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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  My car - 1994 Chevrolet Corvette
  By aslddkjfgh - May 12 - 2:00 am

  It Was a great car

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  Car Just Sucks! - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Spent - May 12 - 2:00 am

  This car I bought new and whatta mistake. Repairs, Uncomfortable, you name it. Whatta junker. Buy a Honda or Toyota and dont feel guilty. USA car makers should be embarrased for GM.

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  Want something squeky?? - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Thor7775 - May 12 - 2:00 am

  I have had my truck for 6 months and had no mechanical problems but hate the interior. It squeks soooo bad inside and havent gotten a chance to fix it.

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  So far so good - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By pdm777 - May 11 - 2:06 pm

  I love my equinox. I was looking at a 2009, but hated that they got the same gas mileage as the Traverse...so I started looking at a Traverse. It was too rich for my blood. Then the 2010 NOX ad looked nice with a much improved MPG...took my wife on a whim just to look at one...both loved the improvements and lower price and left with a new Chevy.

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  joe - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Robert Tango - May 11 - 2:00 am

  The trim has some cheapness to it. The car was expensive in light of its subsequent, rapid depreciation. There was only one manufacturing defect.

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  Reliability Plus! - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By maxpar98 - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I have now owned this car for 120,000 miles and only replaced a $70.00 transmission sensor other than routine maintenance items. Car now has 152,000 miles and has no problems. Amazingly these cars are cheap to buy.

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  Great Go-Anywhere Truck - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By kirkivich - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I am convinced that this is the all time best SUV\Truck ever built. I was 17 and i beat the hell out of it for about a year and a half before i grew up, the truck never even blinked an eye. It has monster HP and Torque, i did a few modifications and the HP is around 330 now and the torqu about 400 ft\lbs, destroys a lot of sports cars. Being a very wide truck it handels like a dream, never been a problem, the back wheels will spin before the truck flips over. It has got me through everything, ski trips in nor easters, 4 foot blizzards, beach driving, some heavy off-roading im sure GM wouldnt like even a flood with water over the hood!!!

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  Great Go-Anywhere Truck - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By GM Lover - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I am convinced that this is the all time best SUV\Truck ever built. I was 17 and i beat the hell out of it for about a year and a half before i grew up, the truck never even blinked an eye. It has monster HP and Torque, i did a few modifications and the HP is around 330 now and the torqu about 400 ft\lbs, destroys a lot of sports cars. Being a very wide truck it handels like a dream, never been a problem, the back wheels will spin before the truck flips over. It has got me through everything, ski trips in nor easters, 4 foot blizzards, beach driving, some heavy off-roading im sure GM wouldnt like even a flood with water over the hood!!!

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  Excellent Vehicle - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By dudeboybub - May 10 - 2:00 am

  Great Vehicle. Ours has over 70000 miles on it and still runs like new

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  A Lot of Van for the Money - 2003 Chevrolet Astro
  By LVFosterDad - May 10 - 2:00 am

  This van has more passenger, cargo, and towing capacity than any other minivan on the market. The truck frame and suspension make it much sturdier than the the car-based minivans of today yet the ride quality and handling reflect the beefier suspension. The interior quality of the LS looks and feels cheap but I like the rubber floor mats that it came with. Compared to the 2002 Pontiac Montana that I owned previously, this van is much more capable of of hauling 8 adult passengers and their luggage. If youre looking for a van that can truly carry eight people and still cruise effortlessly down the freeway this is the van for you.