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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  Like a rock - 2001 Chevrolet Lumina
  By kalibur - April 20 - 6:06 pm

  I bought this car for 700 dollars with 95,500 miles on it from a friend in the towing business. It needed a transmission paid 450 for it 300 to install it. AC went out four months later other than that no major mechanical problems. good on gas if you fill the tank (20-24 city 29-33 highway)the only problem i with the car is the bland interior and exterior chevy should have sent the lumina out with a bang such as adding cd player, power seats, alloy rims,fog lights,sun roof, power mirrors. the only luxury feature it has is the keyless entry and trunk release

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  Great Family Vehicle - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Bucko - April 20 - 11:52 am

  Have owned the Equinox for 6 months now and all in all is a great value. We purchased an 07 1LT with the 17" chrome wheels, which make it look great. I like the sporty look, ride and handling, but, im not that impressed with the gas mileage, I get the same mileage with a 2000 grand cherokee as this. I also hate the recessed windshield, it is a pain in the rear to brush snow off, my hood is scratched and chipped after one winter.

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  My Uplander review - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Mark - April 19 - 8:31 pm

  I love this car/van/suv because the interior design. It is a good family car plus the rear air condition is great. I did not buy the model with all the bells and whistles but the standard equipment alone offers a good bit.

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  My Little Red Blaze - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By chicks1960 - April 18 - 5:34 am

  I bought this one with 130000 miles on it. Had a lot of trouble with the fuel pump. Then the oil pump went, replaced the motor, still seems to miss on the highway. Have had it a year and it has spent more time in the shop, $800 or more at a time. Chevrolet dealership and service couldnt find out the problems. Paid as much for a new motor as I did for the whole truck. Replace sensors and relays Hope it will run for a while. Air conditioner quit - compressor went out $1200 to replace.

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  Love my Prizm! - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Przmlvr - April 17 - 8:20 pm

  This Chevy Prizm was my first car. Im just 16 but the quality of the car is amazing. The car is mainly quiet when driving and is easy to maintain. I bought the car when it had 50,000 miles and have had virtually no problems. The Prizm has cruise, power everything, automatic lights, with a 3 speed automatic. The car handles the turns well and has just enough power to travel the hills and highways. Overall a good car.

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  Second One of these - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By angelfieryrain - April 17 - 5:39 pm

  So far this is my second one of these. The first was an 05 and had some transmission issue, but so far the 06 has not been all that bad, aside from one issue. I am suddenly having issues with fuel economy after almost 40k. Other then that it does pretty well in Michigan winters even without the AWD.

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  The Astroid - 1992 Chevrolet Astro
  By 1992 astroid - April 17 - 5:07 pm

  I have the 92 astro that me and everyone I work with the "ASTROID" this thing has been in the shop so many times after it hit 120K miles its not worth owning any more.The A/C went out, cruise, doesnt work, and the brakes are very sensitive. The brakes are horrible, when applying the brakes its like theres air bubbles in the brake lines because its not a smooth stop. The only good thing is the good gas mileage and the fine tuned stereo. Its had an oil change at 3,000miles and whenever it needs serviced.

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  This SUV is OK - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By kyle2004 - April 16 - 8:32 pm

  I purchased this car 8 months ago, and I am already looking to trade it in. It was a fun car at the beginning, but with 14 mpg and 16-18 on the highway, it is not worth it. Also, my 2003 looks exactly like every other Blazer model. Not complaining, but I would have liked some exterior updates to show some kind of evolution. I will hopefully be able to get some money out of it to trade it in.

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  Good small SUV - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By dobguy1 - April 16 - 2:01 pm

  This has been a pretty practical SUV. I have enjoyed it though I dont drive a whole lot, it is dependable and kind of fun to drive. It has a power button which my son calls a thruster.

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  It works for me & my jobs - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Cedric - April 16 - 10:50 am

  Ive had this car for about a year now with next to no problems. I was just use to driving SUVs until I tried sedans especially in the winter and it is great. In my line of work this car can really get up to speed when needed. The only problem was with the dash board instrumentation.