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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  Gret Value - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Mikey - March 27 - 5:53 pm

  Just put in 600 miles on the Nox, no complaints so far. The ride is short of excellent. Everything positive I read about the reviews were true.

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  A Great Car for the Price - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By John - March 27 - 6:26 am

  My wife and I bought our 2010 Equinox 1LT with power drivers seat and the Interface Package a little over a week ago and put around 500 miles on it during a weekend road-trip. It runs very quietly even at highway speeds, and gets remarkable fuel economy for an SUV. The 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed transmission provide plenty of power and acceleration for our needs. It does have the typical SUV blindspots, but thats par for the course when youre buying this type of vehicle. Overall we are very satisfied and my only regret is that I didnt spend an extra $1000 or so and get the basic 2LT for the standard fog lamps, Pioneer audio, automatic climate controls and backup camera.

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  Very enjoyable to Drive - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By The Den - March 26 - 2:16 pm

  Picked up Equinox 12/23/2009 have driven 8K as of 4/1/2010 still love to drive it! No problems but disappointed in MPG as its only 2 wheel drive. Most fill ups are 22mpg 75% hwy 25% city the very best on flat ground with tail wind is 29mpg. If it got what onboard calculator said it would great but it reads 2 to 4 higher than actual. I like it better than a lexus RX 10.

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  An Enjoyable Fun To Drive Machine - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Pat - March 26 - 7:00 am

  I could not beleive the wonderful experience of driving the TrailBlazer LT. I traded in a truck for this SUV, and the experience has been the best. Its easier to drive than a car, and the comfort is very good. My family fits in and no complaints.The chairs, even the very last one at the back, are comfortable, even for long trips. We love it. Thanks GM!

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  MySummerYellow04Aveo - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By KRO - March 25 - 10:00 am

  Ive had mine for 2 days and i love it, i have a Summer Yellow 4door hatchback, i love everything. It is a very neat car. The sport shifter is very cool. The handeling and ride are very smooth. When i got mine it had 27 miles on it, now it has 222 miles on it. If you take care of it, it will last. The warrenties are good as well.

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  great for the money - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By ty&mikespopop - March 25 - 10:00 am

  At $10,200 The Cavalier is a bargain.I bought the base model strictly as transportation to work.It came with a 5 speed manual trans,A/C and a cd player as well as P/S,and P/B.What started out as just a work car has become our everything car.Its fun to drive, good on gas and handles like a sports car.It has excellent brakeing and emergency handleing.Someone cut me off and ran me onto a grass shoulder at 65mph last week and the car behaved like a champ.

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  Hats Off To GM - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Pacetreker - March 25 - 10:00 am

  Now have 2 Malibus, a 2002 LS & a 2004 LT VE. Love them both, but appreciate the newer consept of the later model, as this car deserves the Caddy Emblem...

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  Love It - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jaxsunst - March 25 - 10:00 am

  Just bought it, and Im really impressed. Traded in a more prestigious car, but I do feel that I have traded down. This car actually has more features!

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  This one is my Second - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Spoc166 - March 25 - 10:00 am

  I bought my first one in June of 2002, I lived it so much that I traded it for a 2004 which I ordered from the manufacturer. There were some options in 2002 that I wanted that were not offered (ie: dual zone heating 6cd in dash changer and steering wheel controls) These are now being offered and have been since 2003 this fact and the great new color sport met. red mask my new Avalanche the best vehicle I have ever owned.

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  consumer/owner - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By c kingsley - March 25 - 10:00 am

  leather seats ware very fast