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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  Excellent Family Sedan - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Malibu2001maroon - July 24 - 2:00 am

  Huge trunk, lots of options standard. Already have one of these in the family. Very reliable and comforable transportation. Excellent factory radio. Cant beat this for price vs value!!!!

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  Excellent truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Brian M - July 23 - 12:50 pm

  I have owned several Chevys over the years and I have yet to find a better truck out there. Design is good reliability is good and you cant beat the resale value on a 4WD Chevy truck. Overall its a versatile, comfortable, reliable, American made vehicle.

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  Still New - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By frank - July 23 - 3:53 am

  Have Equinox for several weeks, plenty of room for seating five. Pickup is good and handles excellent in the snow. Exterior looks got me in, pricing and room sold me. The mileage on the sticker needs to be recalculated, I am averaging 15 mpg. Dont lie about this data, comsumers will pick up on this

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  Great Looks & Performance- Unreliable - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Mr. Schaffer - July 23 - 2:00 am

  Great looks, excellent performance, adequate economy. Expensive repairs, faulty engine design, poor factory paint job, cheap flaking decals. Fast, powerful, and beautiful but totally unrelaible.

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  Great Car - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By SupaFly - July 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in 1999 (95 Coupe), its a great car (especially if you are 66" like me). It drives nice and gives you a roomy feeling. I am currently looking into getting a 1999 Z24 Cavalier right now because I love the slick design of the Z24s and the extra features they come with.

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  Sor Far SO GOOD!! - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By gr8wit - July 23 - 2:00 am

  Ive only had this truck for a month but so far I am very happy, Build quality is very good and it rides better than the Ranger I had. Also the interior is roomy for a regular cab and I get some lookers. It is a black stepside. Nice to have full gauges, leather steering wheel, alloy wheels, AC, a CD and more goodies for a GREAT PRICE! I really bought this cause I wanted it, not needed it and even wife wife likes it.(and she drives a BMW). It does have its short commings. Next time I will get the 6, the 4 just doesnt cut it, and the darn arm rest/storage box doesnt lock. When you put it up all the stuff falls out! But not bad for the price.

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  Chevy Astro - 1995 Chevrolet Astro
  By MikeL - July 23 - 2:00 am

  I have used this vehicle to pull a horse trailer and it has been very reliable. It now has 146000 miles and is still going strong. I have not had to do anything to this vehicle except routine repairs.

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  Blazers can be FUN - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By PATsFan - July 23 - 2:00 am

  After four years and 55,000 miles not a single problem and this SUV is still a head turner. Now, I babied it for sure garaged, oil changes, lube. But in return Ive had nothing but good times in this truck. Ill trade in soon (I like to change every 3 years or so) and I only hope my next vehicle is as reliable and fun as the Blazer.

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  Stay away! - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Boomie - July 23 - 2:00 am

  Being the recent (7 month) owner of a blazer, I feel that it was the biggest mistake I made. It has poor design, flimsy interior, and more noises and rattles that my 94 car that I traded in for it. I really dislike the car, and cant wait to get rid of it.

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  2002 4x4 blazer - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Tony DiMitro - July 23 - 2:00 am

  Its new(only 600 miles). My first impressions are favorable.Quality of paint,body inegrity(rattles),and interior are all quite favorable. Relatively easy to get in and out of (for a truck).Also like the compact size making it easy to park ,etc.Very comfortable ride,like that of a nice riding car,only firmer.