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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  NICE SUV - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ma101365 - November 12 - 3:20 am

  Picked mine up in Sept, needed some time to adjust (was driving a 2 seater conv for the last 7 yrs) but now am loving it, has a great ride, and the gas milage keeps getting better, up to 13.5 mpg now (only have about 1100 miles on it though so hopefully will continue to improve)Got it with the captains in the back, friends say its like sitting in their living room

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  Great Veicle - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Ben Barlow - November 11 - 10:58 pm

  We love our suburban. Would not trade it for anything. We have had many different style SUV over the years all the way back to 1985 Ford Bronco.

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  GREAT TRANSPORTATION VALUE - 2001 Chevrolet Lumina
  By 59FATMAN - November 11 - 6:16 pm

  This is my second Lumina and is used as our primary family car. I believe it is very good on fuel relative to its size. It has had no mechanical or trim problems and was available at a very reasonable price. The engine is the 3.1 liter with 175 hp. My assessment is based on the experience of having owned 54 vehicles of my own over a period of time. The combination of economy, reliability and price is hard to beat.

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  I Love this Car! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By MRG Design - November 11 - 5:02 pm

  We love Corvettes! We have had 3 in the past 4 years. We now have a 2004 hatchback and a 1998 Convertible Show Car. At 57 it makes you feel young again. What a ride!

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  Avalanche - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Hawke - November 11 - 3:10 pm

  Gets great mileage for a truck (about 20 mpg highway, but 18 in Atlanta traffic). Lots of room. Put the midgate down, and with a sleeping bag, the three teenagers can sleep while dad drives on long trips.

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  2004 colorado crewcab Z85, 5 cyclinder - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By dbray - November 11 - 1:37 pm

  a great all around truck, great fuel mileage,the 5 cyclinder is a fantastic engine all the power needed for daily driving. the only complaint i have is with the tires on the Z 85 model, my truck picks up a lot of small gravel in the tire tread, i have numerous rock chips from the gravel flying out at road speeds.

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  So What Is It like - 2005 Chevrolet Venture
  By nemkay - November 11 - 12:59 pm

  Does not have the horn blowing or flashing lights to confirm that the doors have locked when using the remote. Probably would please more buyers it if had the 3.8 liter engine. I understand that the Venture is being replaced by a new model. I wish that it had something like Goodyear tires instead of the Firestone tires on it.

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  Love it - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Captain Jim - November 11 - 12:39 pm

  I have loved these since they came out and finally got one.

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  likeable - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By asdfasdresdasdf - November 11 - 12:09 pm

  The only complaints I have are that the passenger in the front has a huge hump just in front of the seat where there feet go, and it is very distracting. The other complaint would be the gas mileage...ouchy

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  car is the pits - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By rodney - November 11 - 11:48 am

  Cant buy parts in Texas. Too compact . Rough riding.