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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  2004 silveradoZ714wd - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By wilfredweber - September 14 - 2:00 am

  wonderful truck power .ride .style etc

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  Just got my 2005 - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By GH - September 13 - 11:42 pm

  I have had mine for 1 1/2 months now. Nothing can describe it. Its awesome, no wonder this car has been a legend for 52 years. Its half the price of any car that can compete with it. I think Chevy priced it way too low for what you get for what you pay.

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  Rippen Fun - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Mike - September 13 - 9:17 pm

  The 3500 5cyl. Vortec engine in my extended cab kept right up on a Camaro SS. This truck has very great power and unreal gas mileage to go with it. Only two things I dont absolutly love about the truck is no reclining seats and wheels come too small stock. Overall you cant beat the price. Its the best deal on a midsize truck and it will smoke any other midsize truck. You cant go wrong with this one.

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  Maxxng the Fun in Fair Oaks - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Rollingbones - September 12 - 1:30 pm

  Weve waited 3 years to get one of these and thus far am very happy with it. It has lots of zip, is comfortable and best of all feels very natural and at home on the road. I really appreciate the versatility of cargo/seating area. Weve experimented with hauling various things and for a car this size, we consider it a real viable alternative to an SUV (for better fuel economy) as well as being a fun car to drive. It especially handles well on corners and with the traction control should be very reliable in inclement weather. Best of all we appreciate the high safety rating (with side air bags). I feel well protected when driving. This one is a long term keeper!

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  My Favorite Suburban - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Val - September 12 - 1:00 pm

  We had baby #3 and decided to move up from our Tahoe. This is my first Suburban and I love it! It is very comforable inside. We have buckets in the middle so the big kids can get in and out easily. The extra room was very needed. In the Tahoe to use the cargo room, all the kids had to sit in the middle seats, that made for lots of fighting. Now we can utilize the whole interior! The DVD system is still a big hit, although with three little kids, controls in the front might be nice.

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  Great Value - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By SMR - September 12 - 10:00 am

  My last two vehicles were a Honda and Nissan. This time when shopping for a car the best value was a Cavalier. Nothing can compete for the price with traction control, ABS, cruise, power windows, CD. Mine drives great and I expect good dependability like my Cavalier I bought 10 years ago with less options for about the same price as the 02 I just bought. You cant beat it for value.

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  2006 SS - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By ssowner - September 11 - 9:56 pm

  Great vehicle. Still trying to sort out some bugs with the tire monitoring system with the dealer. Warning light on almost every trip. Had troubles with the block heater system, engine falsely recording overheat condition.

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  HotRodHarrys 2005 Tahoe Rocks! - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By HotRodHarry - September 11 - 2:54 pm

  My family has owned numerous Tahoe 4x4 trucks and it was about time for me to try it out. As I always loved driving theirs. Well..this 2005 Tahoe is just awesome. And I love the Bermuda Blue Metallic paint. Thanks Chevy!

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  Fantastic GM Car - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By StormyLiz - September 10 - 12:30 pm

  My husband and I absolutely love this car! There really are only a few minor complaints: the sun-visors have a poor design, the cruise doesnt hold as well as I would like, and the road noise is more than in other similar models. Otherwise, this is a great engine with lots of torque, the fuel mileage with the VVT can get up to 33mpg on the highway (with the wind at your back...30 otherwise), and the interior is very comfortable. The lumbar support is fantastic. We made a long road trip this past Christmas, and I am pregnant, and I did not get back pain at all. The fold down back seats were great for transporting stuff. Oh, and my husband loves the remote start in the cold weather!

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  The Best - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bay Area Guy - September 9 - 4:17 am

  I have owned 7 Porsches, 5 Mercedes, 4 Lexus, and Infiniti FX45 and 2 Corvettes. The first being a C5 and now a new C6. By far, this car exceeds every vehicle that I have had the fortune to own and drive. It just does everything right and after 3,000 miles makes me feel like the first day I drove it off the lot. Chevrolet has made and amazing car at an even better price.