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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  Still my girl - 1996 Chevrolet Camaro
  By J-Man - November 20 - 2:01 am

  My mother bought this 1996 used white 3800 V6 model w/4-speed auto and ABS in 1998, and then gave it to me when I graduated high school in 2000. Since then, Ive been taking it all over the NY-NJ region, customizing it with high performance exhaust, lighting, and intake mods. It now has "only" 76,000 miles, and with a little TLC and regular maintenance still runs with the best of them, and definitely gets looks from guys and girls of all ages. Also my girls favorite of the 3 cars I owned concurrently over the past 3 yrs, so that counts for something.

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  Super Quiet Ride - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Chesterwlth - November 19 - 11:30 pm

  The coupe is a super quiet and smooth ride with suprising power for the 2.2L engine. Very good on gas.

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  My 03 Trailblazer - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By JR - November 19 - 11:47 am

  Good truck for the money. Very reliable straight 6 but could use a little bit more "pep". Im thinking about installing a K&N Air Intake Kit to get those few extra horses and it will also give better gas mileage.

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  2005 Astro AWD LS - 2005 Chevrolet Astro
  By Gin - November 18 - 6:16 pm

  Been pretty reliable so far. The brakes on this vehicle are awesome ( design was borrowed from their truck line 4 wheel discs) Im 63 with long legs and this is the only vehicle that I can actually sit in without hitting my knees. This also includes the 3rd row seats. Ive tried a lot of vehicles. Rear heat and A/C is effective. With a 8 seats filled, cargo room is still ample for that trip to L.A. I dont have have the towing gears, so I get with AWD 15 city and 21 highway. Power is as strong as any other minivan out there. Ride is a bit stiff. AWD helps with handling corners and different road terrain. GM has improved interior sound levels and rattles compared to prior years.

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  Hidden Duramax costs - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Bilbur - November 18 - 8:23 am

  Besides being one of the best and most solid diesel pickups Ive ever owned, the truck is also the worst when it comes to the engine. The third full set of injectors have just been installed, the second Allison transmission last year, and an injection pump housing last month. For each injector change, 36, 72, and 113 thou., the truck has spent weeks waiting for parts and service. The truck sat in Phoenix for almost two weeks waiting for a torque converter and trans. Maintenance costs have exceeded $8,000 overall outside of warranty. It has cost Chevrolet $6,000 per injector change. All done under 200k warranty. When the injectors are no longer warrantied - this truck is gone!

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  good truck, but.... - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jimmy g - November 15 - 10:00 am

  I would suggest this SUV to those who like having lots of interior space. the performance is great and the handling is responsive. I really like the room on the inside, especially if you are over six feet. The only complaint I have is the leg room in the back seat if the front passengers have their seats back.

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  lead slead returns from the dead - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By g hp - November 15 - 10:00 am

  I have enjoyed my many trips to the gas stations in my area as this thing is very thirtsy. Its heavy, hard to park due to 4 wheel steering that it dosent have but needs. It is how everever, fun to drive and it tow my trailer with little problems..since adding a blower to the motor adding 150 horse power. Maintence is straight forwrard and the dealer has been excellent on my normal service routien. the soound system is great and its a breese to drive down the highway with not too much cabin noise. I would rate this vehicle as an 8..due to the turning radius. As far as relialble....couldnt be happier!!!

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  From Mini Van Hell to Suburban Heaven - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By irishdaddyo - November 14 - 11:16 am

  The Voyager died with 2 payments left on it. We needed a bus to cart around our 5 children. The trendy friends were aghast. Everyone said we had lost our marbles. This is the greatest vehicle! Inside is bigger than a studio apartment and kids cant touch each other. Theres tons of room for bikes, groceries, tools, lumber, you name it. It chews up the highway, gets better mileage than my new Ram 1500 V6. Goes anywhere! 4x4 so Ill never have to worry about the "S" word again! Its heavy and safe. Its so comfortable, we nicknamed it the "Big Comfy Couch". Its bright red paint gets us confused for a fire vehicle! The best $2800 Ive ever spent. Let the Yuppies sneer, well eat their Rendevous!

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  AFTER ADJUSTMENTS - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By wcorrea - November 12 - 2:00 am

  After a year of driving my Blazer, i must admit that its a keeper. True enough, I made a bad choice of purchasing my truck with 57,000k on the motor at only a year old. But, after a tune-up and changing the air filter from AC Delco to K&N, ive seen a massive improvement. Since having the truck ive driven out of State, to and from the same location twice, once before and after the changes. The first trip took three full tanks of gas, but the second only took two full tanks. So, that was basically one full tank of gas extra in my pocket. And, the filter also improved my performance.

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  2005 equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By migrambo - November 10 - 10:00 am

  the adjustable rear seat allows for a lot of rear leg room. the folding from passenger seat allows for haulig of 8- 10 foot pieces of lumber. the ride is very car like.