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 My Truck - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By Maoch - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Excelent truck. Good gas mileage for a truck. We live in the So. Cal. mountains and love the 4WD. We get good compliments all the time on the ride (like a car) and the looks of the vehicle. We highly recommend this truck.

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  Possible Viper Killer - 1992 Chevrolet Corvette
  By norules119 - June 29 - 2:00 am

  I love this corvette. I have had a 1980 and a 1973 and those were nice but no comparison to this car. I put a set of chrome Z06 wheels on it and it makes the car look 100% better. i have done a few alterations to push about 330hp. I am thinking about putting a lingenfelter supercharger on it. If i do that i could be pushing out 450+ hp. Now that would be a VIPER KILER!

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  Love our Extended Trailblazer - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By extended-trailblazer - June 28 - 10:00 am

  We wanted to step down from our full size conversion van, but didnt want a mini-van family mobile. the extended trailblazer fits the perfectly for us. We have tons of cargo space even with the second row seats in use. Performance is excellent and Chevy hardly missed a bell or whistle in the LTZ.

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  2002 Silverado 2wd ext - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By elljayvee - June 28 - 10:00 am

  Just 3 weeks old as of this writing. Very quiet interior for a truck.Pleasantly surprised the 5.3 V8 gave 15.6 mpg 1st tank, and 17.8 second tank. Tow package w/ Lim slp. Ride is a little bouncy but acceptable.

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  Good solid value - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mark - June 28 - 5:33 am

  The Impala LTZ is a solid value with good performance with the 3.9 V6, which comes from its older brother the rock solid 3.8. Styling is nice inside and out, but I would think for the price Chevy would offer climate control, a coin holder and better outside mirrors. I opted for the LTZ over the SS, due in part to the tires are cheaper to replace, the V6 runs good enough for any need I will ever have.

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  Just one opinion - 1996 Chevrolet Corsica
  By buggy - June 28 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used, it now has 73,000 miles on it. I have had the fuel pump replaced and now the "crank sensor"? ($25.00 part, $165.00 labor) The passenger side carpet gets wet when the a/c runs. Paint chips. Other than that, the car is a good car...(so far, I have only had it 2 years)

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  economical for the long time owner - 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rmecone - June 28 - 2:00 am

  Bought this at auction when it was 2 years old. Had 66k on it. Now has 148k. Had to have flywheel replaced shortly after we got it, but only because previous owner had installed the wrong starter. No major problems in over 10 years! Just a battery and tires. No engine work ever. Still runs great! Uses no oil. Tape player is wearing out, but stereo is fine.

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  Venture is a bargain! - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Illinois_Steven - June 28 - 2:00 am

  I narrowed my choices to this vehicle and the Honda. The Honda dealer was arrogant, and let me know that there was absolutely no room to negotiate. The Chevy people were very courteous, and rated about an 8/10. We have enjoyed the Venture, especially some of the features we really didnt expect.

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  2500HD 2014 - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By burnell7 - June 27 - 3:20 pm

  I only purchased this 5 weeks ago and it is winter. So I cant tell you a lot. It has power for 6.0L. I purchased the 2500 instead of 1500, because I just bought a 37 5th wheel, which I will not be able to for 3 months or that warm weather arrives. So the gas mileage is only 12.3 right now. The ride is pretty sift. Lacks inside floor storage need to add plastic under rear seat storage. Dont like the fake ram air on hood.

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  I love this Truck - 1994 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Lt Bob - June 27 - 2:00 am

  This truck has been very good to me over the last 8 years. I will probably keep it for a very long time. In the future i will probably get a sports car and keep this as my winter vehicle and work horse.