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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  What a ute! - 2006 Chevrolet SSR
  By The Beast - June 12 - 3:17 am

  This baby hauls. Now just get over its somewhat goofy looks and listen. I have had this a few months now, no rattles, easy and quick top, plenty of cargo room, sport car ride with an average of 18mpg city and 26 hgwy so far. This one is very fast and is a clever useful car at the same time. Chevy, killer job!

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  Great first car - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By meg - June 11 - 11:45 pm

  I went from a 95 Corsica to this car and I must say, I am definitly pleased. Same engine, 2x the horsepower, the pick up on it is great.

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  Unbelieveable Car - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By this car rocks - June 11 - 10:10 pm

  I bought my Z24 new in 1994 with only 3,000 miles, and besides regular maintence, have not touched it yet. I drove it till my daughter got her liscence and then gave it to her. Its still rust free, runs strong, and is the fastest car in the family. Great handling at high speeds, and fun to drive no matter what. Handles unbelieveably in the snow. Better than my four wheel drive SUV. All in all, its a great car.

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  2002 Tahoe - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By savern - June 11 - 9:38 pm

  Have had a great overall experience with this Tahoe. Standard Maintenance is all that has been required. Just replaced the factory tires @ 71,000 miles.

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  2005 Chevy Work Truck 5 speed Manual LB - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By 2doorpost - June 11 - 6:53 pm

  This is the best truck Ive ever owned (out of 10 Chevys) V6 with the 5 speed gets 24-25 MPG on the freeway. A few minor things went wrong- all fixed by the dealer. Truck has nearly 70000 miles now- runs like new and looks new. Still running on the original tires and brakes, all still good.

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  I would suggest it over a Ford Escape - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By inetlady - June 11 - 4:23 am

  I was shopping around for a 4x4 or AWD. After coming back from vacation I decided to stop by a local dealership with little intention on buying, like I said just shopping. I looked at this vehicle and new I liked the looks inside and out. It is roomy, has plenty of features even if it is not the top of the line model, very little road noise, comfortable drive and we cant believe it is a 4 cyl. Oh yeah I got the moon roof... slides back or vents up - LOVE THIS!!!

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  Awesome Corvette - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Pat - June 10 - 8:43 pm

  This is my 4th Corvette. The overall quality is impressive, the performance and handling is world class and awesome. We recently completed a trip from WA. State to AZ and back, 28+ MPG, cruise set at 90+. Very comfortable on the long trip. I read comments by others giving a negative to the interior and I disagree. They need to look at the other cars out there and compare, I drove the Porsches, MB and BMW. This care is at least comparable in quality and fit, but far exceeds them in performance and value.

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  2007 LT2 Coupe/Automatic Trans. - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By JasonC - June 10 - 4:33 am

  I bought this about a month ago and have around 1150 miles. Car drives smooth with little outside noise. Very quiet engine! Electric power steering seems to working well with no problems. The interior is nice, however a bit nicer door panels couldnt hurt. Sunroof is quiet and a pleasant option to have. Seating in the front is very comfortable. Drivers side lumbar support is a nice feature, however it doesnt really make a huge difference. Instrument gauges are cleanly arranged, and the stock stereo is very nice! I love the features, and the XM that came with it! I have the 16" tires (instead of the stock 15") and I think it gives it a cleaner beefier look. Gas mileage is best at 65 mph.

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  Nice car - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By joe - June 10 - 4:23 am

  This car is the best car that Ive had from Chevrolet. I owned a Hummer and got rid of it because all of my kids drive now, so I dont need all the space. This car caught my eye right away and Ive have the same feeling everytime I look at it. The V8 rumble is never over exhilirating and the DOD works awesome. Off the line torque steer is a little bit overwhelming sometimes but it quickly gets back on track.

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  My Equinox - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By chevylvr - June 10 - 4:20 am

  This is a great car with good mileage. The cargo area is spacious and the children love the reclining seats.