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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  life saver - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By rs - May 24 - 2:00 am

  After owning the Avalanche less than a week it was struck on the driver side rear door by a full size car traveling 35 m.p.h.+ and was spun off the road and down in a ditch Not only did the vehicle stay upright my 2 small children in the back seat escaped injury from the impact

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  Like it more than I thought I would! - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By rdg81 - May 24 - 2:00 am

  We bought our Trailblazer used in December 2003 with @16,500 miles on it. Its loaded with all the toys, leather, etc. So far Ive enjoyed this car even more than I thought I would. Hard to beat on long trips with the kids. Plenty of room, smooth ride. Not great gas mileage around town, but can get @20 miles per gallon on highway.

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  great truck ------------ - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By phonetech00 - May 24 - 2:00 am

  Had my truck one month and have 2500 miles.. so far it has been great..Have the 5300 v8 and so far have been getting an avg of 18mpg. get a decent 20 to 22 on the highway if I keep it at 60 or below..

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  wished i could get rid of it!!! - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By mary furrow - May 23 - 12:45 am

  Oh my! So so so many things wrong with it!Before warranty went out the dvd had to be replaced and the speakers not to long after that , ,then the sliding doors motor went out! Then transmission problems.... And brakes... And then my suspension went out on the back trunk opener!Dont have the list with me now at 55,000 abs light coming on ... And the side door does not open it comes open on and off... And I just keep it lock!We got it in 2006 we still owe 15,000.. Never again! I wanted to help amercian and but amer.. Van.. When this is paid off ! Its gone! Paint fading and parts out the van falling off.... Let me stop!

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  Handling - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jim Winchell - May 22 - 8:28 pm

  Change the shocks, they come with street car shocks. When I bought my 04 it did not handle will, Brian the service manager, sent me over to a front in shop and they put on new truck style shocks for 4WD units ($500.00) man what a change, had a better ride, no more lean around corners, no rolling from side to side when changing lanes, also my CHP friend had a lager Chev SUV he also changed out the shocks, big improvement to his ride. I have 98,900 mile on mine. I would buy another one, but please tell the people at GM wake up guys and put better shocks on from the factor..

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  Honest Opinion - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Roger - May 22 - 4:36 pm

  I enjoy this vehicle very much. Use it to drive to work in DC. Do not like the gas mileage I am getting to this point. Only have 1500 miles on it. Very stylish, easy to drive, and interior room is outstanding. Am getting 11-12 mpg all city and only got 17 on very short interstate trip (60 miles or so) Have not yet seen any of the coolant hose problems that some had written about. Pretty nice vehicle for the money, just needs few tweaks.

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  best small truck i feel - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By sparta729 - May 22 - 3:19 pm

  I absolutely love this truck, I wanted to get one for a long time. Zr2 package is my favorite, because it lets the truck come already as a fun looking small sized offroad pick-up. The s10 also is still a Nice truck which ever version, u have, like 4x4,2wd, stripped, loaded, anyway its still comes as a Nice looking truck, unlike the Tacoma or Dakota were if those trucks dont come in the better models they look stripped, and cheap, the Tacoma more so.

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  My 2005 Equinox Problems - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Mike from Buffalo - May 22 - 1:12 pm

  I bought my 05 Equinox used in 2007 with 25000 miles on it. The first problem I had with it was the ignition. The key would get stuck. Took back to dealer and they fixed it. Second thing was water in spare tire well. Rear hatch gasket was leaking. Paid $200 to have gasket & rug padding replaced. So for no more leaks. Third had rust on inside body of both rear doors. Took to dealer to show collision shop guy. He said hes never seen that rust problem on any other Equinox. Drivers side sun visor wont stay in position when its down to block the sun, obstructs your view. I have to prop it up. Now Ive got a creaking noise in front steering when I make a right turn. Who knows what will be next

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  Best car for the Money Period! - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Clark - May 22 - 12:26 pm

  Truly a car that will last if you know how to perform routine maintenance. I love this car! At 210,000 I redid the Intake Manifold gasket, water pump, and havent had any leaks since. The only other problems I have had have been electrical from the wire rotting out. These are simple fixes, just hard to trace where sometimes. I run Valvoline Max Life Full Synthetic oil. In town mileage is okay, highway is better than most cars get today. Add an HHO system and you will get over 35+mpg highway.

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  A Real Work Truck - 1996 Chevrolet S-10
  By David French - May 22 - 11:57 am

  I love my truck. It is not much more than a vehicle to get me to and from work but it is fun to drive and very dependable. The few major repairs I have had have been expensive but thankfully they have been few and far between. To just have a truck that you can use to haul furniture, lawn care stuff, or just about anything, this little S-10 is about as good as it gets.