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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  Good Traveling Car - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Henry757 - February 9 - 11:21 am

  This car is pretty nice. I have the SS super charged. Its a lot better on gas mileage than I expected. It didnt even take a half a tank of gas to get from where I live to my familys house, like it normally does on the Toyota Camry I had before I traded it for this car. It seems I got a good deal trading in that old Toyota Camry for this Chevy!

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  Tons of fun! - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Mike S - February 8 - 9:47 pm

  Ok, go out there and try to find something like this for the money, good luck! This is a very fast truck, accelerates, sounds, handles and drives like a sports car. I bought it used, 13k miles, one owner, fully loaded, paid 24k, could not be happier. Drive as a company car, need all the room to put all my stuff, puts a big smile in my face every time I press the gas pedal. OK gas mileage stinks, what can you expect? 6.0 liters, 395HP/405Lb torque (you will feel them) you need a lot of gas to put out those numbers, I get 13MPG average, which is comparable to a lot of V8 trucks out there. If it snows where you are get AWD and get grippier tires than the OEM Goodyears

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  Awesome beginner drivers car - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By mattfischel - February 8 - 5:50 pm

  This is a good great car for beginning drivers. A little tough to parallel park. Its a great car in the snow, also fun to drive in the snow on a with no traffic.

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  No Problems At All. Knock On Wood. - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Scaldy Dog - February 8 - 10:27 am

  My ZR2 has been great. Besides changing the oil, putting gas in it, and washing it, Ive never spent a dime in repairs. It is reliable to cut through the worst of Minnesota winters that Ive traveled through in the last 4 years. Its now Feb 2009 and I only have 1 payment left and Im going to keep this truck for years to come. There is nothing like it now on the market in comparison. I havent even put new brakes on, (I drive mostly highway miles). So wish me luck as Ive had good fortune with this truck. Hey Chevy! Start building them, or something close to ZR2s soon!

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  Equinox LTZ Experience - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Bill - February 7 - 9:30 pm

  This vehicle is fun to drive and is quite comfortable. Has decent power and handling. Love the colour (Granite Gray Metallic), yet the interior tends to be somewhat spartan (typical chevy, although I see the 2010 model improves dramatically upon that). Turning radius is too large, and the usual issue with the cup holders is a hindrance and they are also somewhat flimsy. Back seat a model of versatility, as it moves 8" fore and aft to accommodate either passengers or cargo. I do like the height of the rear liftgate, although shorter persons may find it tough to reach. Overall a fine vehicle - and the AWD feature works well in Chicago area winters. Upgraded Pioneer stereo is rad!

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  Not too bad.. - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By JasonWiggins - February 7 - 6:40 pm

  Nice vehicle, very large, the folding seats arent as difficult as these other geniuses makeem out to be, lots of room for hauling...everything, wish the 3rd row seat would fold flat. seatbelts require extra effort to put on (installed in seat). Excellent for a family vehicle. Ran very well up to two major accidents (bent frame rail and rolled on side...thanks honey :) However, safety wise, she and the kids were well protected, nothing but bumps and bruises. Related to the accidents or not, the tach went on the fritz as well as the speedo, rear heater core went bad <-- kinda early for 50k. Gas mileage isnt as bad as previous posts claim, large SUV w/4.2L 6 cylinder 250+horsepower

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  A blast to drive - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By leslie - February 7 - 2:06 am

  After owning a Suburban, my expectations of finding a smaller SUV with comparable leg and head room was doubtful. I was wrong. My Equinox feels just a spacious as a larger SUV.

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  Poor mileage - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By MICKEY32 - February 6 - 4:45 pm

  Experience rather noisy. Car has a whine at 35 mph that dealer says is normal. My wife will not drive it as she cannot find a comfortable seat adjustment position for her short legs. (She has no problems with our Ford product). The fuel mileage is terrible. I sold my pickup to get better mileage but it did not happen.

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  Not in snow - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By zee - February 5 - 10:27 am

  Traded our 170,000 mile Subaru in for an American Car, thinking that we could help the economy. We should of kept the Subaru. The Chevy HHR is the worst car that I ever driven in the snow. There are some things that I wouldnt be afraid to say that I like about this vehicle, but if you have to drive in the snow they are not worth mentioning. By the way, I am not comparing the HHR to the Subaru as far as winter drivability because there is no comparison. I was thinking of the 68 Mustang Coupe that I had once own.

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  Pretty good Blazer - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By fireman25 - February 4 - 7:48 pm

  Bought this after I had a not at fault accident at a dealer down the road. Had no major problems yet...knock on wood. Replaced thermostat twice, did a flush cooling system. A little funky but can be fixed by putting in a new radiator or just JB Weld. Recommend to all who need a car for son or daughter to get to and from. Great body condition for age and mileage about 163,000. Runs great, just cooling system work