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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  HHR-Fun to Drive and Solid Too - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By CentralWisconsinite - April 9 - 5:36 am

  I was attracted to the look of the vehicle and its impressive mpg rating (30 hwy). I have been totally won over by the fun of driving, the solid feel and the attention to detail. I have received many compliments. The vehicle is surprisingly roomy. It is a little odd to have the window controls behind the floor shifter, but that is not a big deal. I purchased the 1LT version with upgrades to leather trimmed heated seats (important in Wisconsin). I also went for the 7 speaker Pioneer sound system. Coupled with the XM radio and convenient input jack for my MP3 player, this is an excellent ride.

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  Love My Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Finique - April 8 - 7:10 pm

  The Equinox in my opinion is one of the best values Chevrolet has in its line of vehicles. For the money, You cant beat a 2005 Equinox.

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  Mini Gas Guzzler - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jim Rhoda Sr - April 8 - 5:33 am

  My Equinox has been back to the dealership 5 times in its short 3 months of ownership. The mileage is terrible, as low as 13.5 miles per gallon and an average of 15-16 miles per gallon. If this is the best Chevy can do, then Ill be driving over to the competition soon. Also GM was a bit cheap on the assembly line, in an LT model they couldnt even put lights in the vanity mirrors. The list goes on and on.

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  My Kalos! - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By limee - April 7 - 8:23 pm

  Got a great deal on this little car which is one I had been researching for a while now. It was the Aveo or the Scion Xa. The Aveo won out on price. Have owned a number of GMs in the past with lousy build quality and reliability. This is a Daewoo and appears to be well put together with tight seems and no sqeaks/ rattles, etc. It is a blast to drive, especially in the city where it excels. Its amazingly quiet at speed after it has been wound up, and cruises comfortably at 80 with minimal fuss. Not that impressed with the fuel economy at 27 MPG (I get that from my V6 Honda Accord and feel the push in the back of the seat!) It makes me feel like Im living in London again. The size is ideal.

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  3500 duramax - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By havingfun - April 7 - 9:30 am

  This a great truck drives never had a problem gets 18 mpg I pull a mud trucks add big machines with it and it does good.

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  Best/Worse truck Ive ever owned - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Howard - April 7 - 12:40 am

  This truck is hard to rate, I have the new body style 2500HD long bed standard cab with the 4x4. When I first bought it, it was amazing to drive. I installed a Magnaflow exhaust and it sounds soooooo good. Then about 3000 miles down the line, things just started falling apart, after the bumper to bumper ended. Fuses and electrical went out on me all the time. The headlamp connectors melted. The gears kept grinding from 3rd to 4th. I had to replace the alternator and pulleys twice. The headlights dim on all models when you hit the brake. Its just falling apart. Its a fast truck and amazing to hear but its not worth the maintenance. Im buying an F-150 next week.

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  I love My SS. - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By YoAdrian - April 7 - 12:36 am

  I started out looking at the Mazda 3 and I am very happy that I ended up with a Cobalt SS. I test drove just about every comparable car in this class and the Cobalt felt just as good as the Honda Civic and Nissan Altima. I will admit that I really liked the way that the Mazda 3 drove; however, The Cobalt SS is a great driver- on the highway as well as around town. I have always been cautious of American cars and I am glad to say that GM is finally building quality small cars. I am getting between 28-30 mpg with about half of my driving on the highway. The car feels solid, no rattles.

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  ALL WORLDS OF VERSATILITY - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By BARE - April 5 - 10:00 am

  GREAT LOOKING GREAT HANDLING GREAT VERSATILITY !!!!!!!!

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  Best Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Zovok121 - April 5 - 10:00 am

  It does absolutely everything I need and more, a perfect cross between SUV and Truck.

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  Honest - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jerry - April 5 - 8:16 am

  I have always liked the driving and handling.