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:

• 

  THE HAPPY CAMPER - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By TXMAN - March 24 - 2:00 am

  This is a sound, heavy duty, captivating machine. I get looks everywhere I go in my Trailblazer. Interior comfort is great and the thing handles like a go cart. love my chevy truck.

• 

  2002 Chevy Trailblazer LTZ - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Hyrolr - March 24 - 2:00 am

  The Trailblazer is a far superior vehicle to the Honda Pilot, which we also considered. The performance is much better at a sacrifice of some fuel economy, but we still get nearly 22 mpg on the highway. Once we got the quirks worked out of options like the automatically adjusting mirrors and memory seat, we have had no problems with the Trailblazer. The Bose sound system should be heard to be really appreciated. We use this vehicle for long road trips and we tow it behind our motorhome.

• 

  Excelent Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By gloria - March 24 - 2:00 am

  Excelent truck, beautiful exterior completely re-disigned. Rides like a car reliable as a truck.

• 

  I love my new Silverado! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By desert_gurl - March 23 - 10:46 pm

  I just sold my 2001 Silverado and replaced it with a 2007 crew cab Silverado LT 1500. I was amazed at the changes from the instrument panel to the increase in horsepower! I love this truck, it drives as smooth as a Cadillac! This is definitely a keeper! Heads turn everywhere I go!

• 

  2006 Chevy 3500 Flatbed duramax diesel - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By charles2440 - March 23 - 6:39 pm

  I enjoy my Chevy 3500 diesel it has a 12ft dump bed, Has plenty of power, and accelerates like a gas engine, Will run as fast as you want, I get 12mpg in city and 16mpg on hwy@ 70mph

• 

  IF ONLY - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Richard in OK - March 22 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Z34 cheaply,and got a 2yr. warranty with it.Lets face it,its a sport coupe, not a luxury sedan. The ride is stiff, which you are reminded of at every bump .The seats are uncomfortable and its hard to get in and out of the back seat.Performance is very good once you get the car moving and it finds the rpm that it likes. I never worry about passing cars as the power is always there. Fuel economy on the highway with air on is about 28 mpg.Little things could have made this car great. One thing,those Z34s that run well,seem to run well. Be thankful,if you have one, but be aware of the problems.Call me crazy, but I still have to like this car.

• 

  evaluation - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By booth - March 22 - 10:00 am

  since I owned my first Impala S.S. Ive always wanted another one. Its great to have an American car that drives as good as it looks. great car

• 

  Mighty Monte Carlo - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By jwymannascar - March 22 - 10:00 am

  Bought new 2003 Monte LS after putting 200,000 miles on 1998 Grand Prix. Overall the Monte drives like the GP but has more room and comfort. The 3400 is almost as fast as the 3800 in the GP but gets better mileage. Like the split seats in the Monte opposed to the armrest access in the GP.

• 

  Nice... - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By baybj - March 22 - 10:00 am

  I chose this SUV from others because of its exterior and great features. I personally am not a Chevy fan, but this vehicle has its difference from other SUVs. I love the roomy space inside, especially the extra 2 seats in the back. It is very smooth on the road, no matter how rough the road can be. Sounds and everything is good. It feels like a second home haha. At first I thought it would be too big for me to drive. It really does look big, but once I was on the road with it, there werent any problems. And hey! Its SUV of the year! (=

• 

  Finally an Explorer Buster - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By cjloeffl97 - March 22 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Trailbazer since January and have put almost 12,000 miles on it since I purchased it. The engine is great, the transmission is responsive, and the ride is conmfortable both on and off road. I owned a 1999 Ford Explorer before this vehicle and Chevy has finally made a vehicle that runs over the Explorer in terms of peformance and quality.