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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  Our Suburban - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Frank Inson - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Love it so far.

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  MY SUV - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Dave Anders - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Vehicle performance is outstanding. It has the ride of a luxury automobile and the versitility of an SUV. It has a very good load capacity and rides even better with a load. Seats are very comfortable for long trips.

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  Long haul - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By frank - August 11 - 7:50 pm

  I purchased the HHR in Florida and drove it back to New York. The wagon drove excellent. The seats were comfortable and gas mileage was excellent. Im very happy with the HHR

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  good car - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dman1963 - August 11 - 5:40 pm

  it`s my first new car since 85, i`m very happy with the car

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  Lil but mighty Chevy - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By HHR Automatic - August 11 - 10:03 am

  Only had it 3 days when left on a trip to the California Mts. Had 3 adults and our gear for 12 days. Never missed a beat on the freeways or at high altitudes above 10000 feet. Very comfortable and fun to drive. Average mileage 27.8 mpg. Held speed with cruise on with no effort. XM radio a real treat. Runs stronger with additional miles on it.

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  the car that keeps going - 1990 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Ocean2383 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I now curently have 247500 miles on my beretta. i have had to replace the fuel pump at 240000 and it has had an oil leak since 1996, but it hasnt gotten any worse. so i just keep adding fluids and it keeps going. the body is tough too. i go hit from behind at 30 miles per hour and all i got was a crack in my bumper and the other car was a honda accord and it was crumpled in the front.

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  love my Blazer - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By mfree - August 11 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is great in snow and has been very dependable. It has required minimal maintenance and has not rusted in with all these salty roads.

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  1997 tahoe - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Joel12345 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  The truck has tons of power without the extra length the suburban had. Seems to be bullet proof.

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  very reliable - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By md - August 11 - 2:00 am

  At 64,000 miles had first repair (wheel bearing). Still have original brake pads. Very comfortable highway cruiser (comfortable seats relatively quiet) and no problems with 4 wheel drive. Very nice that real seats fold completely flat and you dont even need to remove rear head rests. Minor squeeks, but I live in a city with a lot of pot holes.

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  Very Satisfied - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jbad - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Great Truck. Fun to Drive. Plenty of power with the 5.3 and MPG not bad for a big truck (14 local, 17 Hwy).