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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  Good Truck Minor Flaw(s) - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By onefast6 - December 27 - 4:23 pm

  Heated seat only warm in the middle not on outside near legs or upper back. Spare tire very difficult to access along with jack. Only 4 speakers. Plenty of power, room and ride great.

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  Excellent - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By AC - December 27 - 9:13 am

  This car is a joy to drive. Mine is 2LT and the list of options for this level is amazing. I compared the Camry, Accord, Altima, actually I looked at everything from small cars to luxury cars, the Malibu is probably the best value in the marketplace. My criteria was to get a car that was comfortable, fun to drive and gets good fuel economy. The 4 cyl has plenty of power and that power is smooth. Initially I was concerned about getting a 4sp auto when others offer a 5 or 6sp with a 4cyl but this trans shifts so smoothly and works so well with the power generated from this engine. This car is so quiet, very little road noise. Test drive this car before you buy, youll be glad you did.

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  Love My Z06 commerative Edition - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Z06Bill - December 27 - 3:48 am

  Every Time I wonder why I threw down 45K for a Go Fast, all I have to do is sit down and step on the gas. This thing gets your attention real fast. It spins the tires so fast it doesnt even leave a black mark, it just looks like you scoured the pavement clean. I Love It!!!

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  The best and safest work car . - 1994 Chevrolet Caprice
  By jman - December 27 - 2:56 am

  This car is the most reliable car for the price. It has plenty of room and has good performance even with the 4.3 V-8. Thats right, 4.3 V-8, a special motor that can deliver V-8 power with low fuel consumption like a 6 cylinder.I bought this car for $2,800 and i have put 75,000 miles on it. It is a good car for new drivers. Its cheap,its powerful,its safe,its reliable. There is nothing like it except the Impala.

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  The best and safest work car . - 1994 Chevrolet Caprice
  By jman - December 27 - 2:56 am

  This car is the most reliable car for the price. It has plenty of room and has good performance even with the 4.3 V-8. Thats right ,4.3 V-8 -- a special motor that can deliver V-8 power with low fuel consumption like a 6 cylinder. I bought this car for $2,800 and i have put 75,000 miles on it. It is a good car for new drivers. Its cheap, its powerful, its safe,its reliable.

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  Luxury Without Ostentation - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By zenith - December 26 - 12:22 pm

  Why would anyone buy an Escalade when this vehicle is available? Its a solid citizen. Reliable. Comfortable. American. Could use heated wiper blade arms for snowy weather. I recommend preventative maintenance. Dont wait for something to wear out. For example, a worn fan belt replaced away from home is always going to be cheaper than replacing a broken one in far off Dogpatch.

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  not a problem - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By cubfan - December 26 - 10:00 am

  My 2003 Trailblazer has not had any problems whatsoever. We had a lot of snow in February and whenever I needed my four wheel drive it was quick to respond and made it through the deep snow without any problems.

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  No More RAV4 for me. - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Tim2004 - December 26 - 10:00 am

  I was looking for something new to trade in my underpowered Toyota RAV4 on, maybe even a Highlander. A friend suggested this new vehicle from Chevy. Chevy? Well, I took a look and was very impressed by the look, ride and quality. I was sold.

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  Corporate Fast-food in car form - 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Alex - December 26 - 2:56 am

  Im in this because my 2015 WRX was rear ended. My 2015 WRX and 2008 VW Rabbit MkV are the reference cars for this review. I know its not a V8 but a V6 should have plenty of power to thrill. Even though the redline is at 7,000 rpms, the transmission is phenomenally resistant to going over 3,000 rpms when in "Sport" mode. The transmission behaves similarly to a Honda transmission where its most happy when its parked. You can manually shift the car with the paddles on the steering wheel, but the materials are so cheap that it sounds like a cat vomiting every time you pull one of them. The chassis is okay when going around corners but I wouldnt trust it on a back road. This thing has almost no traction (could be due to more economical tires installed by rental company... my WRX has new PSS tires that are phenomenal). Outward visibility is CRAP! You have to be paying attention to traffic, because someone can easily be sitting in your blind spot or could be approaching and you wouldnt see them. Parking this thing is all about guessing where the lines are. The roof line is so low that you cant see the signal lights when youre stopped in front of them. Rear visibility is as good as you get in a Lamborghini SV. The seats are made for fat people and dont hold you in place. The steering feels artificially heavy and you get no feedback from the road. Forget resting your arm out the window on a hot day when you just want to cruise. The window opening is too high and causes my swimmers shoulder to want to come out of its socket. The steering wheel and armrests are placed and sized very well for comfort. Interior design is pretty damn good. The entertainment system is ok/frustrating. If you think Bose sound systems are good, then you wont complain. All the controls are well placed and function as you think they would. Receiving calls over Bluetooth is fine. The ride is very comfortable (again, compared to a 2015 WRX). CONCLUSION: This car is pure branding. You buy this because you want people to see you in a Camaro, even though a lot of car enthusiasts think this car is crap. It doesnt have the performance or thrills to overcome its shortcomings. I wouldnt trust this car in the rain. These cars are posers. (Ive put over 20,000 miles on my WRX in a year. Ive put maybe 150 miles on this Camaro.... and I already want to burn it)

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  What a fool am I - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By www.waxitup.com - December 26 - 1:09 am

  It has a 5 cylinder engine. The best mileage to date is 16.1 on pure interstate driving at 65 miles per hour. The 19.5 gallon gas tank leaves me wondering Why? With only a 300 mile driving range I am constantly having to visit the Gas Station.The exterior is very eye catching but here begins the lack of quality. The hood has provisions for insulation but it is missing and not offered. The doors leak wind noise and sometimes even water. Hoses, cables and tubes routed ender the truck are installed with no attention to detail and bang against the under side. The inner fender wells lack fasteners and rattle. The endless use of bare plastic in the interior also adds to rattles.