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:

• 

  lovemytahoe - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By lovemytahoe - July 11 - 12:54 pm

  This vehicle was purchased as a work vehicle as I am self employed. After four years I replaced it and kept it as a personal vehicle. It has never let me down. The original brakes lasted 70k miles. With the exception of a cheap speedometer repair at 75k miles it has never cost me anything but maintenance. It runs strong and has sports car handling. It averages 16 miles per gallon and gets 21 on the open road. It has the best a/c Ive ever had in a car and still looks like new, inside and out. I expect 200k miles out of it as I know two guys who went well over that with their 03s and were forced by their companies to replace them.

• 

  Excelent - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bart Thompson - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I like not having to ask someone to let me merge in!

• 

  Love our Tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Redhead 749 - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I love my new Tahoe. It is fun to drive and has plenty of power to pull our Sea Doos back and forth from the Colorado River. It is comfortable and easy to drive. My one criticism is that for the price the inside could be a bit nicer. We previously had owned 2 Chevrolet Astros. They worked for what we needed them for at the time and we enjoyed owning them but we are enjoying the Tahoe even more.

• 

  great suv - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By pino_i - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I love it. Its great on milage and easy to drive. Very sapcious and comfortable.

• 

  Great vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By aggie88 - July 11 - 2:00 am

  Ive had it 3 months now and I love the vehicle. Fuel economy is about the same as what I had with my Grand Cherokee so no surprises there; however, this vehicle has much more power. I havent owned a Chevrolet since 1981; Im glad I switched back. All vehicles should have a system similar to ONSTAR. It is such a great safety/convenience feature.

• 

  First Chevy Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By cjettaf1 - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I tried all of the full size trucks and found Chevy to be the best value for the money. The new F-150 was very uncomfortable especially for the long drives I take. Dodge trucks were overpriced and came with very few features.

• 

  I love my cavalier - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Nicole - July 11 - 12:11 am

  This is my very first car. Ive had it for almost 2 yrs now and have over 110K on it and its still running strong. AC works amazing and so does the heat. It gets regular oil changes and tune ups and has amazing gas mileage. Ive done alot of driving in it, miles at a time sometimes and it doesnt ever have a problem. Ive gotten into one accident with it and it was just exterior damage, and the car looks and feels like it never happened. Nothing major has had to be fixed on it yet. Runs very well in the snow.. Very reliable car!!

• 

  my new monte carlo - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By tim southern - July 10 - 10:46 pm

  The new Chevrolet Monte Carlo that I recently purchased is both sporty and practical. I use it to grocery shop and take long drives to visit friends just for examples. It gets good gas mileage and has plenty of pickup off of starts. I am extremely happy with my purchase so far.

• 

  Extremely Happy With This Malibu - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By DC BMW Enthusiast - July 10 - 8:42 pm

  Im a long-time BMW driver who bought a Malibu as a second vehicle and I actually love driving this car. Im very happy with the quality, performance, comfort, and features. For the price of a base model 4-cyl 176 hp Accord, this Malibu (after multiple rebates and incentives) has V-6, satellite, 18" wheels, OnStar, bluetooth, and an excellent stereo. An enthusiastic endorsement from a BMW driver (Im driving my 12th BMW) should count for something. GM has proven that they can make excellent cars, now they just have to figure out how to make money on those cars.

• 

  2005 Cavalier - Excellent Value! - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Tim C - July 10 - 2:06 pm

  Its my third Cavalier. Great value for the $...especially after 4.5k rebate. Never let me down...just gas & regular maint., brake job every 50k, tires at 80k, first tuneup at 100k. 4 cylinder engine has plenty of pickup. Averaging 28 mpg for combination city-highway driving, and have gotten 34+ mpg highway...while avg 70 mph. Excellent traction in snow and wet roads. Handling is firm and predictable, but is a bit soft on tight turns at speed. Interior is comfortable + has LARGE amount of hauling space with the fold- down split rear seat.