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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  Pleasantly surprised - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Rotifer - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I had a need to tow the big boat, haul the family and two dogs between the main house and the lake house, and the old truck was dying. As a lifelong Honda and Toyota guy, I cant believe that I bought a Suburban instead of a Pilot or Sequoia. I have had it three months and have been pleasantly surprised with the build quality. Gas mileage has been 18-19 MPG and is better than I expected.... The family took it on a 20 hour, 1000 mile round trip on a three day weekend, and it was great. Overall, the Suburban has been a very comfortable hauler.

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  Like my Nox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jneestar - August 7 - 8:40 pm

  I have had my Nox for 7 months, and have had no problems at all. I am not overly excited about my gas mileage. I live in Pittsburgh with hills everywhere, and average about 17 mpg in city driving. As for the window controls on the center console that everyone complains about, my bosss Mercedes has its controls on the console also, and it costs about 3 times as much as my Nox. My only complaint is the turning radius seems to be way too big for the size of the vehicle. Besides this, I have not one bad thing to say about my Nox. I love it.

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  34k miles Runs Perfect Great Mileage and Big - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
  By tassopappas1 - August 7 - 7:13 pm

  We buy a newer used automobile every 12 months or so. We love cars. We have owned several Tahoe since 2007 and suburbans, Land Rover LR3, 2009 Subaru Outback and now this for my wife. It has been a dream. It gets better gas mileage than my new used 2010 Volvo small xc60. Hold seven, the second row bench is a big plus. Plenty of power. Not one problem yet and we are at 34k miles. Good in snow. The Onstar is really nice and the navigation system with XM is one of the best. But the gas mileage for this much vehicle beats all the above mentioned even smaller vehicles including the Subaru (AWD Tahoe in 2WD mode).

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  New Vehicle - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By T Coats - August 7 - 2:30 am

  Just purchased 2 weeks ago and I love this car! The 1949 Retro look and the chopped roof set off this little beauty. Good pep for a 172 HP 4 Cylinder. Over all looks inside and out satified the want for a antique car. I have a 1962 Impala I am considering selling because I have my antique car in the HHR.

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  more gm garbage - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By machturtle - August 7 - 2:00 am

  major components breaking down and requiring repair constantly, expensive to work on and expensive parts, never buy without an extended warranty, a good mechanic and more patience than i have i am buying toyota or honda next

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  One of my best used cars!! - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Grewal - August 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in 2003 with 124000 miles on it. With its big and powerful engine, I have driven it more than 10,000 miles in less than 3 months...runs excellent..no problems at all.

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  Venture is the best - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By RJ - August 7 - 2:00 am

  We were so impressed with our first Venture we bought another one and kept the first. Have had no trouble with either vehicle. The first is a 1998.

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  Just go buy one - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Mike Malinowski - August 7 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle. Go buy one.

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  chevy suburban - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By kelsey marshall - August 6 - 10:00 am

  i think the suburban is great. it is the most comfy car i have ever sat in.

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  Suburban - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By excal - August 6 - 10:00 am

  We bought our first Tahoe in 1996 and have upgraded twice to better Suburbans. One in 1997 and just recently. The brakes have been a problem in the past but now seem to have that fixed in the newer Suburban. That was the only thing I didnt like about drivng the Suburban and Tahoe were the unreliable brakes.