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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  THIS is a CHEVY?!?!?! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Randall - September 22 - 2:00 am

  What a pleasant surprise this was! I thought, OH its a malibu BIG deal... I was shocked and amazed by its quality, solid structure, and comfort. More personality than the Accord or Camry. It reminds you of a european sedan with its outward visibility and interior layout. Very nice.

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  Silverado 4x4 - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jaspar - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I looked at Ford, Dodge, and Toyota and this is the best of the bunch. Ive owned Fords and will never buy another one. Great ride for a truck. Service at my local dealership is great. My next truck will also be GM.

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  nice little car - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mike - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Just bought this car couple weeks ago. Got over $4000 off the MSRP with $2002 rebate and a huge GM card earnings. So far its been really nice to drive. The new 2.2 Ecotec engine is much better than the old 2.2 and 2.4 engines. Feels more powerful than most small car.

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  Impala - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By nlasanta - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Truly like the car. Windshield wipers dont seem to fit. Change oil light came on after 2400 miles.

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  I love mine - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By JR Cook - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I have the Red with silver, one coplaint is that everybody must of got that color as well. I love everything about mine except the sun visors, they are useless, unless you sit with the seat all the way forward. The 5.3 is a very snappy motor, it gets 18 mpg on the highway.

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  2 years and running! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By TH - September 19 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this truck for 2 years now and overall, Im satisfied. Never really been a Chevy guy, Ive always bought imports. My truck before this one was a 06 Titan Crew 4x4. I love the rear doors opening to 170 degrees and the electric side windows. The ride comfort is the best Ive experienced in a 4x4 truck. The exterior styling is great. I was expecting better fuel mileage from this truck. The best Ive got is 17 MPG. I heard that some people are getting well over 20 MPG. Mines is equipped with the 20" wheel package which may or may not be contributing to my poor fuel mileage. The 4 speed transmission took some getting used to coming from the 5 speed tranny in the Titan.

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  CAVALIER 2 - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By L2 - September 16 - 2:00 am

  THIS IS REALY ABOUT MY 1992 CAVALIER THAT I BOUGHT NEW 12 YRS AGO I LVED THAT LITTLE RED CAR BUT AFTER 169,000 MILES AND ALL THE GOOD DEALS ON NEW CAVALIERS I DECIDED TO GET A NEW AND IF THIS CAVALIER IS AS DEPENABLE AS MY 92( I HAD ONE MINOR ELECTRIAL PROBLEM IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AFTER THAT ALL I DID WAS MAINTANCE(OIL, FILTERS,TIRES,ECT.) NEVER HAD ANY OTHER PROBLEM FOR HER LIFE TIME SHE STILL HAD GET UP AND GO WHEN I TRADED BUT YOU COULD TELL SHE WAS STARTING TO FEAL HER MILES MY NEW LITTLE BLACK BEAUTY HAS BEEN GREAT SO FAR LOVE THE RADIO HATE THE DASH CANT USE THE SPACE I HOPE I HAVE 12 MORE GOOD YEARS WITH THIS CAR

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  Drive at your own risk - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Moms - September 15 - 2:16 am

  This is actually my 20 year old daughters car, and she loves it. But, it does take premium gas, and she drives it like a race car. She has the tickets and high insurance to prove it. So use it with caution. Rally yellow does tend to draw attention of all kinds.

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  Waited too long! - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Big Dog - September 14 - 10:00 am

  I traded my Z-34 at 98000 miles. The timing belt, water pump, and altenator all lasted to 97000 miles....I was waiting for 0% financing on a new SUV. Other than my poor timing to dump it the Z-34 was a great car.

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  The Best Car to Drive - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Cam - September 14 - 10:00 am

  Tired of feeling cramped in those long car rides? Try the Chevy Impala. The handling of this vehicle is more like a mid sized car then a full sized car. But the spacious interior and the smooth ride is just like a luxury vehicle.