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:

• 

  Best Silverado Yet. - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By txreaction - September 28 - 10:40 pm

  I have owned three Silverados so far..1995, 2000, 2004SS, and my new 2008 is far superior. The options that are available are excellent. I opted for the extended cab LT2 package with the Texas Edition upgrade which includes fog lights, special 20" rims, and cargo management system. Stickered for $33,000. Out the door with gap insurance and extended warranty I paid $23,480. Thanks to employee pricing of course. If you have your doubts, just test drive one...there is a reason people refer to the Silverado as the Cadillac of trucks.

• 

  best suv out there - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By smooth rider - September 27 - 10:00 am

  this is the best suv i have ever owned. i had a 97 bravada 00 jimmy but this blows it away the ride is unreal it handles like a dream.

• 

  Nice car - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By bruce - September 27 - 9:30 am

  I had 520 miles on my 09 HHR when we left on a trip to Denver NC via Norton VA. It was pretty well loaded down with luggage etc. Lots of steep hills to get to Norton but it pulled them very well. no problems with the brakes either except the pedal does feel soft. Coming back to Ohio thru the Blue Ridge on I77 it ran great with the cruise set at 70. For the trip I averaged 29.2 mpg and it was a comfortable ride. You do have to know how to set and use the outside mirrors as there are blind spots.

• 

  Highly Recomend - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By gilli2us - September 26 - 2:04 pm

  Excellent, versatile vehicle. Can haul full sheet of plywood with tailgate shut. Excellent payload, love the fuel management features. Supurb interior, and ingenious design with the mid- gate, and removeable rear window. Truck drives like a car, or hauls like a good truck should. It does get a little cramped with the rear seats folded down. You have to move the front seats forward pretty far to get the back seats to fold down all the way.

• 

  Great SUV - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By stephanie - September 25 - 9:05 am

  I drove Jeeps for years. I am so glad I made the switch to my TrailBlazer. I can only say great things about it! Would recomend it to anyone looking for a midsize suv! We have plenty power to tow our camper and boat. Better gas mileage than expected!

• 

  Wonderful Car - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Joel - September 25 - 3:53 am

  I just purchased this car, pretty happy with it so far. In my opinion its a nice car for the money and gets very good gas mileage. Nice and roomy for small family of 4. I disliked it at first thinking it was going to be like a PT Cruiser and I was wrong and sold when I test drove it. It was exactly what I was looking for. So I suggest if youre thinking about looking for a roomy family vehicle that you can haul stuff if you want then this is the perfect car for you.

• 

  2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Dmagic - September 25 - 1:03 am

  I recently purchased the cavalier LS Sport Sedan. I must say that for the buck, this is a best buy! It has all the custom features most people want, available in factory make. The sound system is excellent, and puts a little bump in your ride. Considering it only has a 4 cylinder, the car has quite an amount of pickup too.

• 

  Camaros Rule - 1996 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Derek - September 24 - 10:38 pm

  I have had a 3.8 V6 Camaro since june when I graduated. Its t-topped and the best ride I have ever owned. I have cold air intake, loud dual exhaust, and high performance tires. It is also chipped out to 255 hp. This car is fast. I would definitely recomend this car to anybody wanting a nice ride to cruise town with.

• 

  My favorite ride - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Connie - September 24 - 4:43 pm

  Wow! I bought my HHR almost 1 year ago and I still love it. It is the first vehicle I have owned that did not have new car bugs or problems. I have not had to take it back to the dealer even once since I bought it. I bought the Victory Red version, and the paint still glistens. The interior is holding up very well. The features are amazing for the price range. Gas mileage is excellent. Power to go is there. Handling is good except behind a 18 wheeler on the interstate then you get buffeted around a bit. I would (and have) recommend this vehicle to my friends.

• 

  I love my Cobalt - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By elle11 - September 24 - 12:22 pm

  I needed a car and I had never heard of a Cobalt till I got to the dealer. This was the first car that I looked at and I wanted one that day and didnt want to go anywhere else. I love this car. It is a smooth ride with huge trunk space. I cant believe though that the Saturn Ion is said to be the same car. The Cobalt is 100% better than the ION all around. I cant even believe that the Cobalt is getting compared to such an ugly hunk of cheap junk. I am not saying that the Cobalt is expensive or luxury, but it is next to the ION. I would not trade my Cobalt. My dog even loves it. I have had a few minor problems, but that had something to do with the dealers error. This is a great car.