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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  Love my Equinox! - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Nancy Soper - June 24 - 9:13 pm

  I traded in a 2004 Toyota Highlander and I just love my Equinox...I love the cute style of it and thus far have had no problems what so ever....The stereo buttons are a bit annoying but I just dont fool around with them....

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  I Love My 2005 TrailBlazer EXT - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Mari - June 24 - 6:03 am

  This is my first SUV, so perhaps Im biased. I just love my 2005 Trailblazer EXT. For me and my three children, it has more than enough room, rides smooth, little to no road noise, and lots of head room.

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  Attention Getter - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Warren - June 24 - 12:04 am

  I didnt mean to buy it, but the test drive sold it. Im 50 now, and wanted a Corvette since I was a teenager. Ive never had a car that has received so much attention. Mechanics come out and talk about it. People in the waiting room talk about it. My good friend shook my hand to tell me its the best thing I ever bought. My wife and daughter want to drive it all the time. People at work talk about it. People on the road act like they want to race. Dont buy this car if you dislike attention.

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  The Ultimate Family Transport - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Ron - June 23 - 4:53 pm

  I was never a proponent of the "BIG SUV", but needed the room and comfort for our family of 5 making monthly trips between Long Island and Boston. Excellent handling, great drivability, roomy, comfortable, quiet, real 3rd row seating, excellent cargo capacity, did I mention roomy? And surprisingly easy to park. It doesnt get much better than this for family transportation. GM has a real winner in the Suburban - keep it up!

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  Chevy Uplander LT - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Wes Cleaves - June 23 - 12:00 pm

  Ours has 2,200 miles. It has a much quieter engine than our previous 98 Olds Silhouette, with great acceleration and gas mileage. Little road noise. Superior handling. The ride is a little on the firm side, but very controlled. Very attractive exterior styling--many believe its an SUV. The interior is good too. Driver controls are well designed and positioned. However, black on white radio display is harder to read than green on black. Also, the smaller speedometer numbers are harder to read. It seems that the drivers "leg well" is narrower than the former model. Also, leg room for second row captains chairs seems less. Conclusion: an excellent vehicle and value -- vast improvement over former model. Highly recommend.

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  Wow - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By lovinit - June 23 - 8:26 am

  This has got to be the best vehicle I have ever bought. I usually drive German cars. It is a far cry from what they used to be. It is just amazing. Plenty of power to pull my boat and still getting 22 hwy and 20 with the boat. Thank you Chevy, I love you guys

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  Great Car for the Money - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Show-me-2 - June 23 - 3:20 am

  Well Ive owned this car for four months and really enjoy it. Gas mileage using regular gas is great 27 city/highway, I get 34 on the highway. Since this car is a Flex Fuel car I started using E-85 and the mileage dropped like 6-8 miles to the gallon which was very disappointing, otherwise this car is great.

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  Awesome Buy! - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By thermal izod - June 22 - 6:38 pm

  Economical and fun to drive, my Impala has ample power, and lots of room and comfort. It has a smooth quiet ride, and is easy to find aftermarket parts for, such as my cold air intake and Flowmaster cat-back exhaust system. I couldnt be happier.

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  Uplander - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Jason - June 22 - 1:44 pm

  The auto sliding side doors are nice, but what if my teenager gets mad and wants to slam the door? She cant! I dont like the safety feature that will not let the sliding doors open until the vehicle is in park, but I can understand why they did it. Makes for a longer drop-off time in the school car-pool loop though.

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  What a performace machine!!! - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jose D. - June 22 - 3:59 am

  The cars drivability is great!! Fuel economy could be a misperception (its a performance car). The run flat tires are acceptable. I have 10k on them and they still ride fine. Overall, the quality of the car has improved drastically over the previous model.