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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  Great Starter Car - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Esmeralda - May 19 - 4:03 am

  I just graduated from college and wanted a car that was low in cost and nice on the eyes. The 4 door Cavalier LS Sport was the best I found. From the moment I saw this car I could not believe it was a Cavalier, I used to think these cars were so ordinary. Drives very well, and saves you a lot of money on gas.

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  Best Quality Car I ever owned - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By David Howland - May 18 - 8:44 pm

  Not one repair,not one warranty claim.Ordinary maintenance only. My family uses it for all trips even though we have a newer second car. I average 30 MPG suburban driving to work and shopping. It has 127,000 miles on it and it still runs and looks like new. It has never even been tuned up.Only tires, brakes, wiper blades and oil changes.

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  my baby - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By ynot - May 18 - 11:56 am

  I bought my camaro new,almost it had 5000 miles on it, and I love it. I get a lot of compliments and yes the hump on passenger side is inconvenient for a passenger but I too would buy another camero convertible

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  best thing ever - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By best thing ever - May 18 - 11:49 am

  have my truck now for 2 years put over 30,000miles on it with no issue. pulled a 7x16 trailer from ny to fl with 4 sports bike like nothing. truck now has 129000 miles on her and i think i can get 300000 out of her ...best truck ever

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  No resale value - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Robert Herrera - May 18 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle has no resale value. I recently tried to trade this vehicle inn for a new truck. I was surprised that a 1 year old vehicle in imaculate condition will loss that much value sticker on this veh was $32.0000 I was surprised that the dealer where I bought this veh would only offered $13,000 trade in value on a Jeff Gordon Signature Car. I am very disapointed.

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  Would only change one thing so far - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By swt_h - May 17 - 10:06 pm

  Owned for a little over a month. Love almost everything about it, except - the seat hugs me, love the heat options in the seats and I havent been able to all the station preprogram radio options. it seems that my legs are too long for the design of the seat and the height of the steering wheel. Getting in is not as comfy and quick. I have to sit and swing in. I have tried to adjust everything every which way. Also its a little tight for car seat behind me.

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  Good looking car - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By puffrooster - May 17 - 4:44 pm

  Originally I set out to buy an loaded LTZ with a bench seat, BOSE sound system and sunroof in mocha brown. But after taking the SS model for a spin, just to see what it could do, I was sold. Before purchasing this car I did test drive other sport sedans, all of them costing much more $$, and nothing was funner to drive than the Impala SS! The Jewel (dark cherry) monochromatic, red compliments the car and is worth the extra cost. I added low profile tires & wheels and tinted the windows all around. Its a good looking car and inexpensive to decorate.

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  Best Ive owned - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By dssynapse - May 17 - 12:11 pm

  My 2007 Tahoe is a joy to drive! Its extremely comfortable for both the driver and passengers. Lots of cargo space and the flexibility of adding the 3rd row seats. Its a big SUV -- not purchased for its fuel economy -- but I still beat the 16mpg rating even with most of my driving in town for less than 8 miles per trip.

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  Absolutely the best! - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By JPK - May 17 - 1:43 am

  This is our third Chevy Tahoe and this is by far the best! The new cylinder deactivation (V8 to V4 on hwy) gets great mileage, 20.5 on hwy. Better than the 18 our Honday Odyssey minivan gets! Just in for the first service at 5,500 miles and everything is perfect. Excellent vehicle!

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  BEST - 1990 Chevrolet Blazer
  By orca - May 16 - 3:39 am

  Have own this Blazer since 1990 right off the lot with 15 miles it now has 134 thousand miles and was rebuilt from the ground up in 2007. My father drove it for 18 years. I inherited it and now drive it. Still runs great and is like new. I did have the leak over mirror but with a coat of sealeant it is as good as new.