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:

• 

  Chevrolet Equinox - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Rebecca Thayer - April 30 - 3:30 am

  I have had my car for 3 weeks. It has a lot of power and an amazing turning radius. The interior window display and cup holders are awkwardly placed but I love the space allotted between the two front seats. Its a very smooth ride. XM radio is awesome.The back seat space is great. Its a perfect car for a mom. Lots of power and smooth ride. Easy to handle.

• 

  Excellent mid-size choice - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Bryan L. - April 29 - 7:43 am

  I purchased a 2005 TrailBlazer LS 4WD three months ago with 7000 miles on the odometer. No problems everything works as it should. Living and driving in Chicago, its a perfect SUV (for me) for this terrain. Excellent visibility, super-tight turning radius, and it surpresses all of those rough roads and pot holes with ease. Great power from the 4.2L inline six cylinder (almost 300hp) and experienced 17.5 mpg around the city and 21.5 on the highway. No drifting has been experienced at highway speeds. The TrailBlazer has been around for awhile and has a proven design that works well for most.

• 

  2002 LT - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Alan - April 27 - 6:20 pm

  We bought the vehicle because of 4 kids and needed more legroom than our GMC Safari. Kids never complain about legroom (even with 2 teenagers). The vehicle is great on long trips. It is a very comfortable ride. We have not really had any mechanical issues, but have had the radio system replaced once (the digital clock kept resetting to 1:00) but the dealer was great about the warranty work. I like the 4- wheel ABS and OnStar.

• 

  Good little runner - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Rua - April 27 - 2:28 am

  For the price what more can you say. Use it until it wears out. Not too sure what the long term reliability will be, only time will tell. A mate of mine put 60, 000 ks on his without any problems. It drives and handles well, the brakes could be better though. All good!

• 

  My AWD Van - 2003 Chevrolet Express
  By Crystal - April 26 - 3:01 pm

  I love my van. I can throw so much stuff in it and drive it anywhere in the snow. I live on an 800ft gravel drive that is plowed by our farm tractor and the Van has never let me sit. We pack in six kids, two dogs, and two adults and go anywhere. The only problem is the price of gas.

• 

  If youre cheap, youll love it - 1998 Chevrolet Metro
  By Joe - April 24 - 6:19 pm

  Ok, I admit it I’m cheap. We bought the Metro in 1997 for under $8,000 (including taxes and license). With the wind, it gets around 50 mpg and has never done less than 35. If you are a cheapskate, dont believe the lies about the Metro. The professional review is really misleading and lacks historical perspective. Compared to my other car, a highly- rated 2002 Subaru Outback, it was a heck of a buy. Oh yeah, more comfortable, reliable and fun to drive too.

• 

  Impala LS - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Len - April 24 - 6:16 pm

  Chevy engineers did a fine job on this design, however, a few more changes would make customer rating better. I find it difficult to determine where the rear of the vehicle is when backing up. I love the handling and performance of the Impala LS and find it to be a reliable automobile.

• 

  I like it - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By BlazerinMT - April 23 - 11:41 am

  Bought used with 16,000 miles on 2/04, I now have 62,150 in 4/06. A little over 45,000 miles in 2 years with no major problems! Replaced ball joints 1X, a fuel filters 2xs, thats it! Runs great, looks good and really great for getting the kids and all their stuff places.

• 

  2000 Z28 Hatchback - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By First Timer - April 23 - 7:40 am

  This car is tight. When going down a bumpy road it remains quiet. Steering is tight also. The power steering is firmer than expected. Regardless of the speed firm accurate steering is always available. Power is as expected. Except for the clunking of metal parts when shifting from reverse to forward drive. No fluid leakage. Out on the freeway the car is beautiful. I was crusing at 80mph then rolled it on to 135mph. Nothing changed. Not the steering. Not the sound. Not the stability. It got there quick also. I think it will do 155mph with no problems. Seating is bad. I replaced the drivers seat with one I had in a 96 Chevy Caprice cop car. Now it is OK.

• 

  Okay Car - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By Adam W. - April 21 - 3:08 pm

  I bought this truck with 135,000miles on it. About 2000 miles later I needed a new transmission. At 142,000 I needed a new gas line, brake line, and gas tank. I still need to get a O2 sensor, fuel sensor, new shocks, my transmission still isnt that great, and the gas mileage for a 4 cylinder isnt that great. All in all I wish I just bought a nice sedan..