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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  amrican bad ass - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By reaper7979 - April 21 - 2:00 am

  just got a new 04 vette 1st car other thean my dads let me tell you ricers got nutthing on it allready beat the two "fastest cars" in my school a civic hooked up beyond belief at least 10 k in it an a trans amm, nuthing beats it 4 power to price not to meantion it looks fast when parked.

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  Awesome Car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Kingston SS - April 21 - 12:10 am

  Awesome Car for the price you pay. Excellent performance in the high- revs, this thing is a Civic killer. Most other small cars had better watch out.. as fast if not faster then a V6 Mustang. Tires wear quickly but have ultra-hard sidewalls and will take alot of punishment. I hit a curb going 50kph on a turn and took out a chunk of rubber the size of a nickel, no cord, nothing. barelly a scratched rim. Awesome car.

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  HHR - Cool little ride - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By dmcdulin - April 20 - 3:16 am

  The HHR looks nice and has some good features for a low priced SUV. The remote start, dashboard storage, and cool chrome displays are all solid, especially on a car at $15,000. Only drawback so far has been when I need to push the endgine for a littel extra power, it delivers but when the AC is on, you can tell the power drop a little bit.

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  Best Vehicle Ive Owned - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By IMPALA LOVER - April 20 - 2:42 am

  This car is great. Driving to and from work (38 miles each way) you cant beat the gas mileage... 29.7 miles per gallon! The Impala has a great smooth ride. If I ever buy another car, it will be another Impala!

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  My Experience - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Tommy - April 19 - 5:08 pm

  Since I have had this truck I have loved it. It feels more comfortable than my old F250 that I traded in and the fuel economy is much better. I have made it from Stow, Ohio to Roanoke, Virginia on half a tank of gas. The truck runs smooth and quiet, you can really feel the power of the engine as well with all of the pick up and go. Since I have had the truck I have had the bed lined with Line-X and I have added a class 3 hitch to pull a pop-up camper and my boat. Even when towing the truck has shown no problems. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a good mid size truck today.

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  The perfect truck - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dbary - April 19 - 4:43 am

  I have had my new 2014 Silverado for a few months now. Here is the build configuration: LT Double Cab 4x4 5.3L V-8 All-Star Package Bed Liner 33,000 out the door (after tax) Disclaimer, I have driven similar versions of Ram and Fords 2014 trucks. I have actually always owed Fords up until this point of my life. This truck just does everything perfect. When I test drove the Ram and Ford, the Silverado just seemed like everything was put together in a way that made it feel like the entire truck is made out of one piece, aka, German sedan like.

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  Little Orange Slice - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Greg - April 18 - 11:48 pm

  I purchased my Aveo as a second car to commute to work in. I really like it the gas milage is pretty good. The little car rides great and is very comfortable. I have a PT Crusier and the Aveo is very similer in the sitting position. I love the bright spicy orange color, it stands out.

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  Chevy Z24 Convertible - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Marcella Carothers - April 18 - 7:35 pm

  I purchased this car new. It has always been very reliable. It is a sharp looking car with white striping and tinted windows. It is a lot of fun to drive and I always have envious compliments wherever I go. I have had several new cars in my life and this is the one I liked the most.

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  Best $7,000 I ever bought - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By whf147 - April 18 - 5:29 pm

  As a previous Chevy Sprint owner I would say this is the car of the century. I paid $1,000 more for this vehicle than the 1986 Chevy Sprint I bought. I got 180,000 miles out of that vehicle. I bought this Aveo in Oct of 2004 and I have 46,000 trouble free miles on it.

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  Love My "EEK" - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Sue - April 18 - 2:20 pm

  I love my "EEK". It is sporty and fun to drive. The moveable backseat is a great idea and provides lots of legroom for a 6 and taller person. The dashboard looks great with the stainless console.