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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  What a nice car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Guido - June 7 - 3:43 pm

  I LOVE this vehicle!!! We bought this car on a whim...our Chrysler LHS (nice as it was land yacht) was on its last legs, nickeling and diming us to death. This car is exactly what we were looking for...it has the 172 HP engine, which has plenty of zip (surprisingly, I might add) for me, gets excellent gas mileage around town...about 20 MPG in Pittsburgh, dont know about the open road yet...excellent stereo...got the sunroof, remote start, heated leather seats...overall, this is probably the best AND COOLEST car Ive ever owned...people still turn their heads to look...by the way, its black with the chrome trim package.

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  My first truck! - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By cabooses - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I love my Trailblazer! I have 21,000+ miles on it and not had a problem really. The only manufacturer defect seems to be the rubber molding around the back rear window. There is also a problem with the fuel injection system that can be avoided if you change gas stations frequently and not visit the same one all the time. The ride is great and mine came fully loaded. I enjoy having the driver wheel controls at my fingertips and the amount of seats that are available with the 3 row seating. I feel safe driving this and the one touch 4WD and AWD advantage comes in handy on snowy and rainy days.

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  Very useful vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Timesplitters - June 7 - 10:00 am

  This car will give you the most bang for the buck when it comes down to price and actual usfulness in a sedan. It fit a full size lawnmower out of the box without a problem with the rear seats folded down. With the recling and adjustable sliding rear seatsand and a sunroof, the passengers in this car will feel at home. The standard 200 HP engine has a great deal of power and low end torque. The transmission does seem to shift harder than it should when a little extra gas is given. Chevy delivers with a vehicle that has the utility, versitilty, and price to get the job done for the person that wants the extra space in a car.

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  Great Car, Disappointing Quality - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By David Cox - June 7 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Chevrolet and first truck. The vehicle has been expensive and troublesome. I really like the car, but dont know that Id buy another, at least not another Chevy.\ Door and seats have needed rebuilding, the brake control systems have required $1600 in repairs in the last 17 months, and the dealer has often needed multiple tries to fix things.

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  2 MONTH CRITIQUE OF MY MALIBU - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By john HOPKINS - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Have had the car since late July. The car is comfortabe on long road trips and the highway fuel economy is great (33-35 mpg on regular gas). Initial overall quality has been exellent. The new 3.5L V6 engine is very responsive.

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  super car - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By william flexser - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I drove the new c6 around the gateway international speedway. it is the defination of a super car. look out car collectors this will be on your hit list. hits the curves like they were a straight stretch. very impressive shifting. feels like you are in a jet

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  review of corvette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 600hpcamaro - June 7 - 10:00 am

  i had alot of fun driving this 2005 corvette but i would like to add about 200 more horsepower.

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  IMPRESSIVE - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By JOOKYGOTADELL - June 7 - 10:00 am

  CHEVY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB ON THIS VEHICLE.

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  owner - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By blake tapscott - June 7 - 10:00 am

  this is very good auto. i have owned lots of chev. blazers 1995 mod. still have has 270000 mi. on it. with no mgr, prob. , ecept trans. blake tapscott hartselle al. 302 sobotka st

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  A lot of fun in a small package - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By ssdriver - June 7 - 3:30 am

  While we purchased this vehicle for my wife to use, I find myself using it every opportunity I get. The driving position is quite confortable, the front seats accomodate my 62" large frame and due to the upright sitting position I can move the seat forward quite a bit without compromising my driving comfort. My only complaints are reduced visablity looking over my left hand shoulder, the lack of a center console, the power window positions and the lack of low end umph in the 2.4 litre motor, but then again Im used to the 5.7 litre V8 in my 95 Impala SS. Overall its a great car for the value and the styling is always refreshing to see. The sunburst orange metallic is easy to find