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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  2003 Crew Cab - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By wiznbyu - November 27 - 2:00 am

  So far this has been a good truck. I dont tow anything, but needed a 4X4 for hunting and winter. The four door is great for kids and I still have a small box for hauling whatever I need to move.

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  my 2nd venture - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By ohhutch - November 27 - 2:00 am

  very roomy and fun to drive

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  classy looking suv - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By salvato - November 26 - 3:46 pm

  i do not find any of faults listed by consumer reports in this vehicle,such as poor fit items and poor quality plastics. (big deal). cup holders are only disappointment so far., we are enjoying it so far except the gas mileage is a little suspect right now.

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  I Love It - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Justin - November 26 - 1:40 pm

  I was hesitant to get the new HHR, seeing I was coming from a Mustang convertible. The 4 cylinder worried me. The HHR has great pick up and is really peppy, very cool and fun to drive, has XM radio, sunroof, and great sounding pioneer system stock. I love this car, and 360 miles to a tank of gas, cant go wrong. I highly recommend the Chevy HHR

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  Its an economy car, but there are better options - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Joe J - November 26 - 5:13 am

  The biggest thing to know about this car is that it is a cheap, barebones machine. It is a basic, boring, machine that gets you from point A to point B. The interior is beyond basic. Everything is plastic, and going down the road you can hear the pieces smacking against each other. The instrument cluster shows speed, tachometer, and gas. That is all. Its almost impossible to know if there is anything wrong with this car. The engine (2.2L) seems to be reliable so far, but is too underpowered. It is almost impossible to force this car to downshift. Once its in third gear, even if I press the pedal all the way to the floor, this car refuses to downshift. This has left me in some scary situations at times when I really need the car to accelerate and it refuses to. This car will also rust like crazy. The hood is falling apart, and occasionally pieces of rust will fall from the hood and smack into the windshield. I would have expected a car to last a little longer than this. I applied some rust preventers where I could, so time will tell how much longer shell last. My biggest problem with this car is how small of an opening the trunk is. Even putting a backpack is a hassle. You just cant fit anything. The other large issue is the doors. They are weirdly large, and parking in a normal parking spot makes it almost impossible to get out of the vehicle because of just how big the car is. I only bought this car because it was cheap, and it supposedly got great gas mileage. After owning it for a while, I really wish I would have gone with something else. I plan on trading it in for a Mazda 3 after this Michigan winter is over. Overall, Id AVOID this vehicle unless you can deal with something so barebones.

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  One of the Best Cars Ever Built - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By camaro ss - November 26 - 2:00 am

  I have always liked the design and styling of the camaro and decided to purchase one. I never had any problems with it and it is a very fun vechicle to drive. The car performs outstanding and is very comfortable.

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  nice car for the price - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By tammyg - November 26 - 2:00 am

  i like my cavalier. i have had it for almost 5 months and it has been a very good and dependable car. it handles well and the pick up on it is really good for a 4 cylinder. i think the gas mileage is pretty good on it as i do lots of traveling. but i do a lot of interstate traveling and seem to be having to fill up just as often as i would doing in town driving. the car is very uncomfortable to be in for traveling though.

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  Awesome - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Steveo17 - November 26 - 2:00 am

  yo i love this car!!!!!!!!!!! it is a must get for all definetly worth the money!!!!!!

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By virtual geezer - November 26 - 2:00 am

  My wife chose this truck at the time I would not have chosen such a large vehicle. However, after over two years of trouble-free performance, Im a believer. Our Minnesota winters are harsh the snow, sand and salt are tough on everything. But after two winters, our 2002 Tahoe still looks and performs as new. These are handsome, comfortable and durable vehicles.

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  Great for the REAL world! - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By KensZ71 - November 26 - 2:00 am

  5 months & 4500 miles & I love my Z71. Wow,the visceral feel of nailing the throttle on those 285 ponies. Yowie! Everything is still tight and rattle free. It fits my 62" frame better than any other vehicle Ive been in. it handles great and the tranny shifts are seemles. Gas mileage is good. 15mpg around town (come on people its 285hp pushing around 2 and a half tons, be realistic). It feels, dare I say almost sporty around town and down right plush on the highway. The Bose stereo kicks butt as does the Autotrac system. The incentives were great and the resale should be above average as well.