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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  2002 Suburban - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By DRH - March 10 - 8:34 am

  3/4 ton is the perfect camping vehicle. Room for the crew and performance to keep them safe. After 80k miles it is still like new. Mileage is not the best, but when you have to tow you have no choice.

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  Great Purchase! - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Steven - March 9 - 7:40 am

  I purchased this truck as a secondary SUV to my wife’s LX470. Although not quite as refined as my wife’s Lexus, the Suburban is not that far behind. It drives great, has tons of room (way more than the Lexus), looks great (I love the ’07 redesign), and gets far better gas mileage than the Lexus while providing more power. Also, when comparing to the Denali/ESV, I found the Suburban to be a far better value with very comparable features – the horsepower difference does not seem that noticeable in everyday driving, and the low gear is important to me as I will be driving at times in deep snow in VT. I highly recommend this vehicle to anyone in the market for a full-size SUV.

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  My Baby - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By parky - March 8 - 11:40 pm

  I have had my HHR only a week and love it. The handling is superb LT 2 options 2.4 engine automatic. First tank gas fillup produced 30.5 MPG mostly around town garage sales etc. Will be putting road miles on the car in November when we return to Florida for the winter. No negitive comments other than the door lock buttons have a tendency to poke into your arms when you put your arm on window sill with window open.

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  Shes a good car - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By OftheNorth - March 8 - 10:38 pm

  I know lots of people have had problems with their Malibus, but Ive had nothing. The car was purchased new and has been driven in the mountains, cross country, in city commuting mode and more. Its never failed me. Its currently serving me well in the Canadian north, where it fires up every time, even in -40 weather (without being plugged in). It gets good gas mileage (~35mpg) if one goes easy on the highway, but in city traffic, the best I can usually muster is 22 mpg. Not good there! Its a comfortable roomy car, and would make for a good first auto for a new driver. Its safe, not too fast and theyre cheap to get parts for (most of the time!) While Im no Chevy fan, iIdo like this car.

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  The new great small SUV - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By docdre - March 8 - 8:53 pm

  I bought this SUV used in 2001 with less than 20k on it. Other than normal maintenance its been a great SUV to own. Great in the snow and ice and take it fishing on the beach as well and never have a problem. Like any self respecting American car you have a few rattles here and there but overall it has held up better than I ever imagined. I now have 95K on it and other than normal wear I have had nothing but great luck. The paint has held up exceptionally well although I do wax it up 3 times a year. I hope to keep this puppy until it has over 200k on it! Chevy tough!

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  Monte Carlo????? - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By ICMIAMI05 - March 8 - 12:50 pm

  Purchased my 06 Monte Carlo Feb. 2010, love this car thus far. Received a wonderful price on the car, considering all the features and options. The LTZ trim levels has everything the SS offers without the V8. Comfort and style is superb, I only had one problem with the key not releasing right away from the ignition. Dealer located the problem on the first visit. I wouldnt trade this car for anything. Have owned Pontiac and Dodge and by far my Chevy is my favorite. Gas could be improved but hey its a 3.9L with awesome passing power and handling. Would highly recommend for Chevy to bring back the Monte Carlo name plate. Home Run GM!!!!!

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  Why buy/lease an Escalade? - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By MrUpnDown - March 8 - 5:43 am

  The 07 Tahoe LTZ has the added feature of riding better than the Escalade of old and as good as the current model.There are 2 drawbacks , one is that nav pkg w/MP3 player , cd , am/fm radio does not have allow for multiple cd cartridge. Not a big deal but curious for such a great vehicle. We got ours on 3/1/06 and it is a gem.The second is that they did nothing to improve the gas mileage....still lots of good stuff.

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  My Red Rocket Toy - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Chuck - March 7 - 8:02 pm

  I bought this 2002 Z06 in Oct. of 2001 and it gets just under 2000 miles a year put on it and is garaged whenever it is not driven. It has been in the rain twice and never in snow. This was a dream car for me for a long time and I love just about everything in any category with this car. It is a blast to drive for both power and handling! And the fuel economy really impresses me for an engine with 405 horsepower. This car will be in my family for a long time!

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  Love this car - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By zenn - March 7 - 1:13 pm

  Ive been driving this vehicle for about a month now and am still excited to get into it every time. Its just a nice overall vehicle. I does have quite a large blind spot but the camera makes up for that. So far Im getting about 19mpg overall on my drive to work mostly state roads. Seats are firm but fit well. Plenty of available seat positioning for both me and my wife. This car is quiet and rides nice if a little firm. A lot more cargo space than the specs would leave you to think, especially with the rear seat forward.

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  STS twin turbo 3.9l ss maxx - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By wowza - March 6 - 7:43 pm

  I loved the SS Maxx from the first time I saw it. It is naturally fast. Very comfortable, and quiet (for those who like quiet, I prefer a throaty exhaust). I would totally recommend this car to anyone (modded or not)