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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  Best of the Best - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By bizmgr - January 30 - 4:42 pm

  I am 62 years young and this is the 17th vette that I have owned, and is the best yet. You can spend a whole lot more for a sports car, but dollar for dollar, the Vette is by for the best value for true performance, looks and fun to drive car. I never get tired of driving it and not to mention that it makes me feel a lot younger than I am. I guess that is why I am on my 17th one. I refuse to grow up and act like some of my old friends. If you have never owned one, you owe it to yourself to enjoy life a little more.

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  2007 LT3 - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By RKind1 - January 30 - 4:00 am

  Got my Avalanche on the 4th of July. Looking to get a deal on a 2006, but looked inside a 2007 and was swayed. I have Ebony leather interior, and it is stunning. The woodgrain dash makes you think youre in the Escalade. It handles suberbly and has good acceleration. The electronics are amazing, and I even got a Verizon line for my in car phone. I have been looking at the Avs for a while, and am glad I waited.

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  Loving the space! - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By crashjacks - January 29 - 8:51 pm

  This vehicle is a great buy for the price. Bose option is fabulous. Gets in and out of parking like a smaller vehicle. Large rear cargo area. Sits high like a Siverado. Great in traffic.

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  Shopped around heres what I found - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jamanus - January 29 - 8:30 pm

  I looked at the Yukon, H2 and H3 in hopes of finding a nice clean design with a comfortable interior. I landed on the Tahoe and was sold. This is the nicest Chevy I have ever owned, and I have owned 9 since I was in high school. It drives smooth and quietly, and is loaded with every feature a person could possibly want. Love the remote start on those cold mornings, and my ipod attaches with a simple $5 plug from Radio Shack. The leather is similar to what my freinds have in their Mercedes and Lexus vehicles, and the woodgrain follows suit. All around this is a much better deal than any of the other vehicles I considered, and I hope it is as reliable as the 2004 Z71 I traded in to get it.

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  Big Truck Feel - Luxury Ride and Control - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Chevyguy - January 29 - 2:02 pm

  I bought this Suburban used from a private party and Ive had a few normal maintenance issues, but overall this thing is a beast that never dies. I tow a camper back and forth for a total of 120 miles every weekend in the summer and I have no problems and get over 10 mpg (6000 lbs camper). The ride feels like a car and it handles like a car. I love my Suburban!

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  Road Warrior - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By vacottonking - January 28 - 7:30 pm

  This is everything you would expect it to be. Gas mileage for this much weight and this much torque is the best in its class. We typically do 19 to 20 mpg on a road trip and have 4x4. Our son is 5 hours away at college and I would not drive anything else to see him outside of a luxury sedan. This is a traveling machine and will tow when needed.

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  LTZ Z71 Duramax - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By CHIEF - January 26 - 7:23 pm

  I started off by driving the Dodge and Ford. Wasnt impressed. The second I sat in this thing I could tell this was a different truck. After 5 minutes of driving, I was sold. Everyone complaining about the gas mileage, its a 3/4 ton truck. What do you expect? Its not a Prius. 15-16 mpgs stock is not bad. A few cheap mods and Im pulling off 20 mpgs and better.

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  Happy Z71 owner - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By donc - January 26 - 11:26 am

  This has been a very good truck so far. The power that the 5.3 liter V8 produces is impressive. The ride for a 4X4 truck is very impressive as well. I hope to have this truck for many years to come and will definitely be a return Chevrolet Silverado buyer!

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  Easy Monte - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Jay63146 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car on a whim when I took the car that I owned in for an oil change. I loved it so much from the get go that I cancelled the oil change and arranged to buy this car. GMs 3800 V6 is wonderful and powerful, seats are comfy. Good stereo and love the steering wheel controls. Like this much better than the newer Montes.

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  A delight. - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jim Lammers - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Powerful and smooth, this is the best daily driver supercar you can buy. It not only offers 405 HP with plenty of low end torque for fast starts, but also 1+ g cornering, active handling, enormous tires that put power to the pavement, and excellent brakes. No maintenance or warranty issues have come up. I had feared that the Z06s press calling the car something designed "for the extreme enthusiast" meant it would be stiff and harsh, and uncomfortable for long trips. Thankfully this is not true. Despite its race-ready design, its a comfortable daily driver that will allow you to put yourself wherever you desire on the road.