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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  Awesome - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By DLSnole - September 7 - 2:00 am

  From the time I set foot in this truck I was in heaven. It rides better than the Jeep Grand Cherokee I had previous and it is a lot easier to drive. I do not feel top heavy in this vehicle and it is very well priced for what you get.

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  Awesome SUV - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By TrailBlazer Lover - September 7 - 2:00 am

  The new 2003 TrailBlazer is a great SUV. This is our 5th Chevy in a row, and before we purchased this I wanted to try another brand, such as Toyota. We were interested in the Highlander, 4Runner and Sequoia. When we got a rebate in the mail from Chevy, we called up and made an appointment with our friend Ken. We went the next night, and purchased our new "Off Road" TrailBlazer. No regrets AT ALL. Its now a week old and we just had a big snow; the 4 wheel drive works great. Love the Sandalwood metallic with Med. Oak interior. We even got factory brushguards. Not bad at all for under $31,000.

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  Like A Rock... - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By ChevyTruckDriver - September 7 - 2:00 am

  While I dont actually own one, the company I work for bought several last month, and Ive driven every one of them. We have had no problems with this truck and I think its tbe best thing on the road. We used to own a bunch of Dodge "Tranny dies at 40k" Rams, and they were the biggest pieces of junk on the road. Who wants to rebuild a tranny every 40k miles? I love all of the features on these Silverados and when I trade in my truck, Ill be buying an 03 Silverado!

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  Awesome Machine! - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By vette_man - September 6 - 9:49 pm

  The new Corvette Z06 is the fastest car I have ever driven. Its heart stopping acceleration is astonishing! I found that the 6 speed gear box feel like it belongs in a truck. The clutch is also very hard to push and you will get a sore leg after awhile. Otherwise...I loveit! The exhaust sounds like the good old American muscle that I have been used to. Awesome brakes, handling is great, and most of all, great engine! The car turns heads because of its awsome design. My car is victory red. Red looks the best on this car. Fun car to drive. There is no car on the road that even think of racing you and your car, you look at them and laugh. The best thing is...power!

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  Great Car - Fun to Drive - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Henderson - September 6 - 2:30 pm

  This is my first Chevrolet and my first GM product since having complete disappointment in a 1990 Pontiac Grand Am. Chevy has hit the mark with this car. Its fun to drive and very comfortable. The 3.9L engine has plenty of pickup but you lose mpg as a result. Overall, I get about 23 mpg which is still pretty good. The only thing that is annoying is a clicking noise that comes and goes. The service department has not been able to identify where it is coming from.

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  Outstanding - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Tigga - September 5 - 11:46 pm

  When I first saw this car iI wanted one, but never thought the day of me owning one would come so soon. I admire all the features that came with this car. Drives smooth, good on gas, and preformance and handling is excellent, as well as heated seats. I would recommend this car to anybody thats looking for a nice luxury car.

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  SWZ26s review - 1996 Chevrolet Beretta
  By SWZ26 - September 5 - 5:05 pm

  Excellent car! And I have owned 4 in the past. Now I own a 1996 Z26 and it is beautiful car. I recently lost my 2002 Chevy Cavalier in a accident and it was a total lost. This car rides so smooth and the seats are so comfortable. I would recommend this car to anyone. It is a well made car and stands the test of time.

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  Best truck I ever owned. - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By awesometruck - September 5 - 12:14 pm

  Low Maintenance. High performance ,good gas mileage. Cannot say enough about the satisfaction of getting a great truck with great support.

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  Amazing Z06 - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Stevie - September 5 - 8:15 am

  Did the museum delivery. It was amazing. People were great. Was very interesting seeing the manufacturing. Really appreciated the peoples commitment to the Corvette. The car is great. Very tight. My 10 year old did the best one word explanation of the car calling it "sick"

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  C6 Corvette Coupe - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Volocty - September 4 - 7:03 pm

  Ive had my car now for almost 2 years and it is hands down the most exciting car Ive ever owned. Power, style, and even the fuel mileage is fantastic. We just came back from a 3400 mile road trip, avg 27.2 mpg, it was so comfortable, no complaints. Passing power & it drives like its on rails. The coupe offers the best of both worlds, as the roof comes off and stows in the back, when ever youre craving a little wind in your hair. I have the 6spd Auto w/Paddle shiffting and we used it aevery time we came across some twisty roads. I cant wait for the next road trip... (yeah Im still smiling)