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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  2005 Silverado non HD Work Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Robert Quinn - April 3 - 5:40 pm

  I purchased this truck for $14,500 brand new. I wanted a cheap, reliable truck - its what I got! Im still breaking it in. Pretty nightmarish fuel mileage (about 12-13 in city - my Explorer does better!) The ride is a lot rougher then I could have imagined on a 2005. Its great fun to drive. I love the new car smell. The message center is smart and not annoying! I love the overall utility of this truck! I have to tell you no matter how popular this truck is, its still an eye-catcher! Im a Ford guy - but I thought Id give Chevy a shot on this one. Overall, Im really happy with the purchase!

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  Excellent Compact - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Tyler - April 3 - 12:33 pm

  The Cobalt beats its competitors in nearly every way, except fuel economy, which still isnt bad at all. The engine is incredibly smooth, quiet, and powerful. Extremely high sophistication for its class. Automatic tranny is superb, as per usual for GM. Interior design and construction are greatly improved for Chevy and is generally excellent, though materials could be nicer. Handling is about average but the ride is amazing. Great room for a coupe, comfortable seats, a ridiculously large list of standard features, and great availability and affordabilty of optional features rounds out an excellent package. Have owned this car for half a year with no problems and on a college budget. Must buy

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  This thing has 95k on it? - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Wingnutt - April 2 - 10:56 am

  I have had my "new" truck for almost a month now, and can find very little to complain about. Seeing as how Im a quality manager and my job it to pick nits, this says volumes about the vehicle. The 5.3 has great power for its size (but could use a tad more low end torque), espicially in a vehicle this heavy. The tranny does what its supposed to do when its supposed to, and the tow/haul mode makes life much easier on the transmission when hauling my boat. The gearing is right on for this application and provides good torque multiplication in the lower gears while maintaining a reasonable RPM for highway crusing.

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  Well designed and improved - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jb - April 2 - 8:23 am

  Im going into my third year of this vehicle and I am mostly impressed. The build quality is better than many of the foreign trucks for the first time ever, and a huge step up over previous models. Gas mileage for me has been about 15.5mpg with mostly city driving and a lot of 4wd in the winter. Other than a fender bender which caused no body damage other than the PLASTIC flashing below the bumper that was easy to remove, Ive had no mechanical issues. The cloth seats are comfortable but collect lint like mad and already are falling apart at the seams. The ride is great though, and the back seats easily fit my 3 kids on 6 hour fishing trips without a problem

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  Not bad at all - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
  By BINCS - April 2 - 2:53 am

  Ive had mine for 2 years now and never had a problem with mileage - 15/18. I use it a lot in the woods and never had a problem on or off road. I do agree the tires are too small for the truck (that was the very first thought when I saw it). But its been a good truck that handled well on a WA to NJ road trip of 4000+ miles with a motorcycle and stuff in the bed ranging from twisting turning roads in Yellowstone to 90+ MPH straightaways in SD (milage goes to 14-15 at 90MPH).

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  Sexy, but the colors are drab - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By J. Mayeux - April 1 - 10:23 pm

  I bought this car mostly for its looks, but found the gas mileage was very good (at 75 mph got 29.7 mpg). Engine performance has been satisfactory for the most part. No rattles or squeaks, but I find the ride could be a little less firm. Paint job is pretty, but surprisingly easy to scratch. Its not as durable as paints in the past.

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  My deam truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jason Manus - April 1 - 1:53 am

  This is the sixth Z71 I have owned since I was 16 years old, and there is no doubt that it is the best as far as quality and features goes. I have always been a part of the Chevy family and I love my truck. It has a 4.10 rear end that has allowed me to pull trailers in excess of 10,000 #s with regularity ( although the tow rating is 9200#s). I spend all day in my truck, as it is my office. And even though I drive it real hard and torture it, it keeps on ticking.

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  Great Mini SUV with Style - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Billy - April 1 - 12:20 am

  I love my new HHR 2LT. I have just about all the options available. Ive only been driving it for about 2 weeks at the time of this review. I only have 2 real complaints about the HHR. I do not like the power windows located in the center console. I am not used to them, and they seem awkward. They may be good placement in the winter months, so snow doesnt get in them. The other thing I dont like is the ability to flip one switch to turn on all the car dome lights from the drivers seat. Ive never seen a car without this option. I love the sporty suspension and styling.

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  Gas hog - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By joe - March 31 - 8:10 pm

  I have driven chevy/gmc cars and trucks for 30 years and have obviously been pleased with their products because I have purchased many new products from them. This 2010 truck is an extended cab, LTZ,5.3 v8,3.08 rear. EPA estimates 21 highway and 15 city. Also,it has a six speed transmission. I drive 25,000 to 30,000 miles annually and keep accurate records of my gas mileage. This truck gets 16.3 miles per gallon with 85% highway miles and 15% city miles basically going the speed limit. I still have a 2003 Chevy extended cab,4 speed trans,5.3 liter engine, 246,000 miles on the truck. I get 18 mpg on this truck driving the same way as I drive the 2010.

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  Great choice - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By J Burns - March 31 - 2:10 am

  Ive had my HHR LT2 since July, and its been great. I got the loaded version with every option offered, and Ive been very pleased. It was relatively inexpensive, its comfortable and versatile. Im coming from a Ford Expedition, so it was a bit of an adjustment, but it works. My wife and kids had to warm up to the styling, but I love it. Im over 6 foot and I found both the front and back seats roomy and comfortable. The engine is plenty peppy for a little 4 banger, which provides a much appreciated fuel efficiency. And the leather package is pretty nice. The stereo / CD player sounds great and I love the ipod jack.