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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  like a rock - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By bullyblazer - June 21 - 2:00 am

  This has been the best car I have ever owned right after I bought it couple of my friend liked it so much they went out looking for one and one did he bought a 2000 zr2 blazer and now my dad wants one two its just a great all around car I wouldn,t trade it for the world.

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  Love this car - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By heather stevens - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I always love to drive this car. It is cost effective and very reliable. It is a great car for first getting out of college.

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  Chevrolet Malibu 2004 - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By BarbaraTaylor - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! Although, I am disappointed with the gas efficiency and the recent recall, I have experienced no problems with my Malibu. I have received numerous compliments from strangers regarding the styling and have found that it is a fun car to drive. The little features in the car are wonderful. Would highly recommend this automobile to a prospective buyer!

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  Malibu for who? - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Big Blue Malibu - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Great Handling Great Riding AND fUN to Drive.Very thoughtful features like fold down rear seats-the latches are in the trunk.But beware of the electrical system 3 weeks after driving the car the power steering quit! Entire steering column had to be replaced-and the cd skips and the cruise control does not work properly-hopefully dealer will be able to fix the cd and cruise.

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  My experience with the 2004 Malibu LS - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kimberly Rieger - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I have had so many problems with this car that it is not funny. I have had it for 7 months and it has been into the dealer 5 times totaling 25 days since the end of Jan. 2004. It is experiencing problems again. The last time I had it in at the beginning of June it had a fuel injector go out, this is pretty bad considering it only had 10000 miles on it.

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  My Suburban - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Ktdrt - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I have to say that the Chevy Suburban is an all around good SUV. The Options package I have is the "Ducks Unlimited". Had a lot of small problems in the beginning like the locks kept popping out of place, and service engine soon light kept coming on. But overall, is a great SUV. Of course its a gas hog. But.......

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  feeling special - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By mike s. - June 20 - 8:03 pm

  feel like a king in it, cant believe its as big as it is when you drive it, anybody not satisfied with the comfort, should not to get out of bed. may buy another (have two, his & hers) in a few years.

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  What a piece of junk - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By nick barta - June 20 - 8:13 am

  This is by far the worst vehicle I have ever owned. The interior started rattling after 2500 miles. The chrome on the grill peeled after one winter in Montana. The new exhaust system is a joke. I had this truck in the dealership eight times in the first six months of which two required towing it there. The tranny fails to shift out of 5th gear after busting through heavy snow drifts. Off road traction is terrible this truck wont drive through 3 inches of snow without putting it in 4wd. Fuel economy is decent when its empty. It gets 14 to 18mpg at 75mph. A light 16ft interstate cargo trailer will bring that down to about 9mpg. My truck is for sale and you couldnt give me another one

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  25k so far - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By Tb917 - June 20 - 2:00 am

  The truck is great Looking and turns heads. The ZR2 is a great factory off road package. It has the power, and the 4.3 runs strong. In my experience i am very disappointed in the gas mileage, the EPA estimates arent close to what i get. I can match the EPA driving like a grandmother (not exaggerating) but if you give the gas more than a touch watchs your fuel needle. Definatley not for a heavy foot, although it does have the power and "get up and go" for passing and when you need it. The torque is great and more than the new Colorado. The tires in later 2003 models were changed to crappy general ameritracs rather than the previous BFG ATs. GM cuts corners

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  Truck - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By Darwinynigal - June 20 - 2:00 am

  Needs bigger tires