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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  Great car - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Punkin3785 - September 10 - 1:37 am

  I get awesome gas mileage. This car has a lot of pickup and is always reliable. I couldnt have asked for a better car... only bad thing is, I just foung out that mine didnt come with a lug wrench...and the lugnuts are inverted so you cant use a universal wrench... so Im searching for one to obtain before i get a flat tire and am up the creek without a paddle.

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  Cool Chevy Tahoe! - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Claire - September 10 - 12:29 am

  We love the four wheel drive! The LS model is just fine for us. It has cloth seats,no leather! Ours only seats six. That is a major drawback.

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  Still a Champ - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By DuckHunter - September 10 - 12:26 am

  I bought this truck from a family member. It was better than new then, and is pretty close now. Im amazed at the power and handling that this truck has when compared to its size. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good used truck.

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  I Love My Tahoe with the Cattle Catcher! - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By penny - September 9 - 3:46 pm

  I love this vehicle. Yeh, I padi through the nose (actually still am), but I love this truck. At 93,000 miles I just replaced the fuel pump, muffler. Needs U-Joint. Hope this doesnt set precedent for continuing repairs.

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  Reliable Car - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Andy - September 8 - 1:19 pm

  I enjoy driving my Prizm. Have only performed routine maintenance like tires and brakes in the two years since purchasing. Paid $3,500 for the car and still books around same price over two years later.

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  LT - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Matt - September 6 - 1:30 pm

  Loved the color of the vehicle and the radio. It has good acceleration and abs brakes grab smoothly. So far fuel economy has been great. The computer in dash is real nice. This car will make a nice commuter car

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  Wind Noise - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By mockster - September 5 - 10:59 pm

  I love the power of this vehicle. I also love the "weight" of the vehicle. It feels sturdy. The cargo room is better than other SUVs I have owned. My biggest gripe and the reason I am looking to sell? Wind noise. This is the loudest vehicle I have ever driven in. It sounds like the windows are open when you get out on the highway. You cannot hear anyone from the back seat. I read reviews about the noise when I bought the vehicle but didnt realize what it really meant. I cannot drive it any longer because of this one complaint. It makes me crazy. Watch your air conditioning belt also. Mine froze up and cost $1100 to fix.

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  Great Reliable Transportation - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By luminalover - September 3 - 12:03 pm

  The Chevy Lumina is a great example of a reliable and well built American Automobile. It has decent power and fuel mileage. Even with 129,00 miles, it runs like a car with 50,000. Very solid and very safe. Paint still shines like new. Body does not dent easily. Interior is not fancy, but it holds up very well. Even has keyless entry on a 1999.

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  Chose an Equinox over a Santa Fe - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dwzemens - September 3 - 5:13 am

  Having recent bad luck with a Saturn I swore the next car would be foreign. We looked long and hard at the Santa Fe and the Forester. A friend told me to give the new Equinox a look and I might be surprised. I expected the worst. The Equinox knocked my socks off. Beautiful car, much more attractive than the other two. Nicer interior. Very cool looking dash board. The ride is nice and quiet, but its a bit rough on bumpy pavement. So far, 300 miles in, things look good. City mileage looks exactly at 22mpg, which is the EPA standard. Hoping to get 28mpg on the highway as I really dont think 32mpg is attainable in the real world.

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  Good experience - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By golfgreenzach - September 2 - 10:00 am

  Very good vehicle. Seems very solid and well built. No problems or warranty work required through 20 months of ownership.