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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  Solid as a rock - 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By pman - July 18 - 3:35 pm

  I bought this truck new in 1998. I currently have 115K miles. It will go just about anywhere, and it has. From the sand dunes in Baja, river gorges in the Anza Borrego desert, winter storms in Big Bear, it just goes, and in comfort. Repairs: Around 60K miles exhaust manifold gaskets, Cat, fuel injectors clogged. (ARCO may be a bit cheaper but it clogged my injectors in first 50-60K miles, while last 60-70K miles Ive used better gas, no problems, still going strong). About 100K miles, fuel pump, wiper motor. Just had first A/C service, still on original shocks. First major tuneup at 90K miles! No change in drivability since new, hold up well to dogs, kids, idiots in parking lots, etc.

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  Go Avalanche! - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By steve - July 18 - 1:43 pm

  Great car with a very good ride. Beats the ride of Tahoe by a wide margin. Very comfortable with many applications and adaptability. Leather seats should be leather. Way too much vinyl for the price. Bose sound system is a joke for the money. Infinity in Mitsubishis SUV blow it away.

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  Better than the Impala SS - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By D.R. - July 17 - 8:25 pm

  I had purchased on 06 Impala SS. What a dud, handled poorly, terrible torque steer. Got rid of it and bought 07 Impala 3.5 FFV which handled much better than the SS! Very functional, geographically challenged wife loves turn by turn navigation and XM radio. Gets good mileage and is well equiped for safety. Glad I got the FFV which is about 4 mpg less than regular but at over a buck difference it is worth it.

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  A lot for the money. - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Joe - July 17 - 2:01 pm

  Traded a 2006 Equinox LT for 2008 LTZ. Wanted an SUV with GPS. This is the best deal on the market for features and upgrades included. Very comfortable ride. Gas mileage is acceptable.

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  Good Value - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Jenifer - July 17 - 1:14 pm

  I bought my 2001 Prism in 2006. It is very reliable. I am the 3rd owner. I bought the car with only 11,900 miles. Now I have 25K (2008). So far, replaced the battery, motor in the power window (drivers side), front brakes & recently all 4 tires (which were org). Considering the vechicle is 7 years old, so far so good. I bought the Prism since its the Toyota Corolla. I intend to keep my Prism for many years to come.

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  Miserable - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By sara - July 17 - 12:44 pm

  The 06 Cobalt was the first car Id bought. It has been extremely disappointing all the way around. Within the first month of owning it, I had to take it in twice: once because the wiring on the safety harness had been chewed by rodents at either the dealership or a GM facility and had remained undetected until my check engine light went on a couple weeks after I brought it home and next because my ignition stuck and it had to be towed to replace the gear shift in the floor. Since then, Ive had to replace the fuel sensor and the fuel pump. Other repairs are pending even now. The car has less than 8000 miles on it. My advice to all thinking about buying one is to research carefully!

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  Hunk of Junk - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Hunk of Junk - July 17 - 12:41 pm

  Where do I even start. This vehicle has been nothing but a problem ever since I bought it. I just put $2400 dollars into it and last year it was $1000. It is only 3 years old with just over 100 thousand kilometers and I have relapced the front stablizer linkage arms twice, head gasket, brakes 4 times, both front bearings and struts, and hanger bearing. The front still sounds like it is ready to fall apart. Sometimes it doesnt want to start.I really want to get rid of it but I still have 2 years left owing on it and if I trade it I wont get anything for it but if I keep how much more am I going to have to put in to it.

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  Excellent Value - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By LordDash - July 17 - 10:00 am

  I purchased an SS model Impala (when I was actually only looking to buy an LS) when i realized the dealership I was at had over $7000 in rebates. I had never test driven the SS, so when I took it for a spin, I loved the performance and the handling. It is lightning quick, and quite agile for a large sedan.

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  Chevy tahoe 2004 - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jutyty - July 17 - 10:00 am

  What a great car!! Best suv we have owned yet.

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  trailblazer - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By johnk35 - July 17 - 10:00 am

  It handles well in curves. I use to own a toyota 4runner but this vehicle handles better. I also like it being lower to the ground not so top heavy