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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  Fun Car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Brice - March 6 - 11:50 am

  Its more than I bargined for. This car handles great. In city traffic it is a little stiff but sporty.

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  Impala LS Sport - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By SaabDriver - March 4 - 8:54 pm

  This is a great car. It comes with the LS sport package(Corvette tail lights, carbon-fibre interior trim, little Impala logos on the door panels on the inside, shiny exaust tip, 16" sporty 5 spoke wheels and lower front fascia extensions. The interior is really big, even though I like small cars better.

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  A keeper - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By holle - March 4 - 11:27 am

  I love the way it rides comfort and style. It is just so funny that when you buy a vehicle no matter what it is all of a sudden you see hundreds more then you saw before. Chevy made a nice looking and comfortable truck... Keep it in the family a long time Please...

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  2003 1500 - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By J Presley - March 2 - 10:00 am

  Stylish and powerful truck that has a solid feel going down the road. All of the changes for 2003 only made a good truck better. Good enough to finally make me switch from Ford to Chevy. I keep hearing of the cheap feel of the interior but sitting in the Ford I see just as much p-lastic and a lot less style.

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  Cheap Fun - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Canuck905 - March 1 - 1:25 pm

  I bought my Blazer last fall. I needed an inexpensive 4X4 that could actually go off road. I have a 25KM drive into my cabin down a road which eats up Escapes and Toyota SUVs. Chevy Canada was blowing them out at $18,998 CDN (About $14,500 US at the time). Ive had no problems at all with it. Is it small, outdated and gets lousy fuel mileage? Yup. Will It plow through 2ft high snow drifts, pull a 3500lb trailer, actually go offroad without getting stuck ? Sure does. Considering anything else on the market that would do what I needed was $12,000 to $20,000 more, It was a no brainer. If youre a soccer mom looking to cart the kids around town, look elsewhere.

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  My Suburban - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By D. Lewis - February 28 - 7:15 pm

  What a great ride for long trips! Many trips across the states (sometimes towing a trailer) made for a smooth reliable ride. My only complaint is how the light bulbs burn out so easily in the dash and in particular the radio (Ive seen this problem on numerous Chevy/GMC trucks/SUVs) Upgrading my shocks to Rancho 5000s made the ride smooth/predicable and better for towing.

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  350 Engine - 1992 Chevrolet Blazer
  By mike - February 28 - 3:45 pm

  Great all around truck. With the tailgate folded down, and the spare tire removed, it has a full size bed. The rear end went out at around 150,000 miles. That was the only major problem. Has 190,000 on it now and it still runs strong. Great for road trips, tons of rooms, and everything fits in. Will get around 17 or 18 mpg on highway, much less around town. Has plenty of power to tow anything, anywhere. 4WD is great in the snow and the sand. ABS system is rough on the feet. It takes a while for the cabin to heat up in winter, but once it does, its nice and warm inside. Plenty of room under the hood to make repairs in your garage easy and accessible.

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  I Took the Plunge - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Cassandra Campbell - February 28 - 3:04 am

  This vehicle is 10 years old and had 219,000 miles on it when I purchased it. However, who ever owned it prior took great care of it and with the CarFax, I noted that they maintained the vehicle and no accidents. The interior was in excellent condition and very clean. I have had to replace the driver side door handle, the passenger side mirror and the TPMS sensors but other than that, this SUV rides well and handles great. I will say that having 20 inch rims you do feel bumps in the road, but that is just to be expected with any car with large rims. Again a 10 year old car so there are a few nicks in the paint on the hood but I couldnt be more please with my purchase. I did replace the OEM radio. I couldnt justify $180 to upgrade to the latest navigation maps when I could buy an android head unit and keep updated maps for free. I will say that this beast doesnt see to like passing a gas station. But that is to be expected going from a 1997 Chevy Suburban LT with a 39 gallon tank to this with a 31 gallon tank. I think I will adjust to it.

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  Just getting better with time - 1994 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Lowrider - February 26 - 4:20 pm

  I purposely looked for a 2 wheel drive Suburban and was fortunate enough to find this one. The previous owner kept it in immaculate condition and repair....I purchased it for $6000 and was very happy to purchase at that price. Ive used it to move my daughter, my mother, my nephews, and friends. Ive trailered Harleys to several events and this truck just kepts getting better with time. I currently have 142,000 miles on it. On the road towing at 65-75 I get 13-15 mpg, without towing 15-17 mpg. Around town 13mpg is about norm. Ive thought of purchasing a newer model, but everytime I take a ride, that thought quickly leaves. Once you own one, watch out, Very Habit forming!

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  Affordable, reliable, and fun! - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Laura - February 26 - 1:10 pm

  I was looking into something sporty and reliable. The black Chevy Cobalt Coupe (not the sedan - wasnt fond of the four door) definitely had both! Cant beat the price: under $13k - brand new! Especially for what it has to offer. Ive had my car for about half a year and it still responds as it did the when I put in its first miles. Its not the SS of course, but you gotta love the pick up and handling. The gas mileage is average - I guess I was expecting a bit more (but not bad to be honest). This car is great for 2 people and if you want to put some people in the back, front seat gotta scoot up (depending on peoples size). Love the overall design, but mostly impressed with its price.