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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  Love it - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By aleksis - May 16 - 1:56 pm

  I love this car. It is my first new car. It gets great gas mileage. Much bigger on the inside than it looks. So much to fun to drive.

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  My Aveo - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By D. J. - May 16 - 12:30 pm

  I love this car. Of all the vehicles I have owned, this is my favorite. My husband enjoys driving it so much, he plans to buy one for himself. Its a great scoot-around-town car. The gas mileage is terrific.

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  06 Vette Convertible - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bart - May 16 - 11:47 am

  This is a superb automobile. Very impressed with build quality and ride. Personally, I think the interior is excellent. Car is so fast it is almost scary! Handling is excellent. This is one sweet roadster!

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  Love my HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Gina Pasfield - May 15 - 8:13 pm

  I just bought the HHR and it has a lot of nice standard options. It is a head turner. It gets very good gas mileage and drives like a charm. Fenders and doors line up very well which are important qualities to me. Paint job is excellent. Cant find anything wrong with it thus far.

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  Swithched back to 2007 Suburban - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Brandon S. - May 15 - 3:25 pm

  This vehicle drives and handles better than any other vehicle I have owned. The new smart motor is going to be a real fuel saving plus with the cost of gas on the rise. The interior of the vehicle is comperable to any vehicle on the market. The new rack & pinion steering makes this thing handle like a sports car. All in all I would say my family will be in love with this Suburban for a long time.

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  2006 Chevrolet Aveo SVM Manual Hatchback - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By 79type2 - May 15 - 2:49 pm

  I was going to wait a month after purchase to rate this car, but I feel I have driven it enough to comment. This vehicle has so far met and surpassed all my expectations. The sheet metal folds around the doors, hood, and hatch are all sealed (Something $34,000+ Dodge Chargers dont even have). The hatch shuts with VW like quality (No slamming necessary). This car is fun to drive and doesnt take long to get up to speed (Once you get going you barely have to give it gas). Im really surprised by some of the negative comments I have seen regarding this car. Its a much better deal than the Yaris Liftback or Scion Xa, neither of which looks half as good inside or out.

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  Perfect homeowner truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ozzy - May 15 - 12:00 pm

  Bought it new Jan 2004. At 60,0000 miles I bought the first set of tires and brakes. ]I get 15 mpg city, 18 mpg highway with 4.8 liter. ] The 4WD is great in the northeast. Truck cruises at 70mph feels like a sedan, yes, there is road noise, its a truck. Nothing replaced so far, did not have to bring it to the dealer once! If you need or want a truck, take a serious look at a GM.

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  Best car for the money - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jake c - May 15 - 8:41 am

  I purchased my Cavalier about 14 months ago and already have 55,000 miles on it. It has been a great car so far. Most powerful 4 cyl I have ever driven, with better fuel economy than any I have driven. The seats are quite comfy, great stereo system. Doesn’t handle great on curvy roads, but it’s not a sports car. But so far it has been maintenance free. Highly recommended for the price

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  Pick-up truck nut case - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By mavuelect - May 14 - 10:00 am

  The only bad thing about driving and riding around in such a beautiful dream car is that there are some real weirdos who are so jealous that they try to run you off the road. My wife and I were driving around on the weekend with the top down, really enjoying ourselves, when this "red-neck or goon or whatever" tried his best to bump us off the road.

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  bad ass - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By chevymick03 - May 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a really nice truck to drive. It has the off road capabilities as well as a dream ride. Very luxerious interior and stylish exterior. There is very little i would do to chang this truck.