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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  THE BEST OF THE BEST - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By CHASEDIAMONTE@AOL.CO - April 27 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS A GREAT CAR I STUDIED IT FOR 0NE YEAR BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. WHAT I LIKED WAS THE SAFETY FEATURES ON IT. THE RIDE IS JUST AS SMOOTH AS THE LARGER AND HIGHER PRICED LUXURY SEDANS, WITHOUT THE BIG PRICE. ON THE ROAD ITS PERFORMANCE IS EXCELLENT, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TO SAY ABOUT THIS CAR, I WOULD RECCOMEND IT TO OTHER DRIVERS WHO WOULD LIKE THE COMFORT AND THE SAFETY. I GIVE THIS CAR A 10.

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  Comfort - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Winner - April 27 - 10:00 am

  When Sitting in Drivers Seat, It is fairly Hard and close to the door frame, which hits you in the shoulder. Otherwise Nice Car

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  One BadSS - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By thoneycutt - April 27 - 10:00 am

  This is the best looking & performing pick-up Chevy has ever built. It really turns heads. Enough said!

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  first new truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By sdrnavy - April 27 - 10:00 am

  good truck , always a chevrolet fan,engine is slow,a k and m air filter will help that.mirror fell off at 200 miles.can tell parts went to lowest bidders,but a very dependable truck.vibration in v 6 engine.bought 100,000 mile 0 deductable warranty with it.girls love looks of it.; )

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  Overall quallity - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Chad - April 27 - 6:53 am

  Fun to drive, and very reliable and works well for day to day activities, and excellent for taking out in the wilderness and using it

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  The BEST yet - 1993 Chevrolet Camaro
  By JJthebraveRACER - April 27 - 2:00 am

  The looks,the handling, the performance. THE 350 CUBIC INCH 5.7 LITRE LT1 CORVETTE ENGINE. The things you can do to the car and the fun you can have in the car. I BET YOU CANT FIND A BETTER CAR FOR THIS PRICE!!!

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  Well... - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By dreddy - April 27 - 2:00 am

  Lots of power. Reliability left something to be desired (b/c first year for this body style?). Stopping power was atrocious (main reason I got rid of this car). Smooth shifting automatic transmission. If towing heavy trailer (over 2000 lbs), recommend load balancing hitch (rear of car was uncomfortably low with 4600 lb load). Anti-lock brakes sound like a dying moose. Another reason for selling was I missed having a car (better handling, gas mileage).

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  Family Van - 2003 Chevrolet Astro
  By Bundo29 - April 27 - 2:00 am

  Its perfect for a larger family. We have three small kids in carseats, its the only van we could find that was able to fit all three perfectly, and its still affordable. We havent had any big problems with the van, just the normal wear and tear that all vehicles experience. This van has a lot of power, we drive up and down a steep grade daily, and it has no hesitation whatsoever. Definetly would buy another one in the future.

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  Perfect, not a single problem - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By thatdenverdog - April 27 - 2:00 am

  I have owned several brands of SUV,95 Montero (a mechanical nightmare), 00 4Runner Ltd-4WD,small inside,metal so thin the hood flapped, 01 Exped EdBauer 4WD (worst gas mileage you could imagine and really poor service from Ford in Nebraska and Florida).I wanted to tell you what I had previously so you have an idea what Im comparing the Tahoe to.I paid 34000 for an 01 LT 4WD Autoride.I was immediately impressed by the quality of the vehicle.GM has a better finish than the 4Runner.Handling is amazing.First off, it is one of the quickest out there, it posts a zero-60 in 7.6 seconds.The gas mileage is 19.At 75mph the engine is at only 2000 rpms.

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  Equinox review - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By equinox owner - April 26 - 1:53 pm

  Really fun to drive...it has excellent in and out space especially the rear bench seat. The fold down front passanger seat has been really useful for larger carry items. The manuverability is great. I was really suprised how light the steering is on this SUV. The radio controls take some time getting used to, but once you do, its a great sound system. And I cant say enough about Onstar! Dont know how I got by without it. Saves you lots of time. I went to a ball game and I couldnt remember if I locked my car (sound familiar?) All it took was a call to Onstar and avoided the long walk and waste of time. Ahh! the price of peace and mind. And its free for 1yr! Cant beat that.