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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  My Vette. My total experience - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By john milligan - July 30 - 8:08 pm

  My experience so far with my Corvette has been excellent. What surprises me the most is the acceleration and the superb handling. Its the best Vette ever built. My first new Corvette was a 1963 with two tops.Chevy engineering has come a long way since then.

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  Great car - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By silverbullet - July 30 - 5:50 pm

  Checked out the Saturn Aura as well. I worked for Saturn for a year and had driven the 08 Aura very often, great car I knew it would be my next. Once 0% was offered almost across the board for GM it was down to the Aura XR 4cyl vs. the Malibu LT2. The one thing I can say from my experience driving this car is if you are looking into 4cyl the 6 speed is a must. The original 2008 4 cyl 4 speed was loud! Pitted local Saturn dealership vs. Chevy dealership and went with who had the better bottom line out the door pricing. I will admit I liked the subtle differences of the Malibu interior, especially the suede leather and leather around the shifter to make clean up easier.

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  C6 compared to C5 - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By William J. Tewksbury - July 30 - 4:12 pm

  I own two C5s and one C6. The 6 is far and away superior to my 2000 and 2003 C5s in every category. All magazine reviews are absolutely correct regarding comfort, quietness, and quickness. An absolute pleasure to drive.

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  Been good to me - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By monte33 - July 30 - 12:40 pm

  I fell in love with this car and bought it when I was 7 mo pregnant. The rear seats have plenty of space and are comfy. I have tinted windows and have replaced the stock radio which greatly improved sound quality w/o getting new speakers/amp. Ibought my SS in 09/01 and about to hit 60,000 mi. and have this popping sound thats felt in the steering wheel when turning. It is bothersome and annoying. Have yet to look into the source. Rear window was replaced due to defrost not working and theres leaking in trunk ever since. Dew is in trunk and rear taillights and items in trunk are damp but theres no leak though they insist. Auto windows are slowing down now. But I still love my SS.

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  Best Vette ever - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By ron mcArthur - July 30 - 1:40 am

  Added nav system, power top, and z51 suspension. Total combo provides best handling with comfort of luxury car with the best bang for the buck in the power and styling catagory. Have had many Vettes of the past, and from the 2000 c-4 body to this is the most improved of any in its history

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  Nothing compares to the Z71 2005 Tahoe - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Brenda - July 29 - 11:52 pm

  I just traded in my 2001 2 WD Tahoe for the Z71 2005 package. My Tahoe is black. Most significant things Ive noticed are visibility, power, looks, and strength. Im 53 years old, and this is the best vehicle Ive ever had the pleasure of owning. Ive had more fun in this truck....I can say even more than my 1969 Mach I and 1973 Black Charger (ss - special edition). Im in love. Thank you Chevy, and thank you for giving us a better price.

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  New SUV Driver - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jim B - July 29 - 8:46 pm

  This is a good vehicle, overall. I would like to see some of the features on the dash moved just a little, but is otherwise very nice to drive. Its a lot of fun!

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  Flawless - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By cc6 - July 29 - 8:40 pm

  I bought the Z71 in July of 2002 and havent regretted it a day since Ive owned this truck. Great engine. Quiet and comfortable. Handles snow with ease. Its an overall great SUV. I will buy another.

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  Excellent, Fun, Blue Flame Special - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Aveo Fan - July 29 - 4:11 pm

  We originally got this car for our daughter when hers needed to be replaced. My wife insisted on one with pinstripes and blue flames on the doors. We drove the car for that weekend and decided to keep it for ourselves with our daughter getting my current car. The car has terrific interior space. It rides as well as cars more than twice the price. As for fun, Ive had several Corvettes, and except for sheer acceleration, this car is as big of a blast to drive. Folks seem to like the quirky styling. It was rear ended (about 5 mph) by some fool a couple months ago and the car took the impact very well with only minor damage to the bumper and one fender. Its had no warranty issues at all.

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  99 Chevy Suburban - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By frank - July 29 - 12:50 pm

  We did a lot of shopping around, and we love our Suburban, no turning back. Great vehicle for the family and nice to drive. Yes it likes gas, but we find it pretty good as we had a truck before this. The room is worth every penny1