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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  so far so good - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By daisy - December 12 - 10:00 am

  My trailblazer has been a good suv so far, My husband took it for a long drive, 2000 miles and it drove well. Vehicle is comfortable to drive and is the perfect sized suv. Good exterior styling.

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  Despite the Engineering shortcuts - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By diliho - December 10 - 1:43 pm

  Purchased brand new in early 03. Had brake rotors resurfaced with 600! (thats right 600) miles on the car. New rotors at a few thousand miles. Another brake job at 20 some thousand miles. New tires and a wheel alignment around 40000 miles, and its finally running smoothly. dealing with GM, and service managers were a real pain. Now have 55000 miles on car and its finally broke in and rides fine with no mechanical problems (knock on wood) Im a little concerned with the intake manifold leakage problem GM has had with the 3800 motors (plastic). I guess Ill see if I get lucky with that

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  My 12th work truck - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By bob - December 9 - 7:53 pm

  2006 LT1 Extended cab, shortbox, 5.3LV8 4X4. I have had 12 company owned trucks so far, 8 of em Chevys. Even though we had to replace a transmission at 88,000 miles, I still rated this vehicle very high on reliability because the drive train hasnt changed in several years and this was the first major problem Ive ever encountered in 400,000+ miles driving late model Chevy pickups. Heck, my 2006 still has the original brake pads at 111,000 miles! Flat, freeway driving averages about 17.5 mpg, drops to about 13mpg if light duty towing (boat). Very comfortable for long distance driving.

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  A Jewel - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Nicholas - December 9 - 2:45 pm

  Great car since Ive owned it. No problems. Always starts and handling and mechanical features on the car are excellent. For being eight years old, the car drives like it is new.

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  very surprised - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By tinetine - December 9 - 2:00 pm

  first rented this vehicle by accident, was supposed to get another model. after a trip a thousand miles away, this vehicle was comfortable, roomy and very smooth riding, I told my husband that when i got ready to purchase another vehicle that a Chevy trailblazer was going to be that vehicle. 3 months later I am the proud owner of a Chevy trailbalzer and I love it!

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  LOVE IT CHEVY MONTE CARLO - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By JOSH - December 9 - 10:00 am

  I ONLY HAVE THREE WORDS TO SAY ABOUT THE CHEVY MONTE CARLO...........I LOVE IT!!!!!

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  Bad Glass - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By JVi - December 9 - 10:00 am

  The windshield on my car broke a couple of months ago. Whatever glass the factory was using was poor quality. The windshield got a rockchip and it instantly cracked all the way to the edge ensuring repairs were not optional. The replacement that I received didnt have the black dots and now it looks really stupid. There is a very noticable black cord for the lights on the mirror that is very visable now. Having less than 4000 miles on the car I was very disappointed. Also no child locks on the back doors.

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  Love my new Tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By rlaurent - December 9 - 10:00 am

  I shopped and shopped for the Tahoe that I wanted. I wanted the dark gray exterior with tan leather interior. I finally found it in samll dealership a two hour drive from my home. we settled a deal by fax and phone. They stayed open late so I could drive down and get it. drove it back enjoying all of the new features, XM radio, adjustable pedals and loving the smell of that new leather. I love how high I sit (my other car being an Audi A4) i really can not say enough about how much I love this new vehicle.

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  Frustrated - 2004 Chevrolet Astro
  By CC - December 8 - 12:36 pm

  The size of this van cannot be beat. I LOVE my Astro Van, but I have had the van in for warranty work 9 times for what we thought was the transmission, which was replaced, the accelerator was stuck, and a variety of other engine- transmission problems. I am still in a rental and waiting for a diagnosis. I owned a 1992 Astro and had 150,000 miles on it and never had a problem. Mixed feelings if I would ever buy another.

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  Good Value... - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By heavy "G" - December 8 - 3:49 am

  Upgraded from a Cavalier so the extra room is awesome! Like the big car feel and the extra 2 doors. The ride is nice & smooth at normal driving speeds, having On-Star and the Chevy computer advisor are also nice features, great car for the money...