narrow between the top of steering wheel & bottom of sun visor. The elevated position of the wiper is VERY distracting! HATE the steering wheel-instrument panel&ignition are hidden from view-you have to crane your neck to see around it & grope to insert the key. Window controls are too far toward the rear of the console. Front doors do not open far enough for easy entry. Dash lights cant be dimmed to level I find comfortable for night driving. Black XM radio antenna looks like a wart-should match the body color. Noisy inside-not yet sure if noise level is engine noise or road noise from the tires-I may change tires. Poor radio sound adjustment