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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  Z71 Package - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jason - December 22 - 1:10 am

  The current rebates and GM Employee incentive pricing brought me back to the Chevy dealership. I brought the Z71 for about $2,000 below invoice. The power is good since I purchased the power package and the exterior trim is great. The majority of the features are great and there are numerous electronic gadets more than the other brand trucks. The satellite radio is nice extra, which GM does own XM (Great self promotion). In most reviews, the quality of the interior is lacking, which I found to be true in my case. GM needs to upgrade the interior quality and design. It was not much different than my 2000 Silverado interior. At the current price it was a worthwhile buy.

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  Not for Cold Climates - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By RussHoss - December 17 - 10:00 am

  Its ok I guess. Fuel line freezes regardless of amt. of gas in the tank. Gas anti-freeze doesnt even help. Limited slip rear end gets stubborn in cold weather.

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  Great Fun - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Joe Starkman - December 17 - 12:50 am

  Just back from driving Hwy. 3 between Vancouver, B.C. and Calgary, AB. Fabulous 2 lane blacktop, mountain passes and fast curves. The Vette handled it with ease...superb cornering, awesome acceleration for the quick pass on the 2-laner. Thats the good news...the looks, the handling, the power and the price. Its the details that GM needs to work on. The removable sunroof squeaks. the 6-speed is average at best...not even close to the Porsche shifter. The quality of the interior finish plastic materials is just plastic. Dont get me wrong...the Vette is great!

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  Nice - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By ljordan09 - December 17 - 12:10 am

  We picked up the absolute most basic model. Since day one it is destined as a work truck. And its an excelent one. The only one problem is one blown tranny. But that was more our fault than anything. We didnt change the oil for 26,000 miles. Hey if it can hold on for that long, props man. I love how the base model is comfortable and the floor is plastic, the best part about that is no worries! I only have the V6 with 200 hp and im very surprised with 0-60 times. all in all, good job.

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  Wont stay running! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By richr - December 16 - 6:43 pm

  Since my last review on 7/8/10, the truck has been in the shop twice. Now Roadside assistance says the dealer is out of the 20 mile range and I had to pay the tow company for the extra mileage, was towed from this address before with no issues. The reduced engine power code came back twice and the truck wouldnt stay running. The dealer is once again claiming they can not find a problem, but they would sell me a new truck. They want to give me 14K as a trade?!?! Paid 32K two years ago, so much for holding any value. Going to contact GM Corp. Mon to see if they are willing to offer any assistance. Probably not, next stop will be the lawyers office. Dont Buy this vehicle!

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  Most Uncomfortable - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mark of MS - December 13 - 2:16 pm

  I loved everything about this truck, except the seat gives the most uncomfortable ride of any vehicle Ive ever owned or ridden in. I could never get comfortable in the drivers seat, not even on short trips. I couldnt stand to drive the truck anymore so traded it in. I did get an awesome trade on it (300 over Blue Book), so thats certainly a plus. I was very disappointed in the comfort level of this truck. It drives awesome, its quiet, and I never had one problem with it. If only the seat was even somewhat comfortable I would have kept it for much, much longer.

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  Silverado SS - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Maverikx99 - December 12 - 10:30 pm

  The truck is definitely fun to drive and has lots of power. Drawbacks are terrible gas mileage (and premium) and noises from the AWD caused by bad assembly of the carrier.

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  Chevy Colorado, a decent truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By jms - December 12 - 4:26 pm

  After a bad start my Chevy Colorado has proven to be a decent truck. Getting 18 mpg. My bad start had me back at the dealer 4 times to fix a noisy dash. After switching to another dealer they found the hood was the culprit all along. My main complaint is the sound of this engine. It sounds like a Volvo or Audi. Also the gas pedal is too close to the brake pedal. I love the looks of the exterior, but the interior is very basic. It does feel kind of cheap overall. Great rebates and additional dealer discounts made me go with the Chevy instead of the new Toyota or Nissan. I do wish it was a little closer to the other midsize trucks in size, although that does make it easier to fit in the average size garage.

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  1st Pickup - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Sodave - December 10 - 7:13 pm

  My 1st new truck - I tried them all. Loved the Titan & Ford - but they are so much money. Tundra was a little low on power for 04, Dodge was unreliable. Chevy fit the bill nicely. Lots of goodies for the best price. Truck runs & looks good with 5.3 & tow pkge Z71. Mileage is OK.

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  Good Value Car - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By MonteCarlo31 - December 6 - 10:00 am

  This car has been a good car, recieved it when I was 16 (sat for a year before anyone drove it) now 22 and 155,000 miles on the clock. Only had one alt go out. This car is NOT babied and still runs well, friends with hondas even say how nice it is for the mileage it has. Wish it had a bigger back seat.