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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  Great So Far - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By KBUD - March 20 - 9:36 am

  I have had a 60, 64SS 71 77 89 95 and now an 07 Impala. I have it 10 months now and I have to say, Im impressed. Sufficient power, comfortable front seats, road driving 32. In town, 26 average. Actually quieter than my 03 Mercury Marquis. Probably the best (mileage car) I have ever owned. By the way, I have a contact in Oshawa Canada where these are made and I am told the Impala quality control is strict and tight with constant inspections. Its not Grandpas old big monster Impalas, but I am rolling with the times and this looks like a winner.

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  Our third Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By larry tobias - March 19 - 8:19 am

  This is our third Malibu in a row we have leased. We like the cars styling, reliability, size , and comfort (although the front seats could use a little more support under the legs). The mileage is good overall (about 22mpg around town, but over 33 mpg on the highway. We like the cars little computer system it has on board, that tells you miles to go on the gas you have left, oil life indicator, dual trip milage counters, outside temp. and ice warning indicator. The trunk is very large. All in all we are very satified. We got a lot of car for $18,000 dollars, which translated to about $250 dollars a month for our lease, with zero down!

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  Good basic transportation - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By chick molitor - March 16 - 9:38 pm

  The Impala has been a good car for my needs as a sales rep, putting on over 50,000 miles a year. Nothing spectacular in performance, just good reliable transportation

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  Bad tranny - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By darbycole - March 16 - 2:37 pm

  i like this vehicle besides the fact that the tranny in it stinks. ive heard alot of bad things about Blazer trannies and now I can relate as my tranny went out last month. Otherwise a nice SUV. Plenty of power and a comfortable ride overall.

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  This truck can achieve 30mpg combo C/Hwy - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Mark - March 16 - 2:06 pm

  This is a good looking truck. I like how its on the smaller side. This allows for better mileage. I drive about 25% CITY and 75% highway and was getting a combined mileage of about 26 mpg. I then added a bed cover and increased the tire pressure to 40psi and now get almost 30mpg combined city/hwy mileage driving gently. Not bad considering this is a pickup truck. I would guess the highway mileage by itself might be as high as 35mpg. The only negative thing Ive experienced so far is that occasionally the idle sticks at about 2800rpm even after its warmed up. I can remedy this by turning it off and restarting it. Overall I am very happy with it. Too soon to brag about its reliability though.

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  Colorado in Michigan - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Rose - March 15 - 1:40 pm

  I like the looks, the height, and the handling. I can seat 5 people and, by putting a fiberglass tonneau cover on the bed, I have the greatest "trunk". No putting down seats to haul stuff. During my first snow storm experience, the four-wheel drive functioned great. However,without a rear window defroster, the rear window and back side windows fogged/iced up and my outside mirrors were covered by falling snow, so to me, this is a safety concern. I went to my GM dealer, as well as 5 off-market businesses, looking for a rear window defroster, but no one makes it.

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  Very nice SUV - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By troyk - March 15 - 2:00 am

  Overall, I am very pleased with the Traiblazer. The power and ride are excellent. My wife says its easy to drive, and doesnt feel big on the road. One of my biggest complaints is the steering wheel radio controls. With the 6 disc changer, you can only switch discs, not tracks.

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  Nice 97 blazer - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Dichard - March 14 - 4:00 pm

  Overall this was a very good used car purchase. The only thing I have had to do to this SUV is change the ball joints 3 times! Cheap OEM ball joints they just dont last. No other problems and I would recommend the vehicle. Very roomy interior and lots of space for all your traveling needs. Comfortable to drive on long trips. plenty of horse power in the Vortec V6.

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  Great Truck But Has Problems - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By enforcer_2006 - March 14 - 1:45 pm

  I bought my Avalanche used. It is a 1500 Z-71 with 93K miles every option imaginable. I love the way it drives and is really good in snow and ice. The problems I am experiencing is the water pump, steering gear box, and Bilstein shocks have all just gone out at the same time!!! Talk about dumping some money into it all at once. Another problem is that when you drive the truck down the interstate and the wind is blowing, and it does not have to be blowing hard, you get blown all over the interstate. It is gets so bad that I actually take the long way to work using backroads when it gets windy. When I accelerate hard, I get a metalic sound coming from the engine and Chevy cant diagnose it.

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  Great Inexpensive Daily Driver - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By EllwynX - March 14 - 9:31 am

  After owning this car almost a year/6200 miles its been a very reliable vehicle. Plenty of room for tall drivers despite its small stature. Performs well for a car its price. Plenty of features (power windows/locks/mirror/sunroof, keyless entry, CDw/mp3 capability) for an entry level car. If youre in the market for one now, I say wait for the 2007s to come out. Their look is MUCH improved over the 04-06 and they are getting a few more features not available on the 04-06s. The Aveo was the #1 selling car in its class for 05 and that should continue with the improved 07 model being released this year. My Performance/Fun ratings are low due to my having an 02 Camaro previously.