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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  new truck - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By southfljohn - January 20 - 10:00 am

  the way it drives you dont feel like you are drving an suv,handles great had a linc navitgator before this,tahoe a much better suv!also had a ford exploer what a waste on money!

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  So far so good - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Swede572 - January 20 - 10:00 am

  Good Value. Purchased the dark silver metallic LS AWD. Love the look of the Equinox. It uses as much gas at my V6 Ford Explorer that I traded in for it. Thought gas mileage would be a little better but it is not bad. The car is very practical and pretty. Seat padding could be better but not bad. Has good leg room in back. Deep tint glass is nice to have. I am happy overall with the Equinox.

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  Straggler of the sport truck market. - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bdizzle - January 20 - 10:00 am

  In comparison with the other sport trucks out on the market today the performance is terrible, and when paying $38,570 and seeing a lightning thats roughly $5,000 less it kinda makes you think "why isnt my truck performing that good after all I paid more money?"

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  i like it - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By eurosport - January 20 - 2:00 am

  very reliable. i put 220000miles but still running great. very comfortable. long road trip is easier with this. handle very well on off-roads and snow. i lived in Colorado for 2 years with this truck. i was very suprised when i took it for off-roading... there was no limit for this suburban. i had to drive through snowy pass every weekend for snowboarding... very safe.

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  One of the Best GM Products I have owned - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By WCHA - January 20 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle new in 1997 and have been very happy with it overall. With over 160K miles on it now it has performed well. The V6 engine and four speed automatic transmission are perfectly matched. Typical highway milage of about 29 MPG - not bad for the 170 HP V6. In typical GM style, this vehicle is not without its problems. At 50K miles it needed a new torque converter and at about 80K a lot of new front end parts to tighten things back up. Replacement parts have lasted longer than the originals. All in all, this is still one of the best vehicles I have ever owned.

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  Camaro SS - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Symanski41 - January 20 - 2:00 am

  Pure performance at a reasonable cost.

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  Wife was happy with my new truck. - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By SANMAN - January 20 - 2:00 am

  First test drive my Wife did the driving and now I have a hard time getting her to be the passenger. Easy to drive. Took family on a 3600 mile trip five months after we bought the vechile with five children and we had room to spare.

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  The Best Vehicle I Have Ever Owned - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By TheHoodster - January 20 - 2:00 am

  After looking at everything from the Expedition to the Acura MDX, the Tahoe LT was the best value overall. The safety record (rollovers) was the best in the SUV class. There is plenty of space if you have the third row up or out all together. Beyond that, the ride is incredible, far better than anything else I drove. Plenty of power to get you on the freeway even if you are towing!! If you are considering an SUV, drive them all, and then decide what works best for you. I did and ended up buying the Tahoe, which wasnt even on my list at first. Overall, this is my favorite vehicle I have ever owned.

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  I hate this SUV! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Annoyed - January 20 - 12:46 am

  When we bought this car we loved it. Now we hate it and I am seriously just waiting for it to die on us. This car has been to the Shop 5 times for the same problems. And we get the same response every time, "cant duplicate the problem on site - cant fix it" My husband and I were starting to think we were insane. I dont know how many people we have told not to but an Equinox. Now were are turned off from Chevys and american made cars all together after this junk box.

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  Crusin in my Prizm - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By PrizmLover - January 19 - 2:00 am

  I love Prizms! Theyre a smart buy for those whose priorities are reliability and fuel economy. My first car was a 95 Prizm. It was beautiful and purple. It died tragically in a head- on collision, and Im still getting over the loss. My 98 does fill in well, though I have had to take it in a couple of times (under warranty) for an airbag light and a minor emmissions problem. Buy Prizms, they rock (though youll have to buy used because Chevy is trying to get their small car buyers to drive Caviliers (YUCK!))!