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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  mine - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By brian81330 - November 16 - 2:00 am

  Drives more like a large car than a truck. Its versatility is the best part

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  Fun all over - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By gadawgs21 - November 16 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Trailblazer for 4 months and have loved every minutes of it! It drives well, handles beautifully and I love the get-up-and-go. The staff at Yeomans was wonderful in helping me buy my first car by myself. I like the interior much more than the Envoys my friends have, more cupholders, better location of back windshield wipers and better console.

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  LOVE IT BABY - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By BJRUTTER@HOTMAIL.COM - November 16 - 2:00 am

  THE BEST VALUE IN ITS CLASS BY FAR

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  Great American Car - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Maxx Promotions - November 15 - 9:47 pm

  I bought my Impala LT2 brand new. It now has just over 46K miles. It is a very comfortable car with tons of luggage space in the trunk. The rear seats are roomy. The 3.9L engine has plenty of power. The only irritating thing is the intermittent clicking noise that comes from the left side just below the drivers footboard. Other than the clicking noise, it is a very reliable car.

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  new car purchase - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By percy456 - November 15 - 9:17 pm

  Replacing 04 Maxx LT w. 32K miles on a whim. Also drive Buick Lucerne. LTZ has almost all features except memory seats. On 2-25 mile test drives at 64MPH,LTZ averaged 41 per DIC on I80. LTZ is quieter,seems more solid than 04.Think we are going to enjoy it!

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  HHR LS Rental - 2010 Chevrolet HHR
  By HHR LS Rental - November 15 - 11:10 am

  I had a rental HHR LS for one month. It had 600 miles on it with a 26.3 mpg. I turned it in with 1650 miles with a 27.7 mpg. It was peppy,fun and easy to drive. I was never fond of small vehicles but the HHR changed my views. I had plenty of leg room, seats were comfortable. My wife loved driving it.Perfect for groceries, parking at the mall. I plan on buying one next year.

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  "Z06"...whats left to say - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Nomad - November 14 - 10:35 pm

  As with most American boys...I have always dreamed of a Corvette. I have owned several BMWs, Camaros, a Mustang, and a Trans-Am/Formula Firebird (original 6.6) My RED 2006 Z06 is by far my favorite. I have had people get out of their car in a bank drive through to look at it. I had several grown men ask to get a picture of them standing next to it...and its an AMERICAN car...WOW! I get more people looking at it on a daily basis than any car I have owned...Including the BMWs. I love the fact I can drive it everyday...with the only exception being in the snow.

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  Love My Impala !!!!!! - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kenny Ray - November 14 - 10:14 pm

  I love this car, I owned a 2001 and when it was time to replace it, I gave the 2009 model a chance. Everyday I cant wait to get a chance to drive it. It commands attention everywhere I go with it. I love everything about this car, color, handling and the sound system (bose) Ive always owned GM cars and mainly chevrolets and this is the best by far.

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  Gets you from A to B - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By JimHo - November 14 - 9:46 pm

  Just traded an 07 Aveo LT sedan/automatic in a few months ago. It had no real issues and it got the job done for me until I was ready to move up to something nicer. The engine is tiny but then again the car is pretty small. You arent going to win any races in this thing but I could still pass safely on 2 lane roads. Driver visibility is excellent on this car due to the high seating position and wide windshield. Due to size, the car is also very agile in low speed tight turns, so its easy to park and weave through city traffic. On the LT (maybe others) they also throw in a lot of nice options that you wouldnt expect in this price class, like heated mirrors and foglights.

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  Reliable and Fun - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Fasttac - November 14 - 8:36 pm

  I bought this car from my grandfather. He really never treated it well, but never drove it into the ground. He neglected the oil changes and annual services. I got it at 92,000 mi. It needs a new EGR valve and AC compressor but other than that it runs great. I have had to replace the basic stuff (plugs,wires,fuel filter, etc) but it is super reliable. I think mine is the same as the 98-newer ZR2 package. 4x4 is reliable. The dislikes i have is the EGR valve. Mine is failing and causing it to run extremely rich. I also dont like the fuel gauge. It is so stupid because it goes up and down when i press the gas and brake. It also needs a pair of coil springs in front. ill buy the same one