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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  Best Truck Ive Owned Yet - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By Big Kat - January 29 - 9:19 am

  S-10 Crew Cab LS 4WD! Yes, it is great to drive, and own. After a few full size trucks (and very poor mileage), I was looking for a smaller, more practical family vehicle, and still wanted a truck. My wife has a 98 Astro Van with the 4.3 Vortec V-6. The S-10 Crew Cab was one of my first choices. Great power, loaded with every possible option. I get 16-17 MPG in town, and 20-23 on the highway. Awesome deal as I bought this slightly used lease return (10,000 miles on it), so the deal was great as well! I will keep this one a while. Has plenty of room for family and a fun truck that I can use to haul things around in. I put a fiberglass topper on it, looks like a Tahoe!

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  Satisfied Trailblazer owner - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By genemo3 - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I special ordered the car and it arrived with the exact equipment ordered with not a scratch or blemish. I got the 3.42 rear end and the milage has been +-18.0 from the start with 1,500 miles of suburban driving. Just a great car to drive.

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  Dont Judge a Book by its Cover - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Frasier - January 28 - 8:53 pm

  I purchased my Lumina in 2013 at 200,000 miles for $1100. I put another $500 in to replace the tie rods and rotors. 3 Years and 35,000 miles later, I have only had to replace the spark plugs and oxygen sensor. In terms of reliability and maintenance cost, this car is positively wonderful. The car itself will fall apart before the engine ever dies out on you as long as you take care of it. It does burn oil, but that is to be expected for a car with this many miles on it. If you have the opportunity to pick up a high mileage Lumina for cheap without major engine problems, I would highly recommend it.

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  Great pickup, strong drivetrain - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By RyanZ - January 28 - 1:26 pm

  Excellent truck. Good strong drivetrain with acceptable fuel mileage. Useability is great with the longbed. A standard cd player would have been nice, but its a good transportation truck that is great on long trips. Cant wait for deer season. Gas mileage will increase as time goes on and mileage piles on.

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  Perfomance & Appearance - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Rose DeSisto-Canty - January 28 - 12:10 am

  The performance of the HHR is excellent I enjoy driving it. The appearence is different and very interesting. Would recommend it.

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  A bargain thrill ride - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Brian - January 27 - 4:51 pm

  I bought my vette used with 45k miles on the clock. Its been a hoot to drive this car when I can get in open area. Its a monster on the track, and the engine is very flexible with a superwide forgiving power band. The low end grunt makes getting it going off the line a breeze, and it has more than enough power to lay down rubber into second gear. The trunk is actually large enough to be useful for day to day driving. In fact this is my only car, and it works very well for that except for the rare occasions when I have someone flying into town. If youre looking for a powerful yet civilized ride for your day to day grind, this is it.

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  Fits like a glove - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Phil L - January 27 - 1:25 pm

  Waited 50 years to get a Vette! I feel like Im in a jet fighter with unbridled power. The power is awesome at almost any RPM. Gets plenty of attention, especially from young kids! Love the feel of control, comfort, power. Drove 1300 miles roundtrip from NJ to SC and not an ache or pain.

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  2004 Aveo Automatic - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By needstutoring - January 27 - 10:00 am

  It has performed flawlessly to date. No problems whatsoever. As a large person the design is very comfortable and good gas mileage, handling, and ride.

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  Chevrolet Colbalt - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Brandon Landry - January 27 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best(no offense).I love it!Thank chevrolet for making this car.

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  Avalanche vs Silverado - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By charles sigmon - January 27 - 10:00 am

  Traded a 1999 silverado on this vehicle. This vehicle can do all the silverado did plus the ride is far superior. It is fully loaded and has all the creature comforts that the Cadillac EXT has with exception of stabilitrak. All for $9000 less than the EXT