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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  Wimpy gas burner. - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Dave - August 14 - 5:40 pm

  This I5 engine is terrible. It runs like a 4 cylinder and burns gas like a 6 cylinder. The truck itself is generally comfortable and somewhat stylish, but it really needed a better engine and something that could get mileage closer to the estimate on the sticker. Ive owned since it was new and Ive actually had no major problems, but Im tired of fighting the fuel bills and the lack of power.

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  Great Truck! - 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By cadeleon - August 14 - 1:07 pm

  Replaced a Truck after it was in an accident. Wow, this a great truck. Very comfortable and roomy. Build quality is very very good and have no complaints. Compared initially with the Silverado but the ride in the A/V won as over. If you are looking for a truck but dont use it as a day to day truck, this is the one I would recommend. It can do everything a truck can do and more.

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  Lemon! - 2010 Chevrolet Suburban
  By CJ - August 14 - 11:25 am

  This was my first American car purchased. It will also be my last. Less than six months and Ive already been to the dealership four times for problems to be addressed. First was the seating. It felt like an extra bar was in the seat that was pushing upwards. It was intolerable to drive more than 5 miles without it hurting . The second was the A/C. It blows hot air when the A/C is on. Not good for a 100 degree day. Very disappointed in overall quality. I expected much more from a company that has made such a dramatic financial turnaround.

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  The Classic SUV that sets the standard - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By DAD OF FOUR - August 14 - 10:45 am

  I have owned five 1999 Suburbans. I also own an Excursion for family trips. Between the two, Id take the suburban any day. The excursion is a truck, plain and simple. Huge, cavernous. The Suburban is comfortable and quiet. Yes, the gas mileage is in the teens, but the trade off is the safety and comfort of those riding inside. The Suburban is easy to turn, provided you know what youre doing. You can load it up and still have room, and even after 12 years, the interiors still look good and feel tight - and not the cheap plastic highlights that are in cars today. With regular maintenance, these SUVs can literally run forever.

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  American Muscle is Back! - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Joe - August 13 - 10:39 am

  Words cant express my passion for the redesigned retro 2010 Camaro. This car brings it all to the table when it comes to power, performance, comfort, and reliability. Chevy did a great job at a perfect time!

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  2002 Cavalier LT Sedan - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By C,Diddy - August 13 - 12:53 am

  This car is unspectacular. The ride quality and performance is below average. But,I love it for being extremely reliable and cheap to operate. Good on gas and oil. A.C. only works 100% when vehicle is moving. ABS and traction control light goes off and on, and I have a strut in the front that needs to be changed. But, like I said, RELIABLE and CHEAP! I have 103,000 km on mine, and I have no doubt it will last for as long as I need it to.

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  Awesome Truck - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By msagewilson - August 12 - 8:12 pm

  I inherited my Suburban when I turned 16, it was my dads when his 85 GMC Blazer went out. It wasnt the prettiest ride when I got it, but thats changing now. I plan on finishing it with bigger, meaner wheels, a dual magnaflow, new trim, and new sound system. Its a very aggressive truck, and can go anywhere it can fit. I did have trouble with the coolant system, a series of problems arose after I waited too long to replace a bad radiator, my mistake, but other than that, NO problems. I turned down 2 newer cars to keep this truck, and Ive never regretted it once. Long live the Suburban

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  Overall Splendid Car - 2 design flaws - 2010 Chevrolet Impala
  By vinita - August 12 - 10:39 am

  The 2010 Impala LTZ is overall a wonderfully designed vehicle, inside and out. Operation of the car is very intuitive and sensible. The LTZ has good lower lumbar support (unlike the LT) however, the head-rest is TOO FAR FORWARD creating neck pain, especially on long drives (it is a mystery as to why the headrests on cars are being pushed forward to unnatural and difficult positions). The car is responsive and powerful however seems to have less responsiveness and pickup than the LT (another mystery), despite a theoretically more powerful engine, dual exhaust, etc. Onstar is SPLENDID indeed! Sunroof inside shade does not open up the full way (to enable full exposure of the sky-window).

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  Bland - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By TopGear - August 12 - 10:01 am

  My grandma used to own this car, and it was pretty much un-driven. When her license was revoked, I took on the old Chevy as a second car to my Volvo XC90. Ive got to say, as nice as it is to have the extra car around, this is a boring car. I find its too easy to drive, and that the seats are made to be slouched in the whole time. Apart from the front, which has some good features, this is an ugly car. The steering wheels feels plasticy (because it is) and the shifter is unresponsive. This car does have decent handling, but not perfect, and decent power, but unresponsive. If you need an extra car, and dont care at all about cars, buy this - but if youre like me and like cars, forget it.

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  Bulletproof - 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Peter - August 11 - 3:13 pm

  Just bought mine with 150K, amazing truck, great ride quality, even great seats. Tough as nails, inexpensive to repair, this might be the last of the great American SUVs. Ive owned European luxury cars and have driven pretty much everything out there and this truck impresses me more than the Range Rover!