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 suv/great price compared to others - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By tl - October 28 - 2:00 am

  very pleased with car compared to previous Blazer s-10, got rid of it in 2.5 years. problem with keyless locks was repaired quickly by dealer replacing rear hatch lock control module. no other problems experienced. love this car. usually keep cars 10+ years and see no reason this should not be a keeper.

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  OLD FAITHFUL - 1995 Chevrolet Suburban
  By alfonso ortiz - October 27 - 9:55 pm

  Suburbans are great, if i could afford another one i would jump on it. I have driven my truck from Texas to Cali several times. i have done a paper route to over the road driving, to hauling couches on top, and sheetrock inside, all with no major problems. Chevy makes a cheap intake manifold gasket. i finally had to replace. and now my shift solenoid is out. in 2009 great 5.7L power. cowboy conversion package was worth it.

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  A Damned Good Truck.. - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
  By Paul Sanzone - October 27 - 8:23 pm

  This truck is everything you dreamed of in a large 8 SUV. The truck rides smooth and is SUPER QUIET! The cabin is roomy, and seating is comfortable. The Hybrid model is loaded to the gills! From the finely appointed leather seats, its complete with all the power options, navigation, and DVD player. With the Hybrid technology, you are truly saving money on gas! My last SUV was a Nissan Pathfinder SE (V6). The Tahoe uses half the amount of gas that the Pathfinder used. This Hybrid Tahoe gives you (on average) 20 miles per gallon. The warranty from GM is excellent. Overall the handling is good. You must test drive it..YOU WILL BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. I love my Tahoe!

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  Love it! - 2009 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Dcarver292 - October 27 - 3:45 pm

  I love my new Suburban. I used the Costco buying program and paid $400 under invoice! The truck is perfect, it rides like a dream and and the kids love the DVD player. It is very easy to drive and with the rear camera it is a dream to park.

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  Excellent Value - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By WALLY - October 27 - 12:53 pm

  The LS model is equipped with all neccesary equipment. Only items added were front carpets and a dealer installed pinstipe. The 3.5L engine is peppy,smooth and very economical. My wife loves the electic adjustable pedals as well as the fully adjustable steering wheel. Standard seat controls do a good job. This is one of the best GM cars that we have owned. It meets all of our needs and expectations.

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  Purchased april 4 2010, intial review - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By JeffD - October 27 - 3:50 am

  I bought a Silverado LT ext cab, 5.3 L v8, 6 sp auto. interior plus, ext plus, Texas edition package. Interior color is a ivory off white kinda of color. With the dash being black it gives it a two tone effect that I like. The 5.3l engine with the tow package allows me to tow any thing i would want. Once I am on the highway and cruising the engine mgt takes over and it gets any where from 24-30 mpg. There is no engine lurch or noise when this happens, Only way you know is via the info display. Even at hwy speeds the interior is fairly quite. I look forward to my first long trip. Chevy has a great truck here. With 5k in down payment assitance, GM financing beat my Cu rate.

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  SofarSogood - 2009 Chevrolet Suburban
  By AnthonyinCastleRock, - October 26 - 9:00 pm

  Traded in my 2006 Expedition. Loved the Expedi, but wanted more room and hated the look of the Expedi EL. Drove the Suburban for 800 miles around town and then took it 4,600 miles back east with the whole crew. Excellent truck. Great ride and the best looking SUV out there. The mileage was unreal, averaged 18.5mpg for the trip. Mostly highway, but 4x4 on the beaches of the Outer Banks for 7 days. The six speed tranny is good, but it does shift abruptly and awkwardly once in a while. The seats are super comfortable, but I went with cloth because I am sick of the leather looking like crap after a year. This is the worst Chevy cloth ever, everything pills up on it so get seat covers.

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  Great car, horrible turning radius - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By MDxx - October 26 - 7:00 pm

  I bought this car last year - Feb 2006 - and have had no problems with it. The car has been reliable and consistent. You can work a great deal on this car and definitely get your moneys worth. The only downside to this vehicle is its horrible turning radius. I never thought about a cars turning radius before buying it before, but I believe a Mac truck could u-turn easier than this vehicle.

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  Everything I Was Looking For - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By PB - October 26 - 12:36 am

  This is the best vehicle in the segment. If you are looking for a small/midsize SUV you must put this on your shopping list. Plenty of standard features make it a great value.

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  terrific vehicle so far - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mike - October 26 - 12:20 am

  Ive just had the car one week. With both city and highway driving I averaged over 28 MPG. The seats are very comfortable and all the features are easy to reach. The base model has a lot of fun features providing instant MPG and average MPG, the SERIUS radio, 2 dispays etc. The 4 cylinder with the 6 speed transmission runs like a 6 cylinder. Motor noise is negligible for a car this size with a 4 cylinder.