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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  Good Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By DKWinnie - November 10 - 10:00 am

  I owned an 04 ford F150, and it had a smoother, quieter ride and I liked the look better, but the Silverado is a significantly better made truck and just "feels" more durable and I am much happier with it. I also liked the look of the F150 interrior and seats but the controls and placement in the silverado is much better. All in all I am much happier in the Silverado than I was in the F150 though both have their strong and weak points.

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  Love it - 1992 Chevrolet Caprice
  By goldvirg01 - November 9 - 5:03 pm

  This is my 2nd Caprice. The 1st was a 91. It has 152,000 miles and rides pefect. Drinks too much gas. I get about a little over 200 miles on a full tank and I use premium gas. But it only drinks like that in the city. Strong motor. Not fast at all, but strong. Will burn rubber. Very heavy car. Fun to drive. I think it is one of the best cars ever made, except for the gas mileage. 91-93 were the best years from my experience.

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  2004 Aveo - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By S. Selvage - November 8 - 2:47 pm

  I bought my little car about 10 months ago. It had 26,000 miles on it. I have 36,000 on it now. My only complaint is the gas mileage. I expected better. It is getting 30 to 33 mpg. It seems sturdy and I enjoy driving it. I have no complaint with the pep. The interior room is excellent and the back seat has more room than my Toyota RAV. There does seem to be a bad blind spot at the front side windshield, and to the rear. I have learned to compensate.

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  Good truck but some things got to change - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dustin - November 5 - 5:36 pm

  Had it for 2.5 years since new and I really do love my truck, it runs great and looks great and is comfortable and fun to drive. Plenty of power. Unfortunately there are just some things you dont think about when test driving. The select cloth seats collect lint like crazy, Why in the world would GM use this material. The basic speakers are not very good at all,rattle even at a low volume. Gas mileage is horrible when towing, pulls like a champ though. Had rear main seal replaced at 25k and rotors turned at 35k. side moldings starting to peel off at 45k, Overall I think its a great truck, and I use it like a truck.

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  First Full Size Pick-Up - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Noru - November 4 - 10:53 pm

  07 LT1 Crew Cab now with 12.5K on it. This is my first full size truck, my trade in was a 06 GMC Canyon Crew Cab, the Canyon was a good truck but it never had enough room inside for me and the family it just got small on us as time went by. The Silverado is big enough with a very nice smooth stable ride. The gas mileage in town is 15 mpg, & 20 mpg on the highway at 70mph. I have the 4.8 engine and Im very pleased with the power and smoothest, the 4-spd auto is sweet also buy it did take about 8K to break in, at first the down shift from second to first gear was harsh at times buy got better as more miles where added. Its has been very reliable with no issue at all.

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  good - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By harrideo - November 1 - 10:00 am

  very good car. the only thing that i dont like about it is there is no child safty latch on the back door. other wise for short I LIKE IT. THE DEALER MADE MY SALE VERY EASY NO HASSLE.

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  Id buy another - 2006 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By mikml2 - November 1 - 9:27 am

  This is my second Avalanche. The first one had some serious problems. I traded it and got a new one. This one had problems when I first got it, but once the kink got out of it, its been great.

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  2001 Chevy Venture Plus - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By Armstead - October 31 - 3:26 pm

  The look of the van is the best part. Performance is excellent. Changed the fuel pump and very expensive radiator in the first year of ownership. A great family vehicle. The extended version would have been better for groceries.

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  Pleased with my 04 Avalanche - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By sburk - October 30 - 12:20 pm

  I purchased my 04 used with 14,000 miles on it. I have been very pleased so far. My Avalanche does not have the body hardware and is very sharp looking. I am getting about 15 mpg during mostly country driving as high as 19 mpg on highway trips. The interior is extremely comfortable especially on long trips. The ride is solid and quiet. I enjoy the sunroof and Bose stereo. I wish I had leather, but the black sport cloth seats are very nice. The bed cover was somewhat faded when I purchased the vehicle, but after using a product called "Back to Black" it looks like new. This is the perfect truck for a family man. Tons of rear seat space even for adults and I love the midgate versatity.

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  My Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Melissa - October 30 - 6:33 am

  I love my Equinox. I get so many compliments on my truck. Its not a huge SUV. It seems to be just the right size. With the rear folding AND sliding seats, picking up a large item is not a problem. And with the front folding passenger seat, long pieces of lumber or the like, is a piece of cake! Avaible On-Star & XM Radio is awesome. I use my personal calling feature all the time.