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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  2002 LS Extendo w/4.8 - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By charlesb76549 - November 6 - 8:06 am

  What a long way chevy full size pickups have came since the 95 I had. This vehicle is pure pleasure to drive. The power of the 4.8 V8 and the new stiffness of the body structure is pure beauty. The truck is as quiet inside as a limo and the truck is solid. LIKE A ROCK! Chevys auto transmission is second to none. This transmission adapted wonderfully to my driving habits. Thank Chevrolet for putting the beauty under the skin instead of the fad styling of the other trucks. This truck draws attention only to those who really love trucks. The 2002 will be a classic.

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  glad tidings - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By larry - November 5 - 10:31 pm

  we all expect the best and this malibu has performed much better than average. one complaint that i have is mileage odometer is off reads about 103+ miles for every 100 chev says this is not unreasonable and wont fix. i have had turn signal bulbs burn out but replaced with heavy duty no problems.

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  08Bolt - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Murphalo - November 5 - 9:41 pm

  I love this car. Its reliable, gets great gas mileage, and really is fun to drive. Has a great look to it, and the stereo system is great.

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  this is why imports are better - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By jhodges83@yahoo.com - November 5 - 10:47 am

  Ive always had import cars. Ive had an 02 eclipse and a 03 Audi 1.8t. Due to the economy and a recent child I need to get something a little more reasonable. I found an 05 cobalt an decided to buy it. Well now Ive had it for a month an Im mad about it. The thing is junk. It looks like a big piece of plastic. The inside looks looks cheaply made. Even my base eclipse looked an drove a of a lot better then this.

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  I love my truck - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By kestor - November 5 - 10:00 am

  I love the performance and the capabilities of my truck. I have hauled a yard of damp sand and gravel mix, with 8-94# bags of cement in my bed and I have had no problems. The suspension is incredible, and the brakes are awesome!

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  Great All Around - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Hovatch - November 5 - 10:00 am

  I looked at this car on accident. I really wanted a focus, but couldnt understand why i was going to pay almost $2500 more for a focus with 5spd and air when i got my AVEO loaded. I added the cruise, i spent the extra cash, but it was welll worth it.

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  2003 Jeff Gordon Signature Monte Carlo - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Ron Ignelzi - November 5 - 10:00 am

  A Must for all die-hard Jeff Gordon fans! This car is the BEST looking of all the Signature Series cars built by GM. Fun to drive and gets lots of positive comments from people that see it. Plenty of power and good gas mileage to boot.

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  My new Betsy - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Matisa - November 5 - 10:00 am

  The smaller version of the trailblazer is great. Its comfortable cute and affordable.

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  Same Old GM----Different Wrapper - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By uptown48009 - November 5 - 6:37 am

  We bought this vehicle new. While demoing the middle captains chairs, the seat cover ripped. Took vehicle back for service and GM required them to restitch the seat....look like h... Called the dealer and they had to fight to get us a new seat cover..waited 3 weeks for callback only to find out the cover is on back order...tells you how many are ripping (poor design and build quality)...middle row flip seats are not as user friendly as depicted...had stain protection applied to fabric...got stains on seat...dealer could not get stain out...supposed to receive new seat cover....still fighting on that yet it is a selling point to the protection....SAME OLD GM>>>STAY AWAY

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  Good Vehicle - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Malibu03 - November 4 - 9:10 pm

  Purchased vehicle at 31,000 miles, 2 years old. I always have my cars serviced at the appropriate times. Never had to do anything to it until the brakes went after 3 years of driving it (20,000 mi/yr). This past week the fuel pump went, but I purchased a 7yr/100,000 service contract which paid for the replacement. Have always liked the car. No other issues and Im at 90,000 miles.