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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  2005 Monte Carlo LT - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Fred - August 29 - 11:33 pm

  Traded a 2003 Monte Carlo SS for this 2005 Monte Carlo LT. Equipped with the same options. But the fuel mileage is less than the old car (average highway mileage is (2003) 26.8 vs. (2005) 23.5). Other than that its a great car.

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  Love It! - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Clint - August 29 - 9:33 pm

  I have only had my Equinox for a week now but i am absolutely in love with this car! We needed something bigger than our VW jetta since we are expecting our first child on the way. I have been looking at pretty much every cuv and always came back to the Equinox. I am 63 and it was hard to find a car that gave us MPG, room, options, comfort, and for an affordable price. Most cars you have to sacrifice one of those needs, this car none. This is by far the best for the money! I checked our mileage and we are getting 24.67 and that is quite a bit of city driving, thats only 3 mpg less than the jetta we were driving. Go out and drive one, you will love it!

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  awsome - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ali g - August 29 - 2:00 am

  buy american buy american buy america, this car is awsome and always be awsome. it has everything i need in a truck and it great. i pull buy ski boat to nothern michigan every year and we pass semi on 2 lane highways with ease at 90 mph. this car hasnt ever givin me problems and is great i buy chevy casue there trucks are the best!

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  Very nice truck - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By pwa - August 28 - 2:43 pm

  I drive a lot and now have 65,000 mi on vehicle. This is a great truck that I would recommend to anyone. I really feel safe and love the auto 4wd option. I see a lot of snow and ice and this truck is the most sure-footed vehicle I have ever owned. My only complaint is hard elbow rests.

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  1993 Caprice - 1993 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Major Nairn - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I have owned 2 Chevy Caprices and they are very reliable and a real workhorse of a car. These models are the cars you keep for years and years because they can handle the high miles. For older folkes looking for reliability and safety you cant beat a Caprice. These cars are fast becoming collectors items as Chevrolet made its last Caprice in 1996. These cars are favorites for middle Eastern countries (where fuel prices are not an issue) as cabs and police cars and are bought in lots of 10-20 at a time and shipped to their respective countries.

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  follow up - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By greennirvana102 - August 28 - 2:00 am

  well, ive had the car for about a year now and nothing really has gone wrong with it. its at 120,000 miles and still runs strong. Ive put about $1000 in repairs though...... but that was all stuff I knew I had to get. Tires, water pump, and tune up. Overall, great car.

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  Blazin new trails in my Trailblazer - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Meurk - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I wanted a bigger vehicle to use for hauling all my stuff and people. The third row seat can actually handle two full size adults, unlike my uncles lame Durango. The in-line six engine is smooth and powerful. I successfully pulled a car trailer with a Camaro on it from Kentucky with no problems. It was like the trailer wasnt even behind my truck. You will soon find my uncles Durango on a Chevy dealers used car lot!

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  love the ride - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By lablover - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I love the ride comfort of this truck and the handling is very nice. I would recommend this to anybody needing a large suv.

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  Will not buy again - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Craig - August 27 - 4:16 am

  Ive driven my Malibu for 7,500 miles now and if I could get out from under it without taking a bath it would be gone tomorrow. I drive 120 miles daily and this is the most uncomfortable car I have ever owned. The seat bases are far too short hitting me mid thigh and causing pain in my legs after only 20 minutes of driving. The electric power steering is a poor choice and needs more boost at highway speeds. An hour of driving and my hands are cramped. The suspension works great in town but on smooth blacktop it sets up a harmonic vibration at 45-65 mph that shakes the entire car...very poorly designed. Tranny does not shift into high without letting off the gas.

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  What a piece of junk. - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Gmsick - August 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought this suv from my father, (the first owner) he had problems with it since it was new, It had 35,00 miles on when i took it, well, you name it has broke, transmission had to be replaced,contol switches, the outside mirrors just fell off,rattles,gas gauge dont work,alt,haz button,turn signal switch, window motors,cooling system,ac leaks,paint is peeling off,braking system is weak, washer bottle leaks, the four wheel drive stopped working (two repairs),and too many things to let me list here, it seems that my wife calls me a least once every two weeks and tells me something else is wrong with the blazer. I have always been a chevy fan, not anymore.