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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  Power and Looks! - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Riverview - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I love it so far. I think it has plenty of power and gets much better gas milage than I imagined.

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  big orange and beautifull! - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By reneej48 - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Great truck. I traded a 2001 Mercedes convertible and I have yet to miss the Mercedes. I dont get much better than 11 mpg but I never get on the highway. I picked the orange color and everyone loves it.Love to deep bed and the tailgate design. Trans is very smooth. RPT radio is cool, wish I had bought the satellite radio.

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  Corvette - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By fbird19 - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Great car for porformance and excellent to drive. Have fun everywhere I go.

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  Fun, Fun, Fun! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By LKern - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I bought the new 2004 Corvette - DuMans Commemorative Edition on December 31st. What a fun drive! Not only is every man in town getting elbowed for checking out my car (not me!), but I love to drive it. The handling is awesome, the pickup and take off is amazing, and the look is SWEET! I have driven lots of luxury cars over the years, but this is the most fun car I have ever driven. The interior of the 2005 looks much nicer, but I cant say that the interior of this years model makes it any less fun to own!

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  Road Car - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By No name - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Used for business. Most of miles are on the road. Sixteen months - 45,000. Car is good dependable tranportantion. Gas mileage is right at 30 mpg. Only problems during first year were bad brakes after only 12,000 miles. Required two trips to dealer to get rid of ribrations. Note: purchased optional engine and suspension package.

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  bag for buck - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By bozo 47 - January 10 - 10:00 am

  for the size price and comfort the impala makes the best buy the car as all 2004 models should come with CD player

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  Unique SUV - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By CrumleyDave - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Equinox for about 2 months now, and love it. I have had so many compliments on it! Its such a fun, unique SUV, but yet, it feels like youre in a car. Very roomy and comfortable.. I love it! If only a front tag bracket was offered!

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  The Worst Vehicle Ive Owned For Sure - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By G-Man - January 9 - 11:23 pm

  Within 75k miles had the following issues: Door pins and hinges went bad. Right hub went bad. Transfer case leaks. Radiator blew. Head gesket went with it (never even got above 220). Passenger seat handle broke twice. Had to replace fuel injectors. Fuel pump is making noise. No Im not dumping anymore money into this hunk of junk! A piece of junk! I would never buy a a Chevrolet again!

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  Aging well - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By cs - January 9 - 5:16 pm

  Update as I approach 90,000 miles-- probably the best car Ive owned (out of 30+). Had the infamous steering shaft replaced shortly after warranty expiration, and it looked like it might fail again last year, but it must have healed itself. Other than that, its been reliable and an extremely comfortable, flexible car. Took me several months to get used to electric steering, but once you get used to it, its fine.

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  Never again GM! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By japauley - January 9 - 3:51 pm

  I was so looking forward to buying this vehicle. Then I did. I had to tell the salesman the specs on the Equinox. GMs SmartBuy program is a joke. You have to pay them to take the vehicle back if you decide you dont want it! The tires went bald at 15k miles. Then it took 3 months to find tires! The service engine soon light comes on every 4-5 starts and Chevy says just to ignore it, rather than figure out what causes it. They want $13k after 4 years for the vehicle when it goes straight to auction for $5k. Gas mileage is not what they advertised! I get 11-16 mpg. Its supposed to get 19-25. Ill never buy another GM since I can get a much better vehicle for less than what I paid on this one