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 Car for $12K! - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jobeewan - September 30 - 2:00 am

  Bought this in August with about %K incentives, plus anoith 1,500 off using power buy, Painless buy and great value. At this price, I wonder why I didnt buy 2 or 3!

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  Quality Ride - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By HerZ71 - September 30 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Tahoe with the Z71 package for 3 months now and I love it. Leather seating is extremely comfortable and the ride is quiet even on the highway. Plenty of cargo room for transporting kids to college, grocery shopping, and even my new washing machine. Love the sporty Z71 exterior and pleasantly suprised at the turning radius.

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  Love it! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By BP - September 29 - 2:46 pm

  Have only had the car a week, but so far I am very pleased. This is my first American car in 30 years. In interest of full discclosure, I did begin the decison process wanting to "buy American" this time, as long as I did not have to make too many concessions to quality, drive experience etc. that I have come to expcet from European and Japanese cars. No compromise in this vehicle I can detect so far! Thanks for getting this vehicle right GM!

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  Dodge sucks - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Bill - September 29 - 9:16 am

  It was time for me to give up my poorly made dakota and ram and start driving a real truck.

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  Excellent transportation at Chevy price - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Chevy lover - September 29 - 7:20 am

  Purchased this car brand new 4/06. No repairs done on this car, only oil changes and routine maintenance. Most reliable car owned. Chevy has a real winner here. When I see foreign cars on the road broken down, I laugh at those "reliable" cars. Any car will break down if not cared for, i.e. keep up maintenance schedule, treat it right and it will take care of you.

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  My Malibu - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By watson2003 - September 29 - 2:00 am

  great car so far would by another one and think they should keep the design of it the same

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  Great Car - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Butchy - September 29 - 2:00 am

  This is a car with the consumer in mind that is fun to drive and a lasting car. For those who keep a vehicle and want great dependability over the long haul this is the car. With a great price and great dependability you cant beat the overall package. I dont want to burn the wheels off or hit the backroad for a race. If that is what you would like to do then you need to buy a sports car. This is a great car!

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  vette - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By ralphvb - September 29 - 2:00 am

  great car. interior needs some updates

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  Z71 A step up from everthing else - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By kgc - September 29 - 2:00 am

  The Z71 is definitely a vehicle you want in your garage if you plan on driving in any condition. During and after the Blizzard of 2003 I was the only vehicle on the road that was not in a ditch. The biggest problem that I have discovered with this vehicle is its ability to drain a tank of gas with no difficulty, as well as few minor issues with the interior quality of the vehicle. I would request that GM increase the level of the 2nd row comfort, sitting in the back is like ridding on a wooden bench. Over all I would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone who does not want to sit in there house when the weather turns bad.

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  Great Car... so far :-) - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Tim - September 28 - 8:26 am

  Bought a used 2004 back in July 05. No problems over the last 4 months and 4K miles. Great gas mileage for a large SUV. Averaged 13 mpg while towing the largest U-haul trailer, and 15-16 around town. The same mileage as the smaller 2003 Ford Explorer we had. My A/C comes on strong and cold fairly quickly and access to the back seat can be made easier by tilting the entire middle seat forward instead of just tilting the seatback.