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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  THE TAHOE - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By fishin man - May 24 - 10:00 am

  We have a two year old and a ten year old, that have to be separated to enjoy any trip. Now traveling is a breeze with the comfort of any luxury vehicle. The comfort and ease of driving is comparable to none other.

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  It keeps getting better - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By peezul - May 24 - 10:00 am

  This is my 4th chevy truck,I have always had great reliable long lasting chevy trucks (avg 7 yrs). This new silverado crew cab is by far the most powerful, and refined truck for the money.

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  Great SUV - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Nathan - May 24 - 5:46 am

  Id been looking to purchase an Equinox since September but no dealerships in the area had one. Finally ordered one in early December and picked it up the first week of February. Its a great vehicle. I just passed 1,000 miles and Im averaging 29 mpg over mixed driving (interstate, rural highway, and city). The package to get the USB port, Bluetooth, Remote Start, and Steering Wheel controls is well worth it. The 8 speaker Pioneer system puts out great sound. Ive been getting compliments from friends, co-workers, and neighbors since I picked it up. Chevy got this one right, the new Equinox is great.

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  I Am Happy - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By tjintenn - May 24 - 2:00 am

  Gas mileage has been as advertised, 22 mpg in town and 31 on highway in 2 months/2000 miles with the Maxx. The adjustable pedals and telescoping wheel were necessary with my 62" frame. Driving the Maxx is much more enjoyable than my previous minivan.

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  MAXX to the Limit - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By RoxanneN/J - May 24 - 2:00 am

  Just bought the MAXX this week. Love it. Kids Love it. Traded reliable Malibu for MAXX with SUV space without SUV Maintenance. Opted for the LS version and bought individual DVD players for my 2 kids at $130.00 a pop. Dont need Onstar, but can install later if need to. Cheaper than installing the DVD Entertainment System. After seeing this at the Auto Show. I patiently waited for the MAXX. SUV Space w/the feel of a car and w/out SUV Price, Gas & Maintenance.

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  Love it! - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Wall - May 24 - 2:00 am

  Best riding 4x4 and maybe vehicle I have ever had. Much better seats than in Chevys pickup line. Fuel economy is average 16-18mpg. Tows well and is good off road. I put 20,000 miles on a 2003 and traded it off on a 2004.

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  life saver - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By rs - May 24 - 2:00 am

  After owning the Avalanche less than a week it was struck on the driver side rear door by a full size car traveling 35 m.p.h.+ and was spun off the road and down in a ditch Not only did the vehicle stay upright my 2 small children in the back seat escaped injury from the impact

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  Like it more than I thought I would! - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By rdg81 - May 24 - 2:00 am

  We bought our Trailblazer used in December 2003 with @16,500 miles on it. Its loaded with all the toys, leather, etc. So far Ive enjoyed this car even more than I thought I would. Hard to beat on long trips with the kids. Plenty of room, smooth ride. Not great gas mileage around town, but can get @20 miles per gallon on highway.

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  best small truck i feel - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By sparta729 - May 22 - 3:19 pm

  I absolutely love this truck, I wanted to get one for a long time. Zr2 package is my favorite, because it lets the truck come already as a fun looking small sized offroad pick-up. The s10 also is still a Nice truck which ever version, u have, like 4x4,2wd, stripped, loaded, anyway its still comes as a Nice looking truck, unlike the Tacoma or Dakota were if those trucks dont come in the better models they look stripped, and cheap, the Tacoma more so.

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  Best car for the Money Period! - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Clark - May 22 - 12:26 pm

  Truly a car that will last if you know how to perform routine maintenance. I love this car! At 210,000 I redid the Intake Manifold gasket, water pump, and havent had any leaks since. The only other problems I have had have been electrical from the wire rotting out. These are simple fixes, just hard to trace where sometimes. I run Valvoline Max Life Full Synthetic oil. In town mileage is okay, highway is better than most cars get today. Add an HHO system and you will get over 35+mpg highway.