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 is very good choice - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By kwillaf878 - June 22 - 10:00 am

  Handles very well.Plenty of power, especially to pass or merge in heavy traffic. Quiet smooth ride that is very enjoyable. Altogether fun to drive.

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  Recommended - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By dorsettfan - June 22 - 10:00 am

  Gas mileage was bad at first, but has gotten much better. Getting about 16.5 mpg which is very good for the size. Ride is awesome. Quiet ride.

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  Best truck around - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Kanzacc - June 22 - 10:00 am

  This truck is an absolute pleasure to drive, especially with the quadrasteer feature. It turns and handles like a sportscar.

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  Ol Mally - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By carluver - June 21 - 8:15 pm

  Got this car brand new. currently has 140k mileage. Great acceleation with the v6! Very roomy, great car for the price! Have had some problems as its gotten older like the fans only work on high levels, ac turns on and off front speakers got blown out due to eccesive use. Recently replaced the alternator. Had one coolant leak but overall, it has been very good to me

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  Great Truck - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By AZ Avalanche - June 21 - 5:53 pm

  Bought my 2007 Z71 Avalanche 1 year ago. Have 18,000 + miles with not a single problem. Truck has great, smooth power and excellent fit and finish. Rides extremely smooth even with Z71 package. In construction and usually get a new truck every 6 months, but plan to keep this one. Very comfortable with well placed and logical controls. Gas mileage averaging 14.8 over 18k of driving all in city. Best all around vehicle out today.

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  2005 Chevrolet Malibu LS 4 dr 3.5l6cyl - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kelly123 - June 21 - 2:48 pm

  Just had my Malibu 2 weeks. So far I really like it. I had to bring it back to the dealer for a steering rack. Hope that fixes the noise. We took a 200 mile road trip and I got 36.8 miles per gallon. Back and forth to work (about 70% highway) I get about 31. Im fairly pleased with that. I think the onboard computer is right on. What people dont realize is that you have to check the Department of Weights & Measures rating on the pump when you get gas. ou dont always get a gallon for a gallon. The closer it is to 12, the more accurate. I always try to fill up at stations that are rated at a 10 12. I find that the cars MPG computer seems to be really close then.

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  Chevy showing its true colors! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By natron2 - June 21 - 12:53 pm

  After having put over 15,000mi on my 06 SS, I have a few amendments to make to my original review. The power from the Bose speakers is causing an obnoxious buzz in the sheet metal in back. The tire pressure monitoring system is hypersensitive and alerts me when the cold weather makes the air less dense. The grounding cables on that system have been replaced once and need it again. The seat pads have further compressed and become less comfortable causing me to buy a memory foam cushion and if it werent for the power and looks, I would have traded at 10,000mi. Im still impressed with the fuel economy after all these miles but I look forward to my next car which will not be a GM product

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  Depends - 1991 Chevrolet Corsica
  By phil n - June 21 - 10:03 am

  Bought car for $300 with 240,000 kms on a 2.2. Have changed coil pack (real pain), transmission (more real pain), water pump (another pain) and other little things. Idle is erratic. Motor is unbelievable - neither uses oil nor leaks oil. When I check the oil it is cleaner than the oil in my wifes 2001 Focus! Its totally gutless around town unless you put your foot to the floor but seems to morph into another car on the highway - itll do 85 without trying. Im not really complaining because we have air care (smog test) here and that inflates the price of any used car that passes and I was expecting to have to fix it up ua bit.

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  I like it - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By yakimagal - June 21 - 9:36 am

  I am getting ready to purchase another car as I have had this one for 10 years. I find I am comparing everything I look at to my Astro. The interior and exterior still look almost new. I have replaced the tires 4 times in 10 years, whatever that means. I love how it handles on wet pavement and snow. With the AWD, I can travel the mountain pass without putting on chains. Compared to my last car, 89 Astro, the handling is so much better. There has been some repair work, but standard stuff as a car ages. Check engine light 3 times in 10 years. The lighting on stereo has burned out but stereo still works well.

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  My new Equinox - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dmack - June 21 - 6:23 am

  I purchased a base Equinox in 2005 and thought it was great, but needed a bit more power. I just upgraded to the sport model which has 90 more hp and other upgrades as well. I would recommend this car to anyone in the market for a small - medium sized SUV.