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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  Tow vehicle - 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
  By yoli6 - March 21 - 1:39 am

  I purchased this car because I have a 5500 lb. boat and I wanted better over all fuel economy. Success!!! I have towed my boat over Colorado passes with no problems. It does push the car around a little. I get 20 to 22 miles per gallon around town and 16 mpg towing. I live in the Colorado Rockies and the 4wd snow and ice capabilities are amazing. The only problem is they lowered the ground clearance and the front plastic panel bottoms out a lot. The car makes a lot of weird noises from the electric motors that I cant describe (clicking, humming, and buzzing). As of now I would buy another one and encourage anyone who tows to buy one.

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  I really LIKE that car! - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Giovanni - March 20 - 7:03 pm

  Brand new, jet black, base model, cloth seats, looks and drive great. Very good value, with a couple of options, its a commuter workhorse, but also turns some heads- real nice lines, 16 inch wheels give a lot of road feel, good ground clearances, low road noise, vision is good (fourth roof pillar hangs out there a bit). Huge trunk makes a good crumple zone in event of rear ender. 4 doors are manageable- in contrast with Monte Carlo vault doors. Great fuel economy with small six, lots of power, even with passengers, Engine breathes real well under moderate acceleration. Dash mounted key switch is handy, column shifter perfectly placed. OnStar, CD, 4 wheel disc brakes, MAN oh MAN I love this car!

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  Nice SUV/Wagon - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By WAYNE - March 20 - 4:03 am

  Sharp looking interiror. Shifter and stereo at great location. Good power. Great styling

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  Very Reliable & Inexpensive Lil Truck - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By Daniel Brown - March 20 - 2:00 am

  I realize that there are better trucks out there, but for the price that I purchase my truck new 5 years ago at $11,000 I have no regrets. My little S-10, stripped w/no original extras, has been a blessing. I have had no problems whatsoever, which is good because I am not mechanically incline, with it and I currently have 110,000 miles on it. The only real drawback is that the 4cyl does not have much power-but hey, I get above 25mpg!

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  whats this - 1994 Chevrolet Astro
  By Sjjmax - March 20 - 2:00 am

  I have had this vehicle for 4 years and there was only 1 owner before me. I have really enjoyed this vehicle and had little trouble with it.

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  Better than SUV for larger Families - 2002 Chevrolet Express
  By Stephen Burton - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Have a Family of 8 and needed a replacement for our Suburban that was totaled by a drunk. Equity in Suburban to little to replace with same. Opted for a basic Conversion Van. Quad Seating, rear bench folds into a bed. 5L V-8. Result is very nice ride, and better value for the money. Conversion adds insulation which greatly reduces interior noise from road. 7100 lb GVWR is plenty, and with seats removed can haul massive cargo. 20% better mpg than Suburban - 17 vs 14, more living space. Large picture windows allow toddler in car seat excelent view of world outside. 6ft7 son can sit anywhere and have plenty of room. Great for long distance travel.

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  LOVE THIS CAR - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By IL - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Great gas mileage on road trips 35-40 mpg. Good performance, good car. LOVE it, so far. Would recommend it to others.

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  Z-71 4WD - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Arizona Tahoe Z-71 - March 20 - 2:00 am

  This is a 2001 model,purchased new 5/01. Dealer sales and service practices are excellent. No problems with the vehicle after 10 months. We use it on trips out of town 6 or 7 times a year. Other than that it is a daily commuter vehicle for a short drive to work. I have towed a small motorcycle trailer and it tows perfectly. We traded a 96 Yukon and this vehicle is just the next generation and more useful as the Yukon was nly a 2 door GT.

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  My Gangsta Car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Gary J. King - March 19 - 5:36 pm

  I love my HHR. It is fun to drive and the gas mileage is good. There are times that I get 28 to 30 mpg around town. It has cut my cost by 25 percent. The car is tight and very quiet even with the sun roof. The comfort is great. I am a big man, not tall but big and I feel very comfortable in the drivers seat. Every thing is in arms reach and easy accessible.

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  3.1L "Sleeper" - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Dr_Watson - March 19 - 2:00 am

  One word about this car that sums its character up Torque. She may not have alot of ponies on the stat sheet, but its light and that 185 lb-ft of torque will rip the tires until smoke starts rolling out of the wheel wells. Ive driven it hard for over 3 years now and the only repairs needed have been 1 alternater, 1 battery, 1 water pump, 1 windshield wiper motor, and lots of brakes (thats the fault of my less then old lady driving though). The car is a fun machine to drive, and Ive loved it to death. Its a sleeper that can easily keep up with Eclipse GSTs, and the like.