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 vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By gregg fail - January 6 - 2:00 am

  This is a very dependable vehicle and the ride is outstanding. The versatilty of the mid gate and the three peice topper is also very nice. The quality is very good and the styling looks terrific.

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  Nice pickup - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dockhawg - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Bought used and love the truck, only maintenance issue was fuel injector pressure regulator $90 @ 49k. Truck hauls boat like a dream ( 4000 lbs) and gets 15-16 while towing on open road. In town mileage 14-15 and 16-17 on highway. Great looks and peppy even with small V-8.

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  2005 Cavalier LS Sport Coupe - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By James Jardine - January 5 - 10:47 pm

  Very good ride. The engine is smooth with excellent fuel economy and surprising power. The 5 speed manual is excellent. The durability, reliabilty and cost of ownership have been excellent and keep me coming back.

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  Only a Vette - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By sean.c - January 5 - 1:30 pm

  98 Vette Ragtop with the six speed. Unbeatable performance-to-dollar ratio. Bought it with 17k miles on it the Delco 12 CD-changer never has worked, the steering column lock failed first at 18,000 miles and then again six months later. Both times got no help from GM (dealer and corporate), $500 per repair out of my pocket. Finally found a company out of Texas that sold an aftermarket bypass and had the local Vette shop install it. Problem solved. The performance and status outweigh the GM quirks. After my experience with GM customer service I would NEVER again purchase a GM product...except, of course, another Vette. Go for the extended warranty next time, Ill need it!

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  Great Truck, Best for the money!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Hoosier Shaun - January 5 - 4:26 am

  4.8 V8 is tough, just as good as the 5.3 minus the extra torque. I test drove the V6 and found it to be poor. Wish I had a back cab at times, but the tonneau cover does fine when i strap things in. Bought this truck used with 20K on it. Havent done much to it except air and oil filters/oil. The previous owner installed performance exhaust which roars and gives extra HP. I put on 17" 2007 avalanche wheels and 265 70 R A/T tires. Put on rear air lift suspension (airbags) and have been hauling anything from dirt, rock, stone, furniture, appliances, and tow a 5250lb boat/trailer. Its a half ton but with the bags i can easily load 1750 as i have scaled it at landscape vehicle scale.

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  Long haul - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By xyzbill - January 4 - 8:24 pm

  This is a great vehicle - It is small enough to use as a daily driver - is easy to drive around town - easy to park and rides and handles good. Where this SUV really shines is on a long trip - just came back from a 2,480 mile vacation - my family including 2 dogs (a 7 # Chihuahua & 90 # Golden) 12 large bags, cooler and other misc. stuff all fit inside the vehicle. I guess the weight of passengers / cargo etc. was over 1,000 pounds - set the cruise on 77 MPH and got 19.2 MPG. Handled the drive through Denver / Loveland pass (close to 12,000 ft above sea level) and never even broke a sweat. From 85 degree heat in Houston to -12 in Keystone, CO the HVAC always kept the cabin the right temp.

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  2008 Malibu, a Great American Car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By TWCHAMBERS - January 4 - 11:50 am

  A great American Car, I own a feed store in Cullman, Al. This is my first new Chevy purchase, I looked at Pontiac, Ford, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, as a buyer this was the most bang for the buck. What a great car for the money. It is stylish and fun to drive and gets better fuel economy than that big ole 1996 Cadillac I traded in. Chevy and GM got this one right. Good value for your dollar!

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  My Review - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Al Martin - January 3 - 2:13 am

  It looks good and people ask you a lot of guestions about (mostly} likes and dislikes. One guy said it look like a PT on steroids. Which was a good thing he said. All who have rode in it like the way it rides and its looks and a good sound system. Im getting good gas mileage also, 25 to 28 mpg. All in all Im very pleased with this small vehicle.

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  Great Car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By jkm777 - January 2 - 4:46 pm

  Just bought my Cobalt LS on Aug. 30th and so far Im really inpressed with this cars build quality. Ive owed 3 Hondas in the past and this Chevy really says something about GMs desire to compete with the foreign cars. Great styling, good gas mileage, great acceleration. Fit and finish is second to none. Very quiet & smooth ride.

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  The best truck in the world - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By London - January 1 - 12:41 pm

  I am disabled and have difficulty moving around. Our Suburban is the only vehicle that I can comfortably enter and exit without assistance. The cargo area is large enough to accommodate my wheelchair, in addition to weekly groceries for our family of 4. Recently after a day of shopping, we were called to the assistance of some friends that were stranded. Our family and our groceries were in the truck, yet we were able to pick up the couple from their vehicle, along with items from their car, and everyone was comfortable. Amazing!