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 truck - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By Brad Singleteary - October 23 - 1:13 pm

  I bought this truck used from a man in Sanger, Texas. It was everything I thought it would be. Great performance. It will pull anything you want. I used to buy and sell trucks a lot until I found this one. Nothing but good things to say about it.

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  Best Truck Ever made - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Mark4christ - October 23 - 10:00 am

  I`ve only had this truck for three months but it ROCKs. I`ve owned an F150 SuperCrew and a TOYota Tundra. Neither compare. This truck rides great and can haul 5 people(I have the bucket seats). The other day I had to carry some 2x6x8`s I just dropped the midgate and bam! I`ve got 8 ft. of bed space. This thing does great it has more power and I get the same mileage as the other trucks. I would recomend this truck to anyone that has a family but still needs to haul stuff every now and then.

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  My 2003 Z71 Tahoe - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Phil Miller - October 23 - 10:00 am

  This truck is as smooth as it gets. The truck has great handling with the Z71, package very low body roll in sharp corners. The acceleration is as smooth as silk hardly noticing the transmission changing gears. The breaking has also been refined with 4- wheel disc. The peddle is somewhat soft compared to the old Z71, but the overall breaking performance has been greatly improved. I do not like the dash layout as much as the old Z71. The center console is twice as big as the old Z71 and the cup holders in the front have been reduced by 50% go figure. Overall it is a great truck, I would highly recommend it!

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  full size blazer 5.7 ltr v8 - 1993 Chevrolet Blazer
  By tydo - October 22 - 5:47 pm

  Got this truck in 2007 from my grandfather when he died. It was my first car and im debating on keeping it due to gas prices now that i am about to go to college. This truck has been the best. Extremely reliable and fun to drive, looks awesome as well. Definitely recommend buying one if you are a chevy truck kind of person

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  Changed MInd - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By broker037 - October 22 - 2:03 pm

  Rated good before...changed mind. At 64,000 miles worst car ever owned. Head gasket broke down at 40,000 miles due to DexCool AntiFreeze ... GM only would pay for 1/2 "IF" you take to dealer. Cheaper to go to private shop. No wonder they went bankrupt. DO NOT BUY!

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  My Best Corvette Yet (Number 8) - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By K7XB - October 22 - 10:56 am

  This 2008 Corvette ZO6 is the second ZO6 Ive owned...and by far the best. Back in 68 I had another 427 Corvette but it sure didnt have the performance of this new one. Looks like GM now knows how to transfer all 505 hp to the road. Good job guys! Super car this ZO6.

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  Good Truck - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By Riderfun87 - October 22 - 8:39 am

  I bought this truck in spring 06 w/70k miles. It was been very good to me even though i have been hard on it. The only issue i had was the CAT and O2 censors went out and i had to get them replaced. Im thinking that was due to taking it off roading a few to many times. The truck averages about 18 MPG driving around town and has gotten as high as 21 MPG doing 70 on long trips.

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  Reliable & sporty 2001 Z24 - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Dano - October 22 - 7:39 am

  We purchased our 2001 Chev Z24 new & it doesnt owe us a thing. We replaced the plugs,tires & battery this year (2009)after 120,000 km.s of all kinds of Canadian weather & road conditions. It has a rattle coming from the front tire area which I suspect its a bad strut. All in all not bad performance for a car creeping up on 10 years old. It is a 5-spd. & is fun too drive with plenty of "omf" when you need it. One of our better large purchases in our lives. I would recommend it.

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  Very Reliable - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Josh - October 22 - 3:53 am

  I purchased the car when it had 141,000 and it now has 156,000 The car is great. The engine and ride are both smooth and it is steady at 20 MPG. The only thing I would change is the turning radius. It can be a pain but, overall the car is the best Ive ever owned.I wish they were still making them.

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  Best truck I ever owned - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Andrew Trumbauer - October 21 - 8:53 pm

  This truck is, by far, superior to any other truck in its class when it comes to driving comfort and in-cab options. The quadrasteer option is unbelievable, and I use it every single day. Just feel that is was marketed to the wrong crowd (1500 chasis) All in all my next truck will again, without a doubt, be a Chevy except this time Im steppin up to a crew cab diesel! But Im sure gonna miss the quadrasteer!