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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  American Work Horse - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By chevyguy9 - October 23 - 11:43 pm

  This truck is absolutly outstanding. Before I owned it, a rancher out in the Houston area owned it. He had to haul horse trailers, trailers with hay bales, tractors, you name it. From what the dealership told us, the previous owner had it stuck in a river for three days. The only thing needing replacement was the computer system. Since we have had it, all i have had to replace was a fuel pump. ive dont everything imaginable in this truck. I can cruise at 85 no problem. You wouldent even know that my 30 rv was behind the truck because it doesnt strain the engine at all. This truck is perfect for anything. No matter what you put it through, it wont stop. EVER

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  Its paid for so dont laugh. - 2001 Chevrolet Express
  By firefightingfool - October 23 - 7:31 pm

  I love my van. My wife hates it. (Due to the consumption of fuel, along with the price of fuel.) I upgraded from an Chevy Astro. The room, the entertainment system, the handling, the styling, the aggressive motor, the storage room behind the rear seat, the duel A/C. I can go on forever. The only drawback is the fuel economy, which I really dont mind, because the entire family can travel in comfort. I bought my van with 29,000 miles and I currently have just over 93,000 miles. When it comes to repairs, Ive needed to replace my starter, alternator and battery. With regular maintenance my vehicle has been superb.

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  Best Chevy to date - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By JOHNNY B - October 23 - 7:12 pm

  I have owned a few Chevys in my time. This one is great. It came with factory tinted windows and a faux cloth top. The car runs great, 33 mpg on the highway and 22 in the city. The 3.4 liter engine has enough get up and go. The interior is roomy and comfortable. I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  This HHR Rocks - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By ChristNMe - October 23 - 5:03 am

  I can only say that I enjoy the smooth ride the handling and the controls. I was looking for a truck and the Colorado was it... until I saw the HHR and took her out for a run. Great pickup for a small engine! The controls will take a little getting used to, but they really streamlined the doors by moving the window controls to the console area. I am so glad I took it for a ride and bought her!

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  Bought used 2006 Impala - Great - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Average Joe - October 22 - 10:12 pm

  Just bought one used with 59,000 miles, in August 2009. What a great car. Designed for adult men and I think also women. Comfortable, everything is where it should be and works like it should. Plenty of room but very good gas mileage. What a pleasure to get into to drive home at the end of the day, or to take on a trip. Why spend a lot more money on a car? This has everything you reasonably want.

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  Still Tryin - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Vette Crazy - October 22 - 5:50 pm

  This is my 4th Corvette (93, 99, 02, 04). I dont know why I keep trying. Ive loved Vettes since I was a kid and keep hoping someday Ill find one that doesnt have problems. This one has had problems with transmission (hard shifts), broken stabilizer links and brakes squealing for 2 years. Dealer said brake squeal is normal after their 4th attempt to fix. All 3 C5s were convertibles and all leaked around the windows when driving in the rain. All of my Vettes averaged about 3 visits to the dealer per year for repairs not counting normal maintenance, with each visit being at least 2 days. You would think I drive them hard, but Ive been told I drive like a little old granny. So thats not it.

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  Lumina Euro - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Eric - October 22 - 4:13 pm

  I had a lot of fun with my 1993 Chevrolet Lumina Euro. I put it through hell for the year and a half that I had it. It had already had 167,000+ on it when I got it and I drove it until the head gasket blew at 177,000+. It was definitely worth the 600 I paid for it. It was a great buy

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  Poor Workmanship - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Tyson - October 22 - 3:09 pm

  I have had nothing but problems with my van since purchasing. It has had the steering shaft replaced, and the redundant controls on the steering wheel replaced. The power sliding doors are the biggest joke. They have had the entire motor and clutch assemblies replaced 5 or 6 times and also had to be realigned 5 or 6 times. This vehicle has been a real pile of junk. Whats worse is that this is the 5th GM vehicle that I have owned. I never had problems with any of the others, and GM does not care that I am having problems now. They are simply content to keep patching the mechanical door failure and not actually fix the problem. Whatever it is. I promise this the last GM vehicle for me.

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  Good looking truck - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Tony - October 22 - 9:34 am

  Purchased the truck new and in 12 years have driven 28,100 miles. I had to replace the alternator at 20,000 miles and upgraded the brake system with drilled and slotted rotors and high performance pads. Now the brakes are great. My 2nd battery died last nite. I needed to fix the leaking oil lines which also leaked in my 1994 Pontiac Gran Prix. Other than the above listed problems the truck rides great and has good acceleration, confort, looks and reliability.

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  Excellent American Built Car - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Dale - October 22 - 7:57 am

  Excellent build car by Chevrolet. I love to drive this car. Very comfortable and quiet. Excellent gas mileage for large car