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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  CAMARO SS - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Richard Bergstrom - July 12 - 10:00 am

  THE BEST CAR I EVER BOUGHT YOU SHOULD GO OUT AND GET ONE BECAUSE IF YOU DONT SUPPORT THEM YOUR GOING TO BE STUCK BUYING A MUSTANG THE NEXT TIME AROUND. AND ILL REMIND YOU THAT A MUSTANG IS A FORD.

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  Maybe Not so Heavy Duty - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Big Nick - July 12 - 10:00 am

  I have always been a Chevy man that is until I purchased a new HD. I is very comfortable, fun to drive, but i have a few problems to complain about. namely weak steering and poor quality sheet metal.

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  Roomy and Fun - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By mikeyk61 - July 12 - 10:00 am

  Mileage is the only concern.Extras and room and handling, i believe, give you so much more value than the smaller BMW and Mercedes SUV.

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  my trailblazer - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By robert reese - July 12 - 10:00 am

  gm did it right the wife loves to drive it the ride is great compared to the 1998 model we had.my only complaint is the radio system it sucks.

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  Z71 Silverado 2001 - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By whofan - July 12 - 9:56 am

  This is an almost perfect truck. Comfort, handsome design, and a combined mileage 17.5 MPG. Powerful precise steering, automatic transfer case. Almost perfect. The bad, cold start knock (annoying). Weak intermedate steering shaft (replaced). Known for bad fuel guage sending units (hasn`t happened yet). Nothings perfect and the good more than offsets the bad. Best truck I ever drove. What`s bad, the bad is silly stuff GM should have got right in the first place.

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  Great Car - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Matt Garrett - July 12 - 7:21 am

  This a great car for a student or a person on a tight budget. Great dependable car, great fuel mileage, great extras.

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  First new car - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By likethecookies - July 12 - 3:20 am

  This car has handled my NJ/NYC commute quite well! I am very impressed with this car, especially all the features you get for the money. Being that I am a recent college grad, this car fits what I need for my money without making me feel completely poor. I am also into outdoor activities like rock climbing and this is a perfect fit for some crash pads and a few friends.

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  REVOLUTION!! - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By Terrance McCarthy - July 12 - 2:00 am

  Surprisingly comfortable. Seats are more comfortable than the SUV I traded. Excellent towing capability for my camping trailer. Sharp exterior lines and the radio has features I never before had. Love the truck!

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  great hockey hauler - 2000 Chevrolet Suburban
  By marblehead - July 12 - 2:00 am

  love love the vehicle hate hillcrest chevrolet where i bought they were horrible

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  Chevys ruining a good thing - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Spaznoids - July 12 - 2:00 am

  Plastic vibrating sounds whenever you hit the smallest of potholes, a huge hump across the passenger side floorboard, sluggish pickup (my wifes 2003 sunfire out excelerates the blazer), and not to mention this hideous popping and grinding sound that comes from the front wheels when you turn the wheel all the way one direction or the other. Its a shame Chevy just throws things together anymore.