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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  Awesome Tahoe - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Joe - February 2 - 2:24 am

  Great car. Just hit 150k. Handles effortlessly in deep snow and ice. Pretty good off road with 4wd low. Rides smooth when it doesnt have big snow tires on it. Very easy to drive and good turning radius. Handles nicely for an SUV. Hardly any major unexpected problems. Transmission needed work (not replaced) around 80k, but this was after towing a 5000lb + trailer around the country. ABS needed to be replaced around 135k miles. Plenty of power. Car cruises easily at 80mph at 2300rpms.

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  The best Chevy yet - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By jason - February 2 - 1:41 am

  We have only had this truck for a while. Made a mistake once we traded for a Jeep. As soon as it was possible we traded back! Now we are happy again. We are a family of 4 and we also have friends that we haul around. Plus I work in the oil patch so I put this truck through the wringer. When gone it sits for days on end in all weather. Plus the trip there and back on of road and no roads. At home it gets put through the family and helping others. Love this truck, it works hard and looks good doing it.

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  Wow! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mike - February 2 - 1:33 am

  I owned 4 of the old body style Silverado and thought they were nice driving trucks but the new 2008...nice truck! It drives 100% better than the one it replaces and the seats are much more comfortable. I have the 5.3, the power is there and from what I can tell the active fuel management will help with the gas mileage. If you drive this truck you will buy it!

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  Great truck - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By rtg208 - February 1 - 2:52 pm

  Truck drives like a car. It gets 18-20 mpg on the hwy with ease. Drive in town and you can expect 15. All around truck rides and drives great. Gets the best MPG of all the big trucks and SUVs and looks the best. GM did a great job on the style of this truck. Hopefully the long term reliability is going to be there.

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  A roadster to remember - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By MATTS04SSR - February 1 - 7:51 am

  I have owned all types of car and trucks. In fact I have a 64 Chevelle, the SSR is the best. I drive it as a daily driver, mine is an 04 purple. I get some looks that is for sure, not so good in the snow but, it is still fast and fun.

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  Unbelievable Safety - 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Jim - January 31 - 9:39 pm

  I was t-boned on drivers side/other guy going about 50! Walked away from my 2007 Avalanche. Side bags saved my life, as did the vehicle. Avalanche was totaled, as was F250 diesel that hit me. Cops said Avalanche saved my life without question. Bought a new 2008 LTZ. Cant say enough about how great both have been. Not a problem on either one. Had a 2004 Deville and these trucks ride and perform as well as the Caddy. If class, quality, ride, safety, and good looks are important then this is your vehicle. I cant stress how great I feel with all the safety features built into this truck.

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  Big Bang For The Bucks - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By Robert Couture - January 31 - 10:48 am

  I replaced my 2004 Pontiac Bonneville with this Impala on 1/13/09. This car is a great value for the price, lots of nice options. Handles very well in the snow or on dry pavement. Build quality is high. This car provides roomy, comfortable, economical and reliable transportation.

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  TrailBlazer SS - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Darkhell - January 31 - 9:52 am

  The hands down best SUV I have ever driven. I have never been a fan of buying new cars until the day I drove to the dealership to test drive something fast just for the fun of it. Months went by and I couldnt get that car out of my head. Its the comfort of one of a luxury SUV, hands down best looking SUV on the market and is powered by the 400hp ls2 corvette motor. Not sure if you want one? No harm in just test driving one.

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  Original 5 year owner comments - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By M.K.U. - January 31 - 5:35 am

  I have owned and driven this Corvette for almost 5 years. There is really nothing as much fun as a top down cruise in this car. This car was a daily driver for the first 2 years and then a weekend garage queen since then. No issues or problems just routine oil changes. 33,000 miles and loving every minute.

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  Another great Chevy truck - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By NoOneSpecial - January 30 - 1:22 pm

  This is my fourth Chevy truck (2 Silverados, 1 Tahoe previously). They just keep getting better. I have never had any problems with any of them. The Suburban is by far the best. I have the Z71 package and love it. It is great for our large family either around town or on longer trips. Now if I can just get my wife to get one. (She is still not confident driving such a large vehicle.) If you need a large SUV, this is a great one.