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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  Best New and used car Ive owned - 1992 Chevrolet Caprice
  By HGB - May 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought my first Caprice new in October of 1991. When I can across another one in 2000 with only 40k miles, I had to pick it up also. They are a very comfortable car with enough of an engine to move it along nicely. On long highway trips it also gets decent gas mileage (25MPG on one and 27MPG on the other). If they still made these I would buy a new one.

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  perfect transportation - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By john r anderson - May 29 - 2:00 am

  This was the second blazer for me and i cant be more pleased.It has the power to pull my boat yet i get high teens in town and hit 26 when kept at 65 mph on high way.I still find them very nice looking.I think the door hingesneed improvement.

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  Love this van - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By gone golfing - May 29 - 2:00 am

  Traded in a Chrysler on this van ,Chev is quieter,quicker and delivers 24to26 mpg at highway speeds.Little road and wind noise compared to Chrysler van. (trade in was a 2000 model)

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  Problems with rotors - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By WMM - May 29 - 2:00 am

  We love this car. Other then one MAJOR problem. We have to turn the rotors down about every three months. We replaced them once already at 30,000 miles. I have NEVER had this problem before with any other car. The dealer and corporate wont help. Why would this need to be done every 3-4 months? It is a hassle and the cost is high to do this. Other then that, the car is nice but we wouldnt buy it again because of this problem. Even more so since they (Chevy) wont help.

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  3/4 Ton - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Last try - May 29 - 2:00 am

  This is my 4th 3/4 ton suburban and like all of the rest, it is the best typr of car I have owned. The 1/2 ton has weak brakes and is underpowered for the size and weight and I wouldnt buy another (after 3 tries). One ride in a 3/4 ton was all it took. Ive never taken one oast 60,000 miles because of the cheap interest rates in the past few years, but I have never had repairs other than tune-ups. I have never replaced brakes on a 3/4 ton -- not even pads, while the 1/2 tons need pads every 12000 miles.

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  Just dont Know - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Eric - May 29 - 2:00 am

  Well I guess my roots run deep with GM. Got the truck used off a dealer lot with 90000 miles on it. While test driving the truck it performed and looked in excellent condition. The motor and tranny on this truck, as previous GM trucks Ive owned is stout and reliable. Now, As for every thing else well lets just leave it at that for now. Owned a 98 Gmc before this one and it was one of the best vehicles Ive owned, but in the recent years Ive heard and witness a lot of bad rap from GM and was skeptical of buying another. I guess it was the love for that bowtie.

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  Finally I can buy American - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By CarCool - May 29 - 2:00 am

  I was prepared to purchase the best car for my needs and if that car had a foreign name plate, so be it. I purchased the Chevy Cruze 1LT and love it. Great looking, a little bigger (inside and out) than most compacts, high safety factor which lowered my insurance substantially. Every time I drive it I am more impressed. GREAT CAR, GREAY Price and more than Great American Car it is a World Class Car.

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  Love it! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By dawg379 - May 28 - 6:20 pm

  After having the HHR for just over a year I still love it! It is fun to drive, comfortable and roomy. Like that with the rear and front seat folded I can haul an 8 2x4! Even tho its a small car I can adjust the seat up so I feel like I am sitting up higher. The MPG is very good, have gotten upwards to 35-40 on long trips.

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  Its not an EXT TrailBlazer - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By mark - May 28 - 5:40 am

  We have had 3 seated TrailBlazers, and loved them. Traverse was the next choice. As far as just driving it for my wife and I, we love it. However if you have kids and use the seating, not so much. The way the seats fold to get to the third row is not a smooth procedure. The seats ride on tracks that you have to kneel on to lift your child into the back seat. Very uncomfortable on your knees. Also toys, and small things get dropped into the tracks, effecting the operation of the seats. When you try to dig them out, you get grease on your fingers. If the rear window opened up (like the TrailBlazer does) loading would be easier. when you open the hatch, everything falls out.

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  I love my van! - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Caroline9971 - May 28 - 2:00 am

  This van has more than enough room for all. The seating is changable enough to handle my crazy shopping (food sometimes and lumber other times). Great to drive and looks good too. A class act for someone who doesnt want to be a mini-van mommy but has to be.