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:

• 

  Cobalt LS 4door - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By RunnerBee - August 15 - 6:33 am

  Great little car for the price. No problems after 7 mos. ownership. Handles well; excellent acceleration for a small engine--keeps up with the bigger vehicles on the freeways with no problem. For a basic affordable vehicle with no frills (i.e. manual locks & windows) its a good choice. So far Ive only had one small problem with a rear door lock.

• 

  Reliable - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CM - August 14 - 9:58 pm

  This car is really great. I bought it new with only 15 miles on it. Since then, I have driven back and forth with it adding many miles on it within the four years that I have owned it. I average 20,000 miles a year. Most of those are freeway miles. Ive had to repair my brakes twice. Once at about 40,000 miles and the second at about 80,000. Other than tire rotations and oil changes I have not needed to do any other repairs. I have been hit twice in this car. Both times it was my front bumper that took the damage. The other drivers have been at fault and my bumper only suffered a crack in the middle of the bumper. There was no interior damage in either accident. The bumpers are really tough

• 

  Joes 2002 Yellow 2002 Vett - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Joe Fernandez - August 14 - 10:00 am

  A fun car to drive, great handlng and very good gas milege. I got 26.2 round trip going from Souther to nothern calif a driving distints of 1500 miles. Driving down the coast Highway with the top down I enjoyed. The tunk is limited so plan on not buying very much unless you plan on shipping your goodis UPS. And for a sport car this car is comfortable on long trips.

• 

  Love my 2003 Silverado - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By wjkvegas - August 14 - 10:00 am

  Took a 6000 mile trip and had no problems. Very comfortable and extremely quiet. Average milage was over 20 mpg. Ride and handling was like a car.

• 

  Great Value - 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By bl54 - August 13 - 4:15 pm

  Purchased primarily as a tow vehicle. Considered all of the full size trucks and decided on Silverado based on incentives and maturity of design. Liked the look of the GMC a little better but got the best deal on the Chevy. No issues in 8 months, everything functions as it should. Surprisingly quiet for a truck. All Star package gave me everything I needed (5.3 V-8 & tow package) at a substantial discount.

• 

  Great little cruiser - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Balou - August 13 - 1:10 am

  The HHR is a great little car thus far. After looking at the Matrix, Element & Forester, we decided on the HHR. The ride was smoother and the layout was more user friendly. The fuel ecomony in mixed driving is around 27 mpg! I am looking forward to seeing what the MPG will be when the engine is broken in. Chevy finally got something right.

• 

  Worth 20 Grand - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Fortunate One - August 12 - 7:18 pm

  Unless they make a new model or Hummer makes a 2 door, the value will go up on the body style. Its value is also in the power to weight ratio. It can pull more than I think it should. The spline on the drive shaft can be damaged. If you sell yours, always remember, if the dealers say its hot, then it is. Anything that ever broke was for a reason directly linked to the condition it was exposed to. Plastic tabs for example on the interior, were not designed for endurance, but for ease of assembly. Put Baer disk brakes on all four, and replace injectors. Cost of repair much less than interest on new loan alone, exceptional recreational second vehicle.

• 

  A Super Truck! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By KATIE - August 12 - 7:01 pm

  This is a great all around truck. The only thing that I would change if I could would be the gas mileage, but I love the truck so much that it is worth it. Very comfortable. No blind spots! Very nice!

• 

  Perfect Fit for people who want a truck - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By My Name Goes Here - August 12 - 3:44 pm

  I call this the last of the true trucks. Anything on todays market has been tuned to drive, handle, and ride like a car. Well guess what folks, this isnt a car. Its a truck, meant for the offroad, for plowing through muddy dirt roads and taking some abuse. My Blazer has handled everythhing I could throw at it with plenty left. Sure it has a couple of things that the dealer needed to fix, but nothing that was serious or even annoying to me as a driver/owner. In all the last of a dying breed (The Truck). Make sure to get one while they last!

• 

  Great truck - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By richdaddy - August 12 - 10:16 am

  Bought the truck in April, I love it, good power from a v6, comfy interior, looks good. The only thing I didnt like is days after I bought it was in the shop for a loose gas cap. The engine light came on cuz of it. Dealer was very fast in getting the truck back and I have not had any problem since, I would recommend this truck to anyone