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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  Trailblazer rocks! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Squidman - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Smooth ride---DECENT gas mileage when comparing with other mid-zized 6cy SUVs. Dated interior, however-BUT comfortable. FAST-can certainly get out of its own way. Nice styling-I believe its identical to the ENVOY. Go for it.

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  Solid - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By TigerBen - March 18 - 10:00 am

  This is a great truck. I use it all the time to pull a 19 ft bass boat and it does well. The engine is perfect smooth and quick, though alittle grumbly up hill when loaded down. This is my first american vehicle in quite awhile. If it makes it past 150,000 miles I will be buying another one.

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  TRAILBLAZER EXT LT - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By RAG67 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE EXT LT WITH V-8. PERFORMANCE IS NOT AS GOOD AS I EXPECTED

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  towing - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By antnascar - March 18 - 10:00 am

  towed a 6000 lb. boat with no trouble

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  Biggest Drawback - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By wcjackets - March 18 - 10:00 am

  No HEADROOM! If you are over 6-0, dont buy it. I wanted a Honda Pilot. Good Luck! I had to have a navigation system due to my job. The satellite radio system is worth the money as well as the navigation system. However, if I had taken it for a lengthy test drive, I would have realized that the lack of headroom was a design flaw, not just the way I was sitting in the seat at the time. (And Im only 6-0 foot tall.) In addition, it is not as "quiet" as the Suburban which is the other vehicle that I own.

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  Great Vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By hari40998 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Bought this vehicle in April - one of the first to buy. Great styling, lots of space for driver and Rear pass. Getting used to window controls in center took a little time. Have about 3K miles on the vehicle. First OIL CHANGE is FREE. Excellent value for the price. Would have loved to take it on the road for under $20K.....

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  Fold down rear seats - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Frank Master - March 14 - 5:56 pm

  Fun to drive. Needs more cup holders! Did not get fold down rear seats option. This could be a problem, seeing that there is no keyhole to access the trunk. If you have dead battery, you wont be able to get jumper cables out of trunk.

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  2005 Cobalt Ls Coupe - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By jc24 - March 13 - 8:03 am

  Its my first brand new car being a recent college graduate. Overall my Cobalt has been pretty good. No problems since I have purchased it. Standard horspeower is better then most others in its class for the price. Interior noise is low and it handles well on bumpy surfaces. I think all American automakers have made great strides in improving the quality of their cars and if your in the market for a new car check one of them out and support our economy.

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  Nice vehicle - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By FrankG - March 10 - 5:40 am

  We have had it only two weeks now, but my wife, who is the principle driver, really likes it. We also own an 05 Saturn L300, which I now use for work as I travel a lot. Both vehicles are very different, but are serving us well. We are curious how well the AWD will perform this winter here in Massachusetts.

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  2003 Trailblazer - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By king of detroit - March 10 - 2:00 am

  Living in Michigan needed a competent 4x4 for heavy snow, with enough room for a family of 5. Great engine and 4x4 setup. Especially the 4x4 auto mode. Great for patchy ice and snow. Biggest complaint: Purchased leather power seat package, no matter how I adjust them I cannot get comforable seating position. My wife provided the same feedback (unsolicated). Also, dash and door skins are less than impressive (for a $30,000+ truck)