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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  Hands down, the best! - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Jon Mac - March 24 - 6:37 pm

  I considered a Suburban and Tahoe/Yukon, but I needed a truck with a bed. I got a luxury 4WD SUV that drives better than a luxury sedan. The lined bed is great, the hard cover makes it better, and the fact that it locks tight is awesome. Extremely comforatable on and off road, but especially cozy on the highway! Leather buckets cradle you like an expensive recliner. Locking side compartments are huge and very useful. Ive driven the Caddy, and this is the same truck with a little more plastic but a lot less pricey. This is not an SUV, this is a truck, but youd never know it by all the amenities. Ill buy another when the time comes to trade this in!

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  One year review - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By cooker - March 24 - 9:42 am

  So far the truck has proven a very versatile and capable vehicle. I use my truck for home improvement projects, hunting, fishing and camping trips. With some off roading during trips to Michigans UP. It is also a daily commuter with fuel economy in the 16- 18mpg range (66 miles daily roundtrip) much better than the competition. No durability/reliability issues to date.

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  Good Car - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By funrun25 - March 23 - 1:02 am

  This was my first brand new car. I did a lot of research on a lot of different cars. I test drove this car and loved it. Its quite, great get up and go. I love the interior, it feels like a luxury car. I got the connectivity package and I use every part of it daily. The car averages about 29mpg combined fuel economy. Minor issue, there was a huge rain storm that lasted a week and the trunk of my car was leaking. Issue was fixed and so far no other problems. Ive had the car for 2 months.

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  Very Reliable Car - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By AZALIA31 - March 22 - 7:38 pm

  I bought my Malibu new and have had it for two and a half years now. A very reliable car. Very nice factory stereo. I already have 30,000 miles on it, and its taking everything I give it. It has very good pick up. Makes it easy to get on the highway quickly. Overall Im very happy with my car and have no plans of replacing it any time soon.

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  Nice on the outside, but ... - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By njEquinox - March 22 - 6:06 pm

  We have had our Equinox for about 3 months now. We bought it because it had a great look, great safety ratings, and decent "advertised" fuel economy. All of our expectations have been met except for the fuel economy, which has been very poor. For the first 3000 miles (mostly suburban driving), we have averaged 17.6 miles per gallon. We have a GM mini-van with the same engine that averages 21 mpg in the same driving conditions. The advertised EPA fuel economy for the Equinox was 19 city and 25 highway. Other than that issue, it is a beautiful vehicle that drives well. The overall quality seems to be good. The interior (the dashboard and seats), though, is a bit bland.

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  2.4L SS is best - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jeff804 - March 21 - 11:36 pm

  This is a acceptable car. My Jeep Cherokee (inline 6 cly) was only getting 14 mpg. I needed better mpg. for my 50 mile daily commute. Right now I am avg. 28mpg. and expect that to go up as engine is broken in. This car has some pep but nothing as exciting as Mitsubishi or Acura. Performance is good. Comfort is good for 100 miles but, I would not want to take a 500 mile trip in this car. Fun- to-Drive, the manual transmission was a lot more fun to drive than the automatic. It just felt like it had more "omph" in the manual trans. car. The SS supension is a lot of fun on winding turns but, big pot holes are definitely felt. Lt version suspension was much better for "in town" daily driving.

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  Reliable car. Good 1st car. - 1992 Chevrolet Corsica
  By WVE - March 21 - 11:01 pm

  This was my 1st car, I bought it in 2003 with 119,000 miles and owned it for 2 years. Never had any serious problems. Had some leaks. Fixed the fuel pump and thermostat and a battery, also had to get new breaks all of which werent too expensive. The car was always reliable and started even in the coldest weather. The 3.1 V6 provides enough HP for passing and what not. Could still drive the car over 100mph with no problem when I sold it. I also thought the sound system was pretty nice, until the speakers started to go a few months before I sold it.

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  Blazers Stink - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Bill Jenkins - March 20 - 7:24 pm

  The Chevy Blazer really, really stinks. It is suppost to be a strong built, heavy duty SUV. I am here to tell you that it is NO such thing! In the year & a half that I have owned my Chevy Blazer the front end has virtually fallen apart. This is not a well built SUV in my opinion. I will not recommend the Purchase of any Chevy Product to anyone. As they would be upset shortly after purchase.

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  2006 Chevy Silverado 4WD WT 4.8L - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Oakhiller - March 20 - 2:16 pm

  Great truck! I have owned many Chevy trucks and this is the best one so far! I definitely prefer the V8. Better gas mileage and power than the 4.3L V6. Fit and build flawless. Sure footed in ice and snow.

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  My Vette - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Thought - March 20 - 2:10 pm

  This car is a blast to drive! Its quiet in the cabin, huge trunk space, all seats are comfortable. Driven in all 4 seasons (heavy snowstorms too!) with no problems. Its simply the best car for the price for me. Ive installed Stage 2 and now the car is the king of the road and still better gas mileage than advertised for the 2.2! I love it, please dont buy one so that Im the only one with one!