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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  like this car - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By john - December 24 - 11:51 am

  Ive driven this car for over a year. Its a nice,well built,comfortable car.Ive had absolutely no problems with it. Most of my driving has been in-town. It seems a lot roomier than a good friends new Camry.

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  I love this beauty - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By vickie young - December 24 - 11:44 am

  I had been looking for over 3 months for a silver ice...finally found it! This car is a beauty - as great to look at as it is to drive. Brings back memories of my cruising days. My husband bought me this car for my 57th birthday present - best birday ever! My car came with the rally pack-black stripes and black wheels. Did not like the black wheels so had chrome wheels put on - this care is fantastic!

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  Chevy Impapa LS - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jerry S. - December 24 - 11:33 am

  I recently purchased a new Chevrolet Impala LS. I wasnt looking for all the bells and whistles, but more for the roominess both interior and trunk. True, this car is a bit generic, but the leather interior is very comfortable, especially with power seats. The interior noise is reasonably quiet except for a minor transaxle whine in 1st and 2nd gear. Coarse roads also bring on some unpleasant resonance. Front spoiler annoyingly seems to hit every driveway. All the interior controls are very legible with a decent sound system. The 3.8 v6 starts and runs flawlessly. with excellent mpg.If your looking for nice comfortable and practical full size transportation, consider the Impala.

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  BIG BLOCK DUALLY - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By Craig C. - December 24 - 10:00 am

  This has been a great truck. It has plenty of power with the 8.1 motor and the Allision transmission. I am thinking of tradeing it in only to replace it with the same truck but with the Duramax diesel. I wish that the gas motor would do a little better on MPG. I can get around 12 MPG on the high way not towing. If I pull my 10,000 lb. trailer the best it can do is 8.5 MPG. I have talked to owners of the duramax and they can get 20 MPG!!! I like my big block and it has plenty of power but, gas is over $2.00 a gallon now so what can I do? I did not want to spend the extra $6000 for the diesel when I bought my truck.

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  Pro-mileage; Con-bed. - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By willfly - December 24 - 10:00 am

  Have had our Colorado for 2 months. Very happy with it. Getting 21 mpg with a combo of highway/city driving. Good forward visibility. Heated leather seats the way to go. Clean and organized engine compartment. Engine runs smooth. Z71 Suspension handles well. Had it in the mountains for some light offroad (fire roads & river beds). 2WD with traction control performed well. Rear seats roomy & comfortable. Some problems with fit/finish...a reoccuring issue for GM. Had to have the drivers door realigned. Wish the bed was just a bit longer. The rear-seat cupholders seem cheap/poorly designed, with respect to its mounting.

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  Nice Verhicle - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Trailbuster - December 24 - 10:00 am

  I looked at alot of mid size and compact SUV before I purchased this one. Of course some had items I liked better but overall the Trailblazer does it for me. My second choice was the Toyota 4 Runner.

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  Its Fantastic - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By FishyPig - December 24 - 10:00 am

  At this point with less than 1000 miles on it, I feel it is the best vehicle I have ever owned. Everyone loves the color-blue,and all the features on the vehicle. The ride is smooth, the pick- up is fast and powerful, the style is enticing. This vehicle is everything it says it is. I feel this is the best overall vehicle I have ever owned.

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  Comfortable, rattling and unsafe - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By Steve May - December 24 - 7:01 am

  The GOOD: No doubt this van is comfortable to sit in and looks quite nice. It accelerates quite fast and steers and brakes well too. It is roomy. That is where it ends. The van rattles especially on bumpy roads. It squeals and/or squeaks at speeds over 70 - ok probably not going to happen too often but still annoying. Build quality is not too good as the outside seat plastic switch assembly was falling apart as well as the plastic liner by the trunk. Worst of all, this van has HORRIBLE OFFSET crash test ratings! Most likely you will drive this in town to haul kids...not the safest choice.

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  Excellent Value - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jim - December 23 - 8:00 pm

  Best value in the industry. I looked at all the full size extended cab models out there, and the Chevrolet Silverado was the best buy for the price. I have owned several GM products and all of them were extremely reliable over the long haul. By that I mean they were still reliable with over 100,000 miles. The imports I have had were not.

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  Driving a Lemon - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Amanda10 - December 23 - 6:18 pm

  My car handles very well in rough terrain and snow and that is the only thing I like about it. Since I have had it I have had nothing but problems with the engine and with the electrical system. I have no heat in my car and have taken it to 2 mechanics whom said they dont know what is wrong.