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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  pretty good car - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jrc485 - October 28 - 2:00 am

  Other than the fact that I had to replace the motor in the window after the first month of owning it and a couple other minor things early on, Id say the Cavalier is a pretty good buy. Its been running great for a year and a half and doesnt look like a cheap car.

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  good rating for tahoe - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By shawn lane - October 28 - 2:00 am

  rides great after 3 years and 66k miles. have had 0 problems. smooth pickup and the same mileage as a 6 cy explorer and much quiter

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  Won me over - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By peter - October 28 - 12:10 am

  Should have bought a 4dr truck but the ride and handling was what won me over. Acceleration is awesome. Sheet metal fit is excellent but the paint has some dirt and craters. The Active Fuel Management system is a joke, 15 to 17 MPG on highway but will get 20 driving in the 45 MPH range.

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  I LOVE this truck - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Johnny Bradabadowski - October 27 - 6:46 am

  A couple of years ago I went shopping for a used truck. I wasnt really in the market for an Avalanche. While I was at a Chevrolet dealer in the Atlanta, GA area test driving a Silverado, the salesperson suggested that I test drive a one owner Avalanche Z66 without the cladding. Out of curiosity I took her for a spin and OMG!!, am I ever glad I did. When I got back to the dealer I bought it immediately. I never really thought I would like an Avalanche until I owned one. I love everything about this truck and the previous owner took excellent care of it. It still looks new. Almost everywhere I go I get compliments on it. Just last night when I arrived at a restaurant someone in the parking lot approached me to try to buy it. This truck has the best ride, drives better, and is more comfortable than anything Ive ever owned, including my wifes 2008 Tahoe. In my opinion the interior is MUCH nicer in the 2006 and down Chevy trucks. I hate the interior in the 2007 and up trucks. I will never step up to a newer model truck until they change that UGLY cheap looking hard plastic interior and low grade leather in the newer models no matter how good the exterior is. Anyway, I love the way the Avalanche drives, the power of the 5.3, the ride, convenience, comfort, roomy, locking side tool boxes that double as a cooler, locking tailgate and I mean you name it and I like it. Too bad they stopped building them! If you can find a good used 2006 and down, I would highly recommended it.

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  i love it - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By tony assante - October 27 - 5:40 am

  Plain and simple - I love this car. It is fun to drive and it looks good on the road. The base model comes standard with air, remote start and CD w/ ipod hook-up something the PT Cruiser I test drove did not. I only bring up the PT because that was the car I intended to buy. However, after test driving both cars, it was a simple choice – the HHR.

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  Onyx Black - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By R T CALHOUN - October 27 - 2:08 am

  This truck loves oil and oil consumption. Add Lucas to every oil change and over oil consumption stops. No major Problems . My only complaints are -The cheap plastic dash board-Poor Quality in Control buttons-Electronic Throttle body Control-Transmission changes gears a little rough under hard acceleration- and when i come to slightly hard stops thing clunk and pop around the body of the truck, not sure what it is- AND #1 is the GM Paint does not hold up well at ALL (even when you wax and wash regularly By hand not automatic car washes). Gas mileage is good for what it is a ( AMERICAN FULL SIZE) SUV with a decent and reliable 5.3L V8. Use with a light foot and i can average 19.2 MPG Combined on Premium Fuel. Purchased Vehicle used and Honda of Rock hill SC for 23K ( HAD 79,389 ) MILES ON ODOMETER .

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  very impressed - 1991 Chevrolet Corsica
  By used car driver - October 27 - 2:00 am

  my corsica just hit 204,000 miles, I have beet this car hard over ther years but kept the fluids changed and filters were replaced 2 or 3 times. this car still runs like new but as others have said the paint has peeled off hood and roof, But no rust. if I could get my hands on another one with 150,000 or less I would jump at the chance

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  My Baby - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Stricklin52 - October 27 - 2:00 am

  I love my baby! It has been the best vehicle that Ive ever owned. I hate to part with it, but I managed to have to bad deer collisions within one week, and they are totalling my baby! Get one if you can.

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  Chevys It! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Rad Tad - October 27 - 2:00 am

  The engine is sluggish, the imterior parts are cheap and break easily. It doesnt have much horsepower. It has more along the lines of grasshopper power. I wish I could trade it, but because it doesnt hold its value well I would be terribly upside down!

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  Awsome Corvette - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By MrDragon4 - October 27 - 2:00 am

  Perfect Car! This is the best car I have ever owned and I have owned a lot of cars!