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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  07 Design Disappointments - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Dave - November 24 - 11:06 am

  This is my 3rd Suburban. My 01 was a quantum improvement over my 95. The 07 dropped the dual visors, and several small storage areas, no lock on console. Headliner, visors, and plastic trim finish looks cheaper to me. GPS has poor software and database. ie, 3-D view of map is only map display option and street level data is limited even in urban areas. Buy a Garmin C330. Get better performance and save big dollars. It takes forever for the screens to change on the display. On the positive side I have had no rattles or other problems since delivery. Would be great performance wise with a diesel. GMs design concept was on the right track, but too many compromises to save on build cost.

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  07 Impala SS: Worth a look & drive! - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Morgan Hayden - November 24 - 3:53 am

  We have an ’06 Hemi Charger and an SS; the Charger is my spouse’s, and the SS was a replacement for a company car I had. I did not want another Charger, so I went looking for a conservative looking sedan I could take clients out in during the week, yet still have fun with on the weekends. I think the SS has satisfied both criteria. Notes for performance buffs: installing the $20 GM strut tower brace from a 1999 Buick Regal GS in both the front and back significantly reduces body roll. Second: Taking 20 minutes to swap the soft rubber upper motor mount bushing for a stiffer one will greatly reduce the driveline lash w/o sacrificing comfort. Third: youll love the sound at wide open throttle!

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  Alaska test - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Ron Dill - November 23 - 1:03 pm

  It has snowed every day since we bought our truck. So far no problems to report with preformance. It starts easy, runs smooth, and the 4WD has performed as it should. With gas still near $3.50 per gallon the 4 cylinder mileage is welcomed. Nothing fancy, just a good solid truck for under $20 grand.

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  Smooth, comfortable, reliable - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By WCS - November 23 - 4:36 am

  The 2002 Z71 Suburban is great for carrying several people and all their stuff. The third seat is reasonable for adults of medium height. Plenty of power for hill climbing, even when fully loaded with people, camping gear and bicycles on the hitch rack. Never runs hot. Good air conditioning, heater, seat heater, stereo, fornt powerseats. Very comfortable backseat for passengers of all ages and heights.

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  Good for the price - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By BILL BASS - November 22 - 7:23 pm

  I bought my truck to pull a boat and it does a good job. They are not too expensive if you dont get too many options. The fuel economy is OK for a truck.

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  colorado z71 - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By kilton - November 22 - 10:00 am

  Interior looks a little on the cheap side lots of plastic. Vinyl trim around seat rails has some ugly gaps. i-5 power ok.

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  Fall Apart with $1,332/89. owner pays. - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Fall Apart - November 22 - 10:00 am

  Total mileage 37,011. Failure of bearings in the differential; Failure, bearing in rear axle on passenger side. Leak in same bearing. Oil lelaked onto emergency brakes. Cost me $1,332.89. 9. Designed to fail at 1,011 miles beyond warranty???? Dealer claiming no GM responsibilty. Results (2).. 1. I pay the bill. (2) Toyota has genuine, non mis-leading total quality throughout. Chev Avalanche taught me to avoid GM PRODUCTS. I AM PURCHASING A TOYOTA AVALON as soon as my Avalanche is available from its costly repairs. READER: Are you capable of learning from the above experience. Its only your money.

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  Solid - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By daniel - November 21 - 2:28 pm

  This is a solid truck. It might not be the fastest, strongest or most powerful truck, but for the price its the best. I dont use it for hauling around tons of stuff. Its perfect for the everyday moving of beds, dressers, tables, and all the big light stuff around the house. Its great. I really like the feel of this vehicle. Its smooth and has enough power to get to the next level if needed.

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  Not a Silverado - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By FL - November 21 - 10:09 am

  I traded an 04 Silverado 2500HD for this Colorado. Although the trim /options package is a 3LT, it falls way short of the Siverado 3LT package with far fewer bells and whistles. The truck is fairly comfortable with a stiff chassis. The engine has plenty of power and pickup and at highway speed is pretty smooth. At idle there is some vibration. I have had a few problems with rattles inside the cab. When bringing it to the dealers attention the tech merely tied up the HVAC cables. This seemed to correct the rattles for a short while but they are back and worse at this writing. I havent had the truck through a winter yet. Well see!

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  Vette Conv. - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jeff in Key West - November 21 - 9:52 am

  What a nice car overall! The build quality is on par with my wifes MB SLK. Interior could be a little nicer as theres too much plastic. I ordered the magnetic suspension which should be on all these. The satellite nav is a must as it adds a touch of luxury to an otherwise plain-jane dashboard. GM really needs to fix this on a $65K car.