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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  So Fun, Big, Handy, And give it time - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By MRAUDIOVISUAL - March 30 - 10:36 pm

  Truck is great, for those of you worried about MPG, i got to 13000 and finally started to see much Much better gas mileage. Very happy with the dealer, great looking truck, came with chrome bumper, fender,chrome rims, and its very sporty for a pick up, i love the 8 foot bed, as i can lay a full size queen mattress down in the bed flat. Haven t done any towing but have driven from Orlando to Nashville, and only stopped once, Didnt have any issues doing 65-75mph, just dont go above 75mph as the over drive starts to really hurt mpg. I get on average 400 miles a tank on 30 gallons, not to great or bad for a V6, i love my truck im 66 and i can fit in it just fine , GM is still a great company.

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  Awesome - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By LAURA - March 30 - 12:53 pm

  I have owned my Monte for 2 weeks. I love it, love it, love it. Where are the handling problems I have read about? It handles like a dream. No abs is fine with me, I want the control. As far as hydroplaning, not once have I experienced that. This car is peppy, and I finally found a car that agrees with me and my pickiness.

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  All the ladies in my life have one - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Mr. G - March 30 - 11:20 am

  I bought the the first Equinox in 2005 for my youngest daughter attending college back east. My wife and 2 daughters liked its handling and interior room. I bought my wife hers in June 2006; and followed by another one in the second half of the month for our oldest attending college on the west coast. Now all the ladies in my life have a new Equinoxs.

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  Great buy - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Bob R - March 29 - 7:00 pm

  We bought an all white AT fully loaded. As soon as we saw it and drove it we knew it was perfect for us. The legroom in the back is great. Good pick-up, comfort, its quiet. Stereo with XM (which I was skeptical about) is better than we could have imagined. We get tons of compliments from friends and strangers at gas stations. Its not unusual to pull into the grocery store and have other folks come check it out.

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  2005 C6 Corvette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By mark fisher - March 29 - 1:23 pm

  Exceptional value, phenomenal performance thats easily used, vast improvements in interior and exterior quality, much more refined, a true world class car. Best car built in America.

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  Comales - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By COMALES - March 29 - 12:11 pm

  I never wanted an Avalanche but when I saw it in the lot, I just had to have it. Ever since, I never regret buying an Avalanche, its never let me down, on the road and on the beach. Family owns Ford trucks but Im representing Chevy.

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  My Baby - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By LilKiki221 - March 29 - 10:00 am

  I drive this car everyday to school. I love the reliablity of the car.

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  My Newest Chevrolet - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Bowtiejac - March 29 - 10:00 am

  I was pleasantly surprised at the quietness of this vehicle. Performance is very good for the Inline 6 cylinder as compared to earlier V6s. This SUV has many standard features that are optional on some others.

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  2nd Good Monte Carlo, Time to get the 3d - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Bryan - March 28 - 2:06 am

  I bought my LS almost 3 years ago and it has performed well. Good performance, Very dependable, and fun to drive. The only major repair I had was to replace a wheel after striking a curb I didnt see, so thats not the fault of the car. In fact Im getting ready to trade it for a 2007 because I liked it so much.

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  Great Truck Served Its Purpose - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By MJB - March 27 - 11:53 pm

  Reading some of the negative reviews posted here motivated me to write this review. First off, this is a great small truck for the money. I purchased mine used with 90 some thousand miles and it is still running strong. I get almost 22 MPG strictly highway and average about 18 MPG combined. If your truck has no power and poor fuel mileage, duh, take it into a garage and have it looked at. Something is obviously wrong. Then theres the clowns who expect to have a Cadillac quality truck and pay a Chevy price. And dont get me started on the dolts who probably bought theirs used and did not take time or spend a little money to make sure the truck was previously maintained.