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:

• 

  Great Car - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By mrf777 - December 23 - 8:43 pm

  This has been my favorite car Ive ever owned. Its been reliable and fun to drive. Its good on gas and the body still looks great. Id buy another in a minute.

• 

  Excellent First Impression - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By William - December 23 - 7:07 am

  Bought this 2005 Tahoe Z-71 just over three weeks ago, after years of Ford SUVs and most recently a Sequoia. Impressed with the smooth power and ride of this vehicle, XM radio and OnStar system. Seats are comfortable, four-wheel drive system is excellent and Bose speakers are top notch. Surprisingly, the quality seems as good as the Sequoia initially, and better than the Fords Ive had (Expeditions, Explorers, an Escape and a Mercury Mountaineer). Like the conservative styling. SUVs are primarily designed to be functional, not beautiful though this is an attractive, rugged looking vehicle in Z-71 trim.

• 

  Perfect size truck,Impressed. - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By CRUZIN BILL - December 22 - 10:06 pm

  I have the Z-85 extended cab.It is a great truck.The I-5 cyclinder 220 hp is really gutsy.If your looking for a mid size truck,this is the one for you.As you can see i love everything about this truck.The S-10 is no match for this one.This is a real cruiser.Check out my ratings.

• 

  My gift - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By Brenda - December 22 - 8:16 am

  This vehicle was a gift to me for my fortieth birthday. The features in my Venture are exactly what I was looking for. Lots of room and storage. comfortable seats. The only thing that I have to get used to is if the interior lights are on in the evening the reflection is right in the rearview mirror and very hard to see. Other than that I am very pleased with my Venture. The person who got this gift for me had looked at minivans for six months and out of the dozens that they test drove and examined this one was their pick. Liked the feature of the air filter. I had not heard of this in a van, but think this will help keep the freshness of the van. Also will help my son with asthma.

• 

  Truly an American Revolution - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By SomeGuy - December 21 - 2:13 pm

  Just bought the 08 LTZ. Very great car. Now, I didnt start off with anything great, but this is a very solid car. Style is great, its distinctive without being too outlandish. Interior is awesome, Ive gotten many compliments on the two tone leather. Plenty of power, so its not a dull driver. If your looking at a midsize car, and dont feel like being Accord/Camry no. 4574 on your block, this is a good buy. Even if your deadset on the Honda, Id step into a Chevy dealer, if only to find out what else is out there. You might be surprised

• 

  2004 Chev Aveo - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By jcbogie65 - December 21 - 10:00 am

  We bought the car for our daughter. It is a great little car and she loves it.

• 

  Better than expected - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By airtexaco - December 21 - 10:00 am

  We have a Suburban (04) and from driving them, decided to get one-my wife wanted the Tahoe and opted for the Suburban

• 

  I BELIEVE I HAVE MY FIRST LEMON - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By SKIPPY - December 21 - 10:00 am

  MY TRAILBLAZER LOOKS GREAT, RUNS GREAT, AND RIDES GREAT. LOVE THE VEHICLE AND WOULD BUY A SECOND, HOWEVER I HAVE A WATER LEAK IN THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR AREA. A DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE LEAK WAS FIXED. ??? MY THIRD APPOINTMENT IS MY LAST BEFORE I FILE FOR LEMON LAW. STILL DIE HARD CHEVY.

• 

  2003 chevy ailverado quality review - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By George Miller - December 21 - 10:00 am

  The truck is excellent!!...I just wish the manufacturer would have leather and on star as options for the LS model. The 5.3 V8 gets 14.9 City to 16.4 Highway. With gas as expensive as it now is, I would like to see better gas mileage. Handling and performance is great!...Ride i s a little too rough! Needs improvement. I removed the overload springs and added air bags. Still didnt help the ride!

• 

  Excellent family car - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By kristine - December 21 - 3:07 am

  I believe that this car is the best model out there. We have an infant and this car has everything we could want out of a family car. Security, room, and style. We would give this car an overall rating of 10 out of 10.