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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  Two Vehicles in One - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By mvaillan - March 17 - 2:00 am

  I needed a vehicle that I could use for hauling Home Depot supplies, fire wood, wood chips, dirt and all the other basic home owner truck type activities. I also needed a vehicle to take on family trips, hauling luggage and camping gear. I have 2 growing boys (11&12 yrs old) that have been complaining about being cramped in the back of the my extended cab Dodge Dakota for a couple of years now. The Avalanche is solving all of my needs - itll haul pretty much anything I need and is a nice big highway cruiser for our many family annual trips - my boys love all of the room in the back seat now! A pickup truck and a SUV all in one vehicle!

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  spp corvette - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By sheldon portnow - March 17 - 2:00 am

  great handling, fast ,airodynamics the best i have handled in the three covettes i have owned. low depreciation factor. must be driven very defensibly because of larger vehicles around you.

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  The Best One Yet - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By JGS - March 17 - 2:00 am

  The 2003 is the fourth Suburban we have owned, and the third body style. We have always had pretty good luck, and we still own the last one, a 1994 with 158,000 miles. This is a great highway vehicle, its tight and very nimble for its size. Wouldnt think about another vehicle for towing the ski boat. We started buying them as family vehicles 20 years ago with 2 baby seats in the second seat, but we are now empty nesters (except for the Lab)and have bought another. We are fans.

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  Great SUV -Z71! - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Pasta - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Great SUV! If youre looking for a family vechicle and dont want to be Minivan person...this is the SUV for you...not great on gas...not bad either considering the size and the power...on long trip I average 17 mpg...naturally slightly over the posted speed, though if you stay at 65 mpg or below the consumption improves to about 20 mpg. Overall, if you undecided and want my advice...GO FOR IT!

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  WOW - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ULTIMATE REVIEWER - March 17 - 2:00 am

  I was a proud Ford Expedition driver for many years. I have been working in the Automobile industry for more than five years and after driving the new 03 Tahoe, I can easily say that it stands in a class by itself. The 4x4 system is by far superior to the expedition. (And yes I have driven the 2003, I just traded it in for the 2003 Tahoe) Very impressed with the vehicle.

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  Great SUV - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Keith Ellis - March 17 - 2:00 am

  We are very pleased with our Trailbalzer. It is a well built vehicle and is very functional. We are expecting our 1st child in a few weeks and we were looking for a SUV to suit our needs. I think we found it with the Trailbalazer.

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  Delivers - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Ivan - March 17 - 2:00 am

  The Trailblazer delivers room, comfort, reasonable gas milage and a high level of technical development. However, it could use an independent rear suspension. Truck-like in turns. Otherwise, as smooth as cream.

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  Delivers - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By ivan - March 17 - 2:00 am

  The Trailblazer delivers room, comfort, reasonable gas milage and a high level of technical development. However, it could use an independent rear suspension. Truck-like in turns. Otherwise, as smooth as cream.

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  Chevy Silverado 2003 Best Yet - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Haywood - March 17 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Silverado to own. They have made many improvements over the years. The 2003 are no exception. The Truck is very smooth ride even at high speeds. The 5.3L V8 has plenty of power to spare. The interior is very spacious and seats 5 very well.

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  Upset Bazer Owner - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Corey - March 16 - 6:14 pm

  My truck only has 71,657 miles. My upper and lower ball joints went bad and my engine went bad. I ended up spending 5,217.00 just to get it running again.