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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  Awesome wheels - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Daisy - December 9 - 5:27 am

  After having one Blazer, I had to buy another and this new 07 is awesome! I love the sunroof, stereo, handling, and everything about it! Test drive one today, You will be happy you did! Lots of pick up and easy access to all.

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  Completely Satisfied - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By teflonjpr - December 8 - 2:30 pm

  Went looking at Silverado Classic, but after test drives it was too good to pass up. Much better in every way compared to the Colorado Crew Cab we traded in. Ride was smooth, and quieter at highway speeds. Turning performance and radius is better, with less body lean. Fuel economy is good, averaging 15 city and 20 highway just like the estimates. The interior is well layed out with easy to read guages. The steering wheel audio and cruise controls are excellent features. Visibility is good front and sides, but rear visibility is poor due to the tailgate height, the rear camera would be a nice feature to have. Overall a great move up from the Colorado, wife and I both love this truck!

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  I Love this car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jacob Platt - December 8 - 10:00 am

  My family has driven Honda civics, Toyota corollas, and Chevy cavaliers. Honda and Toyota are HIGHLY OVER RATED. Hondas burn oil, have fuel and electrical systems problems. Toyotas burn oil, have manifold problems leaking carbon monoxide into the passenger compartment. Chevys have proven solid through 5 knuckle-head teenage drivers, and within reach of 200,000 miles. So I bought a new 2003 cavalier and expect over 200,000 miles out of it.

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  excellence - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By don corleone - December 8 - 10:00 am

  try to keep ladies away too much fun, time flies. interior material still look new. all bottons still function like new. z71 package a must. on star is amazing.

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  excellent - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By ghgfhgf - December 8 - 10:00 am

  good driving ok gas milege

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  This is the real thing - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By greg - December 7 - 9:25 am

  I like the 2007 Suburban. Its the best SUV for pulling a big trailer, camper, or anything you might want to pull. The ride is nice and very smooth. You need to drive one to see what I mean.

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  New Convert - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By bss123 - December 5 - 1:14 am

  I have been driving luxury cars for years. Wife has a Land Rover, after having a 2001 Denali. This is a great vehicle, I have gone from a Mercedes and Ford Powerstroke to one vehicle, and it fits the bill.

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  Over all its an excellent car - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By bibhuti - December 4 - 9:54 pm

  We bought this car 3 years back. We have yet to get any kind of mechanical problem. Mileage is great. I get more than 30mpg on highways and 24 in mixed daily driving. It is spacious, comfortable, and beautiful. Only thing I dont like about this car is wind noise that I am having after 2 years. In case GM can take care of that a customer like me will always go for an Impala.

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  Oi-Vey-Oh - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Garibaldi - December 4 - 8:04 pm

  Rolling my 1998 Contour SVT put a new car in my life last January. Not a Sentra Spec V, which didnt charm, instead I went for the Aveo SVM 5 door. This car is so stripped, I expected to find a pull cord wrapped around the crank pulley. It took two days and one 45 mph offramp to realize the cheesy Kumho tires wouldnt do. Serious interneting got me 17" wheels and tires that transformed the handling. Gas mileage isnt stupendous at 27 mpg overall, but its decent. Build quality is all that can be expected for a sub $10k car: its tight, quiet, fast, and quick. Oddly, the Aveo is a great over the road stormer. With a 6yr/100k bumper to bumper GM warranty, Im worry free until 2012. Not bad.

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  Wonderful vehicle - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By R. Wilson - December 4 - 7:50 pm

  it is, so far, the best vehicle for the money Ive ever bought. The handling, ride and interior space is second to none, it looks great, like something costing twice the money. GM did it right with this one.