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:

• 

  New Impala is HOT - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ken - July 4 - 11:50 am

  This 2006 SS Impala is just what I was looking for. It has plenty of power and gets reasonable gas mileage with the DOD system about 18 MPG in city driving. The head room is perfect for the tall person and leg room is great. The trunk is big enough for four sets of golf clubs. If you want power and a full size car this one is mucher hotter then the Cadilac STS for a lot less money.

• 

  Not buying another Chevy - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By WontBuy2ndMalibu - July 4 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car used a year ago with 52k. Since then have put over $4k in maintenance. Its been in the shop 30% of the time since purchase.

• 

  Nice Surprise - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By robinrr - July 4 - 2:00 am

  We were shopping for a family sedan on a very limited budget. The Malibu was the most affordable 5 passenger sedan we could find. With automatic trans. PW, PL, keyless entry, AC, curise, etc it came to about $15,000. After purchasing it we kept finding features we didnt know were there - daylight running lights, automatic head lights, a cup holder on the left for the driver, comfortable rear seating for 6 foot passengers, a trucnk that will hold $400 worth of groceries, etc. After 30,000 miles it has been trouble free (a warranty replacement of a PS hose solved a PS chatter). The 2.4 liter 4 has plenty of power and gets 30 MPG on the highway. Highly recommend this vehicle.

• 

  Good First Family Car - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Ali Reza Rajabzadeh - July 4 - 2:00 am

  This is a good first family car because you plenty of room for the kids and the stuff i.e. stroller baby seat diaper bag and you can afford it with its nice price tag. They only bad thing is the resale/trade-in value on this car.

• 

  its the perfect car - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kevin A. - July 4 - 2:00 am

  i love this car. i just turned 16 its my first car and i will probably keep it through college

• 

  Just love my truck - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Wild - July 4 - 2:00 am

  I have own many a new cars and trucks in my life time. I thought my 2000 toyota Tundra Limited was the best I ever own until I bought the Avalanche. Its very Quiet riding and full of useful ideas. This is the first time a stranger told me , I like your truck.

• 

  Very Generic Feeling - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Pablo - July 4 - 2:00 am

  In short, this car just came off feeling like a very generic economy sedan. The HP and Torque numbers look good on paper, but on the road the 3.4L engine was quite anemic. The steering had a huge dead spot in the middle on straightaways at highway speeds; keeping it on-center took a lot of work. Also, the sound system has really poor separation and muddy bass. I know some might disagree with this, but even with less HP (and for about $2,100 less in price), I really prefer the Dodge Stratus for styling, comfort and handling.

• 

  Great Ride! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By SD Driver - July 4 - 2:00 am

  I shopped for SUVs For approx. 2 months before looking at the new TrailBlazer. For the price, I am convinced that this is the best vehicle available in the SUV market. I am very pleased with the quality of the ride (extremely tight) and the performance of the engine and drivetrain (this baby moves!). There is a little roll in the corners, but then again - IT IS A SUV! It is not a Sports Car.

• 

  Jury is still out - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Kareem - July 4 - 2:00 am

  I recently purchased the Chevy TB. I love the design. The quality of leather on the seats looks very cheap. Very smooth engine. Lots of cargo space. Good ride for an SUV. Im still a little leary of the long term reliability.

• 

  get comfortable seats - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jon holtzleiter - July 4 - 2:00 am

  seats are to hard and not bucket enough. A arm rest is needed for front and back seats. Onstar is a price pack and should not be required in the upper scale models.