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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  Best car I have owned - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By wayne heidt - September 4 - 2:06 pm

  I had a Monte Carlo (2003), and it was great. But the Impala is a far better vehicle for ride, and the supercharged engine has the power to pass when you want to

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  thooper - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By carmanelos - September 4 - 10:00 am

  it is an all around great vehicle

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  2004 Comemorative Convertible - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jak - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Love it so far! Traded my "2003" 350Z since the upgrades werent coming through as promised by the Nissan dealers. The "Z" was awsome but the vette just blows it away in style and power. After seeng pics of the C6, I decided to grab the last year and commemorative edition of the C5. Its prooven and I prefer the old style looks over the new European style of the C6. The new version has some nice changes (400hp) but the front view and plastic grill look like the cheaper imports.

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  Handles and looks great! - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Astrid - September 3 - 4:50 pm

  I thought this car one of the best cars. It handles very good like youre driving on air. Its so fast and the sunroof I got to say is a excellent feature epspecialy here in Flordia. The opitions on the wheel such as changing the station on the radio is a brilliant idea when it comes to driving. The interior is beautiful and nice.

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  Love it! - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By racegirl - September 3 - 3:54 pm

  This is the first car I have bought on my own. I love it. It is sporty and very realiable. Very good gas mileage!

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  At least this Cavaliar is great! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rusty - September 3 - 10:29 am

  Great pick-up. Great on gas savings. Room enough for a chubby driver. Looks real good. Easy to keep clean.

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  Quality At a Great Price - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bill - September 2 - 1:37 pm

  What an exciting car! Not only did the Malibu catch my eye on the road, I couldnt resist owning one after I saw it. Only a couple hundred miles so far. Cant wait for my first road trip.

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  lov n it - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By phat car buyir - September 2 - 10:00 am

  awsome car must buy!!

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  Excellent so far! - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By lindsyriches - September 2 - 10:00 am

  Though I have only had this car for less than a week, I have only found one thing I dont like. The recirculate button on the AC is not the default when you turn the car on. I had a honda and it was always the default.

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  Its been a great car. - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Gary - September 2 - 6:41 am

  I bought my Cobalt with 100,000 miles on it, so I was expecting it to need some work at sometime or another, and maybe have a leak here or there, but it simply hasnt been the case. I change my own oil and always do a look around underneath the car to check for issues, and I almost always come up empty handed. I now have 157,000 miles on the car, and all Ive had to change are the brakes, tires, and a couple control arm bushings. The reliability has been phenomenal. About the only gripe I have is that the interior is very basic and cheap looking