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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  Z06 Corvette - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By sacredrage - August 7 - 10:00 am

  There is absolutely no question, that this car is the best bang for the buck. The supercharged mustang cobra is a close second (remember the price difference), but its handling characteristics make it play second fiddle to the Z06.

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  excellent - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By atobin - August 7 - 10:00 am

  great truck, theres a reason you see so many. i do anything to keep this car

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  First SUV - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By KimberlyD - August 7 - 10:00 am

  For a first SUV, this is not too small, not too big. New 2005 came with 1 year of free Onstar & 3 months of free XM radio. Interior is leather, very well designed and spacious. It offers lots of places to put things, but is missing a place to lock/secure any items. Not ideal for women who usually leave purses or valuables locked in a trunk.

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  Chevy NOXville - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By PastorMatt - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I just bought my Equinox the other day...and I LOVE IT. All I can say is you need to hurry out and get one...dealers are already hiking up the tag because of the demand. NOX ROX!

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  EXCELLENT VEHICLE - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Vikings - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I had a difficult time getting the vehicle because I wanted an AWD LT with the Laser Blue and XM radio. I finally bought one at my local Chevy dealership with everything I wanted except the XM radio. Im hoping that I can get a factory XM installed in the future.

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  Surprising reliability - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By cajun626 - August 7 - 2:00 am

  The ONLY reason I even considered buying a GM product was b/c I had a $4K rebate on my GM card. Im shocked, but I havent paid a dime for a repair yet (just maint.). Bad stuff - the 3rd door sticks sometimes and shakes, rattles and rolls and the 2.2L is weak.

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  Lumina goes on and on and... - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Lumina Lover - August 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Lumina in 1992. It had 13,000 miles on it. It now has 230,000 miles, beleive it or not. It has been a wonderful little car. Even today, it runs like a top. It constantly amazes me at how dependable this car has been. I drive it every day. It still looks pretty good. My original plan was to drive it for a year or two, but it just keeps going and going and going. I am now in the market for another one, but will hold on to this little 1992. If any one happens to be looking at Luminas, I could never sing their praises enough. This is one car that has met all my expectations.

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  2001 CHEVY S10 BASE MODEL EXT. CAB 4 CYL - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By Geo - August 7 - 2:00 am

  RIDE IS SMOOTH AND QUIET. 2.2 VORTEC IS PRETTY GOOD @ 120 BHP. HANDLING IS SURPRISINGLY GOOD. TAKES CORNERS VERY WELL.

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  2001 CHEVY S10 BASE MODEL EXT. CAB 4 CYL - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By GEO - August 7 - 2:00 am

  RIDE IS SMOOTH AND QUIET. 2.2 VORTEC IS PRETTY GOOD @ 120 BHP. HANDLING IS SURPRISINGLY GOOD. TAKES CORNERS VERY WELL.

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  1995 Chevy Astro Overall Rating - 1995 Chevrolet Astro
  By karday - August 7 - 2:00 am

  We bought this with 46000 miles. Conversion by Choo Choo. Excellent dealer. Car is smooth and quiet and relatively dependable. Disappointed that the trans went at 140000 as GMs are supposed to be the best. (never had a trans go bad until we were required to change fluids) Great on tires and other maintenance.