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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  Smooth - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By wilowbee - September 11 - 10:00 am

  This SUV is so much fun to drive. It is quiet and the power is fantastic. I love the way it looks and handles. I had another SUV and it did not handle or ride like this one. I am glad to have made to change to the Trailblazer.

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  RedSS - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By RedSS - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Unbelievable from the time you step on the gas until you peel yourself off the seat!

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  Chevy doing great things - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jim toms - September 11 - 1:53 am

  As an owner of Chevrolet trucks all my life, I cannot believe the drastic changes on the new Silverado. I have had mine for over a year now and I absolutely love it. As a commuter of 30 miles to work each way and then recreation. The gas mileage for a full size truck is unrivaled. You can notice a big change when the active fuel management kicks in because the gas gauge will actually rise it is incredible. It is nice to not have to sacrifice power for fuel economy. Seats incredible comfortable and extremely versatile.

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  The perfect car - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By STEVE - September 11 - 12:03 am

  I bought this car in a hurry, my Nissan pick up quit. I liked the styling and after test driving, found the Impala to be a blast. I bought the base LS. No anti lock brakes or fold down seat. I knew that going in. Buyers need to beware of what they buy. I love this car and if it holds up as well as my Lumina did, Ill be tickled. The 3.5 v- 6 does a good job and being able to burn E-85 is good and gas mileage penalty is not too bad.

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  2003 chev crewcab lt 4x4 excellent - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By chev - September 10 - 9:10 pm

  I bought this pick up new and traveled back and forth from B.C. Canada to Fort Mac Alberta every 26 days for the past 7 years and the truck has being perfect and unreal averaging 25 miles per gallon, and this is keeping records of every fuel up. the only issue i have is now it appears that rear trans seal or rear engine seal may be leaking. Is this common on these engines.

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  LTZ review - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By David Watson - September 10 - 3:23 am

  I like everything pretty much. Ride is a little mushy. XM radio is a bust. It is not commerical free and there is a lot of blank spots.

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  Love it - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By KH - September 9 - 9:06 pm

  We love our truck! We pull a 4 horse trailer everywhere with it and really dont even feel it back there, even fully loaded. It is solid, runs great, and looks good going down the road.

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  An Impala for singles. Sweet ride! - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Motorman - September 9 - 10:00 am

  Consider it a 2007 Impala LT with two doors and sleeker styling. Its basically the same car! Very comfortable with its wide interior and vast stretch-out space up front. Even the rear seat is roomy once you access it. The 3.5-liter V6 gives a nice power and economy combination; I regularly get 20-23 MPG city and 30-32 MPH highway on 87-octane gas, and still have plenty of power for safe passing and merging. Blissfully smooth ride with its long wheelbase. Quiet on the move. Very roomy trunk. Handles well enough, but just a little too big to be called nimble. OnStar brings great safety-related peace of mind. Climate controls heat and cool quickly and effectively. Long GM powertrain warranty!

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  Best Vehicle Ive ever owned. - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Pon1 - September 9 - 2:33 am

  Excellent acceleration. Smooth ride. Extremely comfortable and better fuel economy than previous models. I got every option possible and they all work flawlessly. Fantastic vehicle.

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  Maxx is cool - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By John - September 9 - 2:16 am

  A fun car to drive with superior handling and plenty of horsepower when needed. The instrumentation is user- friendly.