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 Price/performance - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By JohnEP - January 20 - 10:00 am

  The Cavalier is nothing fancy, a basic car, but as a commuter car it gets consistently 30 mpg and has had zippo defects. Nice mileage, with various rebates and payments I ended up at less the $10k for a new vehicle, which is unheard of. (Thank you, GM MasterCard.) This car seems to get knocked in trade rags; I dont understand why. I test drove about six-seven models in the $15- $20k price range, and all have similar plusses/minusses. Most seemed noisy, and handled adequately but not great. Cavalier in this price range really seems to be near the top. And its fully debugged, in my opinion. Traded in an 87 Corolla, am quite happy I did.

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  2003 Trailbrazer - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By masonsmom - January 20 - 10:00 am

  Love the exterior look of this vehicle, the interior is nice but could use some nicer touches. The ride is to die for, comforable, great travel vehicle, plenty of room for 4 or 5 people. The engine handles towing my boat without a problem and when you need to pass in a hurry the engine is right there for you. Havent tried it in snow yet, but Im looking forward to it. I would buy this vehicle again.

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  Good truck, mileage is not even reasonable - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By L2theG - January 20 - 4:36 am

  Have an 08 2500HD. Its a good truck but I have already broke down first time I towed my RV (6000 lbs). Fuel mileage is terrible. 13 -15 mpg. When I tow this little RV mileage drops to 8-9 mpg. My fathers 05 is twice as good on fuel with a load 15-17 mpg. They really missed the boat with this new emmissions package. Knowing what I know now I would not have bought this truck.

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  Absolute Joy to Drive - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By KW - January 19 - 9:18 am

  After much debate, I finally purchased the 07 TrailBlazer SS. Didnt get a lot of the frills, bought mostly for performance and I absolutely love the power and exterior looks. Not too crazy about the interior dash and the standard radio. Would definitely suggest at least getting the upgraded Bose sound system. The fuel economy isnt that great which seems to get less than my 02 Infiniti QX4 rated with the same mpg of 15 city and 19 hwy.

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  Good Buy - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By Aris B - January 18 - 12:26 pm

  I bought my 2005 Classic in September 2006 and have found it to be reliable and most of all comfortable. The gas mileage stated 25 MPG in the city and I would say I am getting close to that, maybe a little less. The comfort factor and generous truck space made it a sale. Price was a big concern. I was able to get mine for $9,000 with about 29,000 on it. It drives like a new car. I agree with the review about the carpet being cut too small for the passenger compartment.

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  Wind Noise! - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By T Hensley - January 17 - 8:37 pm

  I have always had GM products. After all the wind noise my TrailBlazer has this may be my last. People who ride in the back seat alway ask if the window is all the way up. After a while my wife and I just laugh. When I took it back to fix the wind noise I was told this is a bad feature with the 2005 models. We took it back again, and let them know we didnt pay all that money for a bad feature. It has been at the dealership for 6 weeks. They have tried many things but wind noise is still there.

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  Best for the Money - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By spiderebb - January 17 - 2:14 pm

  The best of all worlds. A daily driver with bountiful power. Relatively economical to own, and an absolute blast to drive. The balance takes some time to get used to, but oversteer can be a good thing. Takes turns amazingly fast, just make sure youre dead- straight before touching the throttle. A glowing endorsement, but also its biggest flaw. Youll always be itching for the open road. Youll never find a road open enough. You always catch up to someone in a blink of an eye.

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  Working Out - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Chris - January 17 - 2:02 pm

  Like many others, I had looked seriously at the Tacomas, but for what you get the price difference is too great. For $28,000 you dont get leather, power seats, etc. Ive go 26,000 miles on my Coly now and havent had a problem yet. Ive upped the tires to BFG ATs 32s, leveled the front, added a Magnaflow exhaust, K&N cold intake and it really goes. Sounds much closer to the rugged looks of the Z71. Even with the bigger tires, the mileage still hits within range the estimates. Yes, the PCM was calibrated for the tires. Its fun, quick enough and the leather seats are anything but uncomfortable.

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  C5 problem - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dennis Mulholland - January 17 - 7:42 am

  Great handling, great power, fun to drive in the canyons, great gas mileage for a car with this much power.......whats not to like? Most all c5 owners have had "column lock failure " and had to call a tow truck at least once to get it to the dealership and usually a hefty repair bill. The solution may be as simple as a bad or slightly discharged battery, check it first. And, a permanent repair harness is available in the aftermarket for about $50. Get the harness before it happens, leaving you stranded. Only takes a few minutes to install.

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  I love this car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By John Underwood - January 17 - 12:53 am

  This is the most fun Ive had with four wheels since 1969. It goes, stops, turns, all with a great feel and precision. 20 MPG in stop and go commute and 34 MPG on a freeway trek of 200 miles doesnt hurt my feelings either. Best bang for your buck hands down.