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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  Best bang for the buck! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By McWilly - December 9 - 10:00 am

  I love it

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  Big Car on a Mid-Size Budget - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Michael & Kathy - December 8 - 2:53 am

  We commute short distances but like to take multi-state road trips. The Impala fits in the garage and budget but flies down the highway without any strain. XM radio and OnStars navigation are great over the road tools. Finding an E-85 station is particularly cool using OnStar. The hidden storage under the back seat is nice for the lap top rather than in the trunk. All the trip computer readouts are nice when the scenery gets boring. We also considered the new Malibu but tiny things like the 2-zone A/C and power passenger seat ruled the day. A couple of small items would have been nice, memory settings for the seat/mirrors and a wider choice of wheels. Thank goodness for TireRack!

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  Unreal - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By ELEANOR - December 7 - 9:08 pm

  What an experience! Just picking up this beauty at the dealership was an experience. Had to go to NY to get this baby, was too much over list here in Miami. Drove car straight through overnight back to Miami from NY to avoid snowstorm. This is the car I have been waiting for my whole life. Had the 1969 427 with trips - brand new when I was young. What a difference between a 69 with the SAME 7 liter displacement and this new beauty. Dont know how they got the mileage from this new LS7 engine, remember very POOR mileage on my first Vette. Got so many stares and looks and the SOUND is INCREDIBLE! Every stop during trip home, found people standing around admiring the car. SOOOOO HAPPY!

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  My First American Car....a Winner! - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jay Bee - December 7 - 1:50 pm

  Very nervous about purchasing my first American car, but heard very good things about this model. After 3 weeks, I am very pleased with my choice....inline 6 cyl. runs like a dream, whisper quiet, with similar gas mileage to the much less powerful V6 in my Rodeo. Interior appears simple and functional and attractive to me...exterior looks great and turns heads. Biggest sell is plenty of interior room for 62" 225 lbs. driver!

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  S-10 Blazer 1997 - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Nick - December 7 - 10:29 am

  The Blazer I drive has 205,000 miles and still runing strong with the original engine and transmission. I use synthetic Mobil 1 in it since 22,000miles.

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  Listen to engine - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By PSM450 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Hey its a nice truck but the engine develped a knocking noise that the dealer says is normal. They wont fix it..

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  My Chevrolet Blazer - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By April Rogers - December 6 - 11:27 pm

  This is my second Chevy Blazer and I just love it. It is very comfortable, easy to drive, but most of all it is extremely reliable. I have been driving it for 7 years and have only done my routine maintenance.

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  More fun than the bat mobile......... - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Duane Eilers - December 6 - 5:39 pm

  This has been the most exciting vehicle I have ever purchased and driven and it is with great pride that I highly recommend the new C6....... you literally will wonder why anyone would require more than 400 HP with that new L2 V8. You will love it!

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  Best Mid-Size SUV for the Money - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By danvilleca - December 6 - 2:26 pm

  Great all around SUV. Good looking exterior, clean interior design, plenty of seating room, V6, drives smooth, and good saftety ratings. For the money its far superior to the Honda CRV.

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  Astonishing - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By satyajit - December 6 - 1:41 pm

  Excellent with all the features which i was looking for and i dont think any other car can compete with this one. Good Job. Keep it up!