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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  Great Truck - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By BDAD - June 28 - 2:00 am

  Great overall truck for the "budget" minded. Pulls my 18 foot boat like a dream. Would like to see a tail gate open light installed on future models. I droped my payload on the road not knowing my son opened up the tailgate.

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  Best Car I have owned - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By shadow822 - June 28 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car new and have been very pleased with it. Love the 2.4L engine. I am 59" and the drivers seat is fine for me. Gas mileage is about 21 mpg in town. I have looked at the new Chevrolets and the seats seem very hard and uncomfortable to me. The maintenance on this car has been very little. The main reason I would not buy another is the seating and they no longer offer the 2.4L engine.

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  Good family hauler - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By Jtwizard - June 28 - 2:00 am

  Bought this vehicle as a certified used car from GM dealership. Have taken it on several long trips with our three children. Good for everyone. Very comfortable.

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  New Malibu everythings better... - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By fanofgm - June 28 - 2:00 am

  Just traded in our 00 Malibu LS for a new Malibu LT, WOW! Silver Green with all the options. Sharp, quick comfortable car. Drove to families house (3 hours away) and dont have one complaint. Improved in every way from the old bodystyle. In my opinion better than the Camry and yes even the Accord, in my opinion. If your looking at a mid sized car make sure you look at the new Malibu.

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  I wish I had my 1998 Tahoe back!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By ihatechevy! - June 28 - 2:00 am

  Judging from everyone elses reviews, I got a lemon. The engine and exterior build are fine, but the interior is shoddy at best. Within 24 hours of leaving the dealership, trim pieces had begun to fall off! Now, 3 months later, I am still headed back from time to time to have the dealer replace trim clips. I have also resorted to using pieces of windshield wiper blades to wedge in the dash to stop squeasks and rattles. My 6 year-old Tahoe didnt have this much interior noise! I cant believe Im paying $500/month for this. For this price, I couldve had a nice, well built German car...

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  my z - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By COdek - June 28 - 2:00 am

  Great looking fun to drive lots of pep. It just needs some updates to the interior

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  2005 Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By equinox - June 27 - 3:06 pm

  I was looking for something affordable to tote my ever-growing kids around in. I went from a sports car to the Equinox. Im not thrilled with it, but it is practical and serves its purpose. Theres plenty of room, but not much in the way of bells and whistles.

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  2004 trailblazer ext LT - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By edandvil - June 27 - 10:00 am

  I love this vehicle. I have 5000 miles so far and the suv runs great. I have no complaints except the gas milage. I am averaging 13-14 miles city. yuk. My suv is fully loaded and I am enjoying all the options including the satelite radio and bose system. The suv is very roomy and the kids love the extra radio (their own) in the back. The power is great. I was kind of skeptical when i heard the suv has a 6 cylinder with 275 hp. When I drove it it never felt like a 6 cylinder. feels like a small block v8. vehicle never lacks power. Although I havent towed anything yet. So cant comment on that.

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  A great switch from an SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Pulsifer - June 27 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I decided it was time to trade in our SUV. After looking a little we spotted the MAXX. It was a great alternative to an SUV due to the large storage space in the rear and better MPG. We would highly recommend this car to any family. Only wish we would have gotten the optional DVD player for our child.

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  New Impala - not flashy, but refined - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Bluto202 - June 27 - 10:00 am

  A very good car overall. I shopped Camry, Accord, and Taurus before choosing the Impala. Reliability, value for the money, and dependability were key decision criteria.