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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  MY 2003 VETTE - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By PAUL H - October 14 - 2:00 am

  I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR THAT IS MORE FUN TO DRIVE. ON A TRIP TO FLORIDA I WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE 20.9 MILES PER GALLON. AT 80 MILES PER HOUR THE ENGINE WAS TURNING ABOUT 2000 RPMS. GREAT CAR.

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  LOVE MY TAHOE - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By J. SCHOEN - October 14 - 2:00 am

  IT DOESNT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. WE ALSO OWN A JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE BUT HAVE PASSED IT DOWN TO OUR DAUGHTER. RIDE, SIZE & COMFORT. TAHOE HAS IT ALL.

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  TrailBlazer Review - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Michael Paladino - October 14 - 2:00 am

  This truck is awesome.

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  Great Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By je8bu - October 14 - 2:00 am

  I have had many trucks. This is by far the best I have ever owned

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  Sweet ride - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By C Curtis - October 14 - 12:03 am

  I have the LTZ 4X4, overall a great truck. Looks are outstanding and the interior is very refined. Engine sounds nice.

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  HHR Heaven - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By vg - October 13 - 4:43 pm

  I dont drive on the highway much except to the airport, I am an around town/back and forth to work driver. This vehicle replaced a Suzuki small SUV that I loved. However, the HHR is a great replacement. Very comfortable seats and very smooth drive, maneuverability, quiet,peppy (I have the 2.4L) and it is great in town. Good price for the money. I recommend it.

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  Affordable Luxury - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Maribel Munoz - October 13 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is a beautiful and an affordable car. Great for those people who like luxury cars but cant afford them. Its very spacious and drives like your floating on air. I recently got into a car accident and lost my car. But I will definately purchase another Chevy Malibu!

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  A Beautiful Mind - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By matt2002 - October 13 - 10:00 am

  I love my 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer, it has all the room you need and is a sporty SUV, that turns alot of heads!! With the 4WD and locking deferation you can go in all conditions!!

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  2008 is not a 2006 or 2007 - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By David - October 13 - 4:03 am

  Bought it 30 days ago. Love it. Got a LT loaded, Leather seats and all. Big difference with a loaded HHR and a basic HHR. Cost was 18K.

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  We love our "Burban" - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Joanne - October 12 - 9:55 pm

  We really like our 07 Suburban. We had a 2004 but decided to purchase the 07 for two reasons. As the mother, I wanted to get it because of the side curtain airbags and the backing up sensors and camera. My husband wanted to buy it because it is "sweet." We havent had it long, but did lots of research and dont think we will regret it. We have black exterior, black leather so Im not sure if we have any mismatched colors like the other reviews. I really wish GM would put moms on their beta team for future models.