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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  Keeper - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By hjallie - June 23 - 8:20 pm

  This vehicle has replaced a 1975 Corvette, which I owned for ten years. Comparison, therefore, is obviously tilted toward a much more modern vehicle. Nevertheless my observations to date have all been positive with a few exceptions. Performance in the new Corvette is exceptional. Ride stability, cornering, cruising or city driving all a plus. The car is quiet, a result of the channeled windows. No heat generated from the drive train either, transmission is in the rear. Temperature control and air condition (filtered) are miles above the old vette’s crank-down windows for air circulation. Entrance is enhanced by automatic seat and steering wheel pull-back, although it is still a

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  Go America Always - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Marvin L. Harvey - June 23 - 5:06 pm

  I really like the color. Heads turn when I drive by. My fuel economy is the greatest. I can park anywhere in small spaces and the acceleration is outstanding. The quietness is great as well as the CD audio. The surround sound is beautiful. I like the buttons on the steering wheel and all the features it displays.

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  LOVE THE CAPRICE!!! - 1996 Chevrolet Caprice
  By capricelovr15a16+11 - June 23 - 10:49 am

  This wagon is 13 years old this year and is is still is good condition. It is my grandmas car and i drive it on occasion. It rides like a dream as expected(very smooth) but too bouncy for my liking. It has been having a few problems lately, it wont start, but before it stopped working the injectors were having problems. Like when you felt like punching it (the gas), the engine would stick and out of nowhere the engine will jump and jerk. its 0-60 time is 10.1 seconds(ok for a car made in the 96 year). Overall it is a decent time of fun while driving. I would prefer more horsepower though, it only has 170 hp.

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  my 2 door baby tahoe - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By pointdexter - June 22 - 1:33 pm

  I purchase this truck in 2000 my baby is a 1996 2door 4x4 and what a story i have about this truck. in 2005 this baby was stolen and found strip the whole interior, door panels even the carpet everything was stolen they only left the dashboard, found a salvage yard and had the interior replace, also my transmission been replace twice, but I still like this truck I always get offers by people who see my truck, I have 165 k miles on this girl but she still runs and look new.

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  Best Corvette I have yet to own - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By lonewlf118 - June 22 - 8:03 am

  This is the best Corvette that I have yet to own. I have owned Corvettes all my life and this is the best so far. It is fun to drive, runs great, and has little problems. Yes, it turns heads.

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  A very nice vehicle - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Dana Basney - June 21 - 9:23 pm

  As a former Tahoe and Suburban owner we were looking for something more economical, but with much of the flexibility we had enjoyed with our prior SUV. We recently completed a 2,700 mile trip tp Montana and averaged 21 miles per gallon. This car is very quite, smooth and fun to drive. We were quite amazed by the acceleration of the 6 cylinder engine with the car containing 4 adults and the back stacked high with luggage.

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  Great to the MAXX! - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By itsmebc - June 21 - 7:16 pm

  I love this vehicle. After owning Honda Accords and Nissan Maximas for years, my wife and I were looking at small SUVs. However, the insurance and MPG were not up to snuff for someone with a 60 mile commute. This car gets over 30 mpg on the highway and 25 in town. It is very roomy and comfy. The backseat has more room than my mother-in-laws Town Car! Great sound system. Got a great deal and is a CPO. I teach school and the other teachers are jealous. I dont know why Chevy has kept this one a secret. Too bad it wont be back for 2008. The hatchback and adjustable rear seat are great. I love the remote start!

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  3rd Suburban - 2006 Chevrolet Suburban
  By dshackel - June 21 - 4:01 pm

  I love these trucks. Current one is a replacement for one I totaled hitting trees head-on. I walked away without a scratch, police were astounded and credited the vehicle. I drive 130 miles round trip to work daily and never have a problem, even get decent mileage. We haul everything from goats to furniture in the back with no issue - and this is the leather, captains chair model. Just a great family driver.

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  Very pleased - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By joedeemac - June 21 - 8:58 am

  After driving a 97 Lumina over 110,000 miles with absolutely no trouble and excellent gas mileage I decided to try the Impala. So far this car has also been trouble free. Gas mileage is much better than the EPA rating. Ive owned a Honda Accord which was a good car but I did have a few minor problems with. As long as I keep getting trouble free Chevys Ill keep buying them.

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  Great Truck - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Snowman - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Bought the Trailblazer in December and immediately drove to Lake Tahoe (1000 miles total). The 4WD handled awesomely in 1 ft of snow and the truck powered reasonably well up the higher mountain passes; tho it did down-shift two gears occasionally to maintain speed. The ride is amazing, *very* comfortable and yet the truck sticks to the road. The front seats could use more side support (lucky that even the drivers side has a hand-hold cause Ive needed it on a few turns). I havent had any issues with the headlights as some other reviews have noted; including driving in the very dark Tahoe area. Been getting ~14/18 mpg.