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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  No grunt! - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By WingPi1 - January 31 - 10:00 am

  The 4.3 V6 is a total disaster when it comes to engines. No power and poor fuel milage. Hey, I could have gotten a V8! Other than that, its a nice truck. My wifes Corvette gets to 60MPH in about 4 seconds and tops out at 176 MPH. ON trips, weve gotten as high as 33.5 MPG. Around town, she gets22-27.

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  Cargo Compartment Door Latch - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Nwankama Nwankama - January 31 - 2:03 am

  I was an unlikely convert to Chevy. Having been a Toyota and Honda owner in the past, I have come to appreciate reliability. However, I test drove the Avalanche and fell in love with it, and bought one. But I have a concern: is it a faulty build or design? On two occassions while driving my Avi, the cargo bed door has open by itself. On one accasion, I actually had it locked with the key. Has any othe rperson experienced this, or is something wrong with Avalanche?

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  Very Poorly Built Vehicle - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By LPapet - January 31 - 2:00 am

  Vehicle quality leaves much to be desired... so much so that I would caution any potential Chevy/GM/Suburban buyers against purchasing. Vehicle has only 50K miles and already has left my wife stranded on 3 separate occasions (were on 3rd alternator and have had to replace various electronic components (all at considerable cost). Bottom line, Chevy advertises its trucks as built like a rock... well, if they were building rocks theyd be O.K... unfortunately, automobiles are complicated machines that should be provided a higher level of engineering and quality that Chevy has provided to its products.

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  dont waste your time! - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By cmont496 - January 31 - 2:00 am

  i brought the car with 17,900 miles,,,,at 19000 miles the engine coolant came on, and loud metallic noise started while making turns, the dealer replaced the engine coolant sensor, and found no cause for the noise. at 20420 the engine coolant light came on, thank god i check when these lights come on, the coolant leaked in with the engine oil. it is now 15 days and counting, and the car is still at the dealer with the heads out, and still no clue as to why this happened, i truely will not waste my time with another domestic car, no wonder there are so many people buying toyotas!

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  Why did I wait? - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Tahoedude - January 31 - 2:00 am

  Everything about this truck is great! We have taken the Tahoe on some major road trips and the rig is just awesome. Lots of room to move around and features to keep you comfortable make it the vehicle of choice. Having seating for 8 makes it quite versitlile. The 4wd work great in snowy conditions.

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  We like it so much we bought two! - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Coastrider - January 31 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I bought identical LSs. We prefer big, confortable cars,and the LS delivers. The car features good power, economy, and handling. Very large trunk, roomy and comfortable driving position. Surpasses my two previous Crown Vics. Handles better and delivers much better fuel economy.

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  Love this SUV - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Frank Clark - January 30 - 8:20 pm

  Had to order the vehicle to get the options and color we wanted but well worth the wait. Took our first road trip within two days of delivery - Jacksonville,FL to Chattanooga, TN yielded 26.6 MPG in regular mode. Return trip in ECO got us 28.5 mpg. Mostly Interstate highway at 70-75 MPH. No problem with acceleration or power in ECO mode on the interstate. Not bad out of the gate. This vehicle is a winner. Glad GM got it right. Comfortable ride, pleasure to drive. Not as quite of a ride as we remember from our test drive, but all in all a great SUV.

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  TorchRed - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Moondogs - January 30 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my torch red, six speed for a month now and absolutely love it. I sold a 300 ZX after four years and what a difference. A 1000 mile round trip one weekend was so much fun and fast. 33,000 miles - a little wear on the drivers seat, everything works and looks like new. Dunlop 9000 tires are great - hope I dont get a flat! I drive it daily to work and drive my Wrangler for short around town trips - great combo.

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  There are better cars out there - 1997 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Nate B - January 30 - 2:00 am

  well this car is pretty suprising in the power department w/ 200 hp/tq. Terrible handling car in every situation but the sun. very light backend so its easy to slip on just about everything. i got car w/ 20000 miles on it and had lots of problems and replacement parts. decent gas mileage. actually can carry alot of cargo (very suprising). dont try to take road trip in this car. very uncomfortable for long periods of time. backseats are pretty much useless and uncomfortable. read on

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  Impala #1 - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Impala Man - January 30 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Impala LTZ for two weeks now and can say that it is one of the better cars I have driven in a long time. The car rides and drives great and the 3.9L engine has plenty of power to get the big sedan up and moving. As far as the Bose radio system is concerned I have not had a problem with background "hiss" but have heard that some cars have had this problem so I will count myself among the lucky. All in all this is a great sedan for the money. If you don’t care for the styling and all you have seen it in is pictures you have to see it in person to do it justice. You also have to remember that this car isn’t meant to be edgy its a vehicle that they want to appeal to the masses.