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:

• 

  Love My Car - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jenn - June 14 - 10:12 am

  I got my Impala in early 2006. I was stopped at red lights, car washes, and everywhere else by people complimenting my nice car. It is the best car I have ever driven. The only negative that I can report is that the tire monitoring system is extremely sensitive about the tire pressure being just right. The only option that the car doesnt have is automatic climate control. Other than that, it is the best car. When my lease is up, I plan on getting another one!

• 

  A lot of truck for the money - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By Kyle Rodrigue - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Duramax diesel is worth the option price!

• 

  Camaro, One More Time - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By D. Thompson - June 14 - 10:00 am

  As a former Camaro owner (78 Rally Sport), I could not resist buying this car in the 35th and final year of production. After looking at convertibles for 2 years, this car fit the bill from a price, quality, and performance standpoint. Getting a convertible with this much performance at less that Edmunds TMV and walking away with thousands of $$ in my pocket was a great feeling. The build quality on this car is very good inside and out and I noticed none of the problems noted in other editorials. The car rides and drives very well with gas mileage in the 20- 22 range in town and 23 plus on the highway.

• 

  Best car I ever had - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By jeffrey - June 14 - 10:00 am

  I am a contractor and use this car / truck in my work. I convert it from SUV to truck 1 to 3 times per week. It literally is like having two vehicles.

• 

  Rugged, Excellent Towing - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By GalTx - June 14 - 10:00 am

  This is my third chevy vehicle and by far the 2002 Trailblazer is the best yet. Excellent power, towing, service, ride. We just got back from a 4,300 mile trip and we averaged 21.3 miles per gallon. Not bad for having 2 kayaks on top. The new 4.2 liter is exremely powerful.

• 

  Awesome - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By JP - June 14 - 7:52 am

  My husband just bought me this 08 LTZ in the white diamond appearance pkg.w/ 20" wheels. Its a definite head turner. After driving a Toyota for 10years with no real issues I was set on getting another Toyota. However you cant beat the Tahoe in price and all the options. With a family of 4 we cant ask for anything more. And gas mileage is pretty good for such a large SUV. Its pretty comparable to the minivans we looked at. Im getting about 16mpg in the city and about 21mpg on interstate driving. The Tahoe is the way to go!

• 

  Love This Car! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By OrangeFan - June 14 - 1:40 am

  Im a luxury SUV owner, but wanted a 2nd "smaller" vehicle to just hop in and go. But you cant take the luxury out of a person, so I looked long and hard to find a car I wanted. And this car is it! Its a real joy to drive - very comfortable, quiet, and handles beautifully. The front seats seem to envelop you and the lumbar support is nice. The sound system is just as nice as my Denalis 9-speaker Bose system. I hesitated with the ebony/brick interior, wondering if I would get sick of it, but the opposite is true. I like it more every day. The interior lines with the contrasting colors are very sharp and pleasing to the eye.The swooping dashboard lines give the interior a more open feel

• 

  Family - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By w. duck - June 14 - 12:40 am

  Good response. good ride, good handling. Its easy to park, and quiet on the road at highway speeds. Its easy to service, affords good visibility of traffic, and has excellent stopping power.

• 

  Better than any Import, Toyota look out! - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By gindelm7 - June 13 - 7:35 pm

  Bought this car new after looking for a replacement for my 1999 Malibu. This is the 4cyl with XM satellite radio and remote start. I took the car back to replace a visor and check out steering noise. Outstanding service. Said the steering noise was normal. Now I have 90,000 miles and just replaced front brake pads (no rotors) for the first time. Nothing else has gone wrong with this car! Tires at 63,000 miles and regular oil changes. My radio/computer says 33 mpg but my calculations indicate I get 35.7 mpg. Can the new malibu be any better? Great drive quality at 75 mph, no noise. no vibrations. Paint looks great, A/C is fantastic. Plenty of room in back seat for 3 kids. Get one!

• 

  1992 Lumina - Odometer 48,000 miles - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Lumina Fan - June 13 - 4:11 pm

  I purchased my 1992 Lumina in 1994 from a couple who entered a nursing home. Ive had very few problems with my Lumina. Wish they still made this model. Chevy probably didnt because people were hanging on to them too long! Theres only 48,000 miles on the odometer (yes, thats the correct number) Right now, the Lumina does need some minor repairs - hoses, tires - I get a complete tuneup every year, but I now have a 2007 Chevy Cobalt, so Im afraid I will need to sell my Lumina. Ive never had a car that lasted so long with so few problems! I only hope the Cobalt will do as well.