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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  Perfect car for a grad student - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By LotharBot - November 21 - 10:00 am

  I spent this summer visiting family all across the US, from Seattle to Chicago to Denver, so I needed a reliable car, but Im a grad student with very little money. Thats why I got a Chevy Aveo LS. I was often up around 40 mpg on the freeway, so travel costs were pretty low. This car has adequate power (even for crossing the continental divide), great responsiveness, and plenty of features to make the ride comfortable and enjoyable (especially the mp3 player). The interior is very roomy, though you wouldnt know it from looking. I put 5000 miles on it in 2 weeks and still wasnt sick of driving it.

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  Dougs Car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By alma school - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Great car, great gas mileage

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  Malibu Maxx - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By speedracer24 - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Leased it a month ago. What a great car. High quality, lots of features, very affordable.

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  My exuinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Marti2u - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Much better built than my rodeo!

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  very satisfied - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By jbdb134 - November 21 - 2:00 am

  The best little truck Ive ever owned. No major problems. Wish it had more hp for a 4 cyl. Lots of fun to drive.

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  read the specs - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By daniel.j.simon - November 21 - 2:00 am

  I owned a Dodge Dakota for 9 yrs and put over 140,000mile on it. I recently bort a chevy s-10 crew cab, and now wonder what I did with out 4doors. It has plenty of horse power. I take it on the outer beach about once a week, and it just goes. This 4.3 has been around a while and proved its self as a good engine. I looked at the Colorado before purchasing my s10. Infact I was even waiting for it to come out. But when I went home and did my homework. I hurried and ordered an s10. Some of the feature that the Colorado will not be getting, 4 wheel disc brakes, 250lbs of torq.

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  Safety Downfall - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By laje - November 21 - 2:00 am

  I was in a low speed (approx. 15-25mph) side impact accident and the car fliped and it was a total loss.

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  "road sweep" entering auto at door base - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Barbara - November 21 - 1:40 am

  Ive only driven my Equinox under 300 miles. I like the way the automobile handles and the comfort of the interior. I worry about future rust and corrosion of the vehicle (see suggested improvement section).

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  170 miles and broke down - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By dirtywork - November 21 - 1:00 am

  Love this truck, but left me dissapointed today after a gas leak in the middle of a major street. Had my family inside and got out quick when a pedestrian said the car was leaking gas! Turned into major ordeal, fire truck came and waited to see if the truck got on fire or something. Just installed 22" rims on it yesterday and now I wont see my truck until Tuesday and see what the heck happened to it. I love the truck so much that I wish I can get a new one or fix it and make it safer. Thank God that we are alive, it could of been worse. I could of ignited or some smoker flicking their cigarette out the window. Have your truck inspected before you drive home with it.

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  A real eye catcher! - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By imintune777 - November 20 - 10:30 pm

  The Supercharged SS Monte Carlo is a great car to drive. Acceleration and handling in rush hour traffic is a plus. This automobile will respond and handle well when other drivers have their heads where the sun dont shine. These cars do not even start smiling until they are doing about 75 miles per hour. Great gas mileage and plenty of zip. A real eye catcher also. This is our second Monte Carlo SS. We also have the 2002 model and have enjoyed both. The Supercharged SS is my baby, however!