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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  the review of your life - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By blaine - April 30 - 2:00 am

  Drives well well mantained good car exellant for beginers this car has a lot of trunk space

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  the review of your life - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Blaine - April 30 - 2:00 am

  Drives well well mantained good car exellant for beginers this car has a lot of trunk space

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  Satisfied - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Mark E Mark - April 30 - 2:00 am

  I recently got a 2002 Cavalier base coupe, and i had doubts about the performance aspect of the 2.2 L engine. My car was equipted with a 5 speed manual transmission which proved to deliver good pick-up and acceleration. It will really fool you. Although it is not as refined as its imported competitors, it has all that one would need, all in pretty good locations. I recomend the chevy cavalier.

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  GMC 3500 8.1 Liter Ext. Wheelbase - 2002 Chevrolet Express
  By rsmmac - April 30 - 2:00 am

  I have already driven 30,000 trouble- free miles with this van. I had a fiberglass top added after I bought it (with installed TV and VCR) and we have enjoyed road trips with our three kids (and often another family and their kids). I average 11 MPG at about any speed/incline/load. Love the 8.1 Liter V8 power and torque.

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  2002 Trailbalzer LS - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By lms0669 - April 30 - 2:00 am

  It is a nice truck , The new 4.2 Inline 6 delivers plenty of power, It has a very smooth ride , Truck handles great in the snow . A lot of SUV for the money !! Highly recommended , Its not up to Toyota or Honda quality yet but GM has seem to come a long way !!

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  In awe - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Tahoe Man - April 30 - 2:00 am

  Fell in love at first sight! Too good to be true and holding my breath that all stays well for the next few years. Great dealer fly cross country to meet these guys. Price alittle high, but they made a deal and financed cheap.

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  TBLAZER - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By 2002 TBlazer - April 30 - 2:00 am

  I purchased a 2002 Trailblazer in January 2002 and in a year have put 19,800 miles on it. It is a solid vehicle, however, it has been in for service 12 times in a year. Squeeks, seat belts that stangle you, vibration in the steering column, popping noise when turning the steering wheel, and a new transmission at 11,000. The transmission started to squeel. Although this vehicle is a drastic improvement over the current S-10 based Blazer, I recommend that everyone buy a 2003 model over a 2002. Apparently, Chevy has fixed most of the first year bugs.

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  So far, So good... - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By CDSweet - April 29 - 2:00 am

  I have owned the Crew Cab S-10 for almost 2 months now and so far it has been a real value/dollar spent. After all the incentives it was the best deal on the market for a truck that can seat a family of four and ft in my garage. The only things I didnt like about the truck I fixed shortly after buying it. The OEM 15" alloy wheels that Chevrolet puts on all their 4x4 S- Series trucks are looking a little dated. The window tint should include all windows and not just the back ones. And last, and the most annoying to me is the Air Bag shutoff switch? Why on Earth would they remove this option from just this model? Shocked me a little.. Dean

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  First Class Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Kirk Henry - April 27 - 8:46 pm

  First when you look at this truck it says top of the line. Then it says power. The handling of this truck is almost perfect. The seats fit like a glove. The ride is like no other truck Ive ever driven before. And when I pass by people look and stare. That SS emblem says it all - top of the line Chevy Silverado. Some people says SS but i say SSS.

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  Comfortability - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Jasmyn Rawls - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Needs more comfortable seats and locking glove compartment.