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:

• 

  Impala - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By tom jenkins - June 16 - 5:36 am

  I have enjoyed everything about my new Impala. It rides smooth, accelerates when I need, and is an eye catcher. All my neighbors were impressed.

• 

  The best cheap car? - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By simonsdad - June 16 - 2:00 am

  The extra 20 horsepower offered by the Ecotec in 2003s and later makes all the difference in the fun to drive department. Mine gets better than its 33 mpg highway rating too. Transmission shifts better than anything Japanese that is comparable in price. The others are right: Toyota and Honda are overrated. Very quiet at speed, great fun with the XM satellite radio, which by the way works all the way into Canada.

• 

  LUV MY TAHOE - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By barry cox - June 16 - 2:00 am

  I PURCHASED MY TAHOE IN MAY OF 2003. MY WIFE AND I HADE SOME EXTRAS PUT ON AT THE DEALERSHIP, TALK ABOUT A GREAT LOOKING RIDE. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS SO FARE, I HIGHLY RECOMEND THE TAHOE TO ANYONE WHO WANTS,A GREAT LOOKING, HIGHLY RELIABLE RIDE.

• 

  A wonderful choice - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By AbsolutLiz - June 16 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Trailblazer a month ago after much research and contemplation on just the right new car. My husband and I chose the trailblazer both for its looks as well as its reliability and quality in performance. I have not regretted our choice even once. I feel much safer in my trailblazer and enjoy every moment in it!I recommend the Trailblazer without any qualms.

• 

  one bad truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By roy boy - June 16 - 2:00 am

  I love this truck no other compares

• 

  SS Experience - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Face - June 16 - 2:00 am

  Xlnt features, I was impresed by the exterior styling. I thought that the extra body molding on the SS made the truck look leaps and bounds better than ther stock styling of the Silverado. In fact, I always thought GM was lacking in the styling of the "03 Silverado until I saw the SS. I am still trying to learn all of the electronic control features available re: personal, buisness and annual mileage, current mileage etc. Remote control and memory seats are an option that should be available in every vehicle. Six disc Bose CD in the dash is a great option.

• 

  2 DOOR REG.CAB 5.3 WT,I PICK IT UP MON. - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By WAYDO71 - June 16 - 2:00 am

  WELL I HAVE HAD THIS ONE FOR A WEEK NOW SO I,CANT SAY MUCH,I SAID THAT ID NEVER BUY ANOTHER TEN YEARS AGO HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE V6 BURNING OIL.THIS TIME I OPT FOR THE 5.3 V8,I REALY LIKED THE TRUCK BACK THAN AND STILL DO [LIKE CHEVY TRUCKS] SO I,JUST PRAY THIS ONE DOSNT BURN OIL FOR A LONG TIME.

• 

  Was my first car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Kelly - June 15 - 11:42 pm

  I got the 2006 Cobalt lt sedan for my first car. I love how easy it is to drive, it is small enough to fit into tight parking spaces. It has great turning capacity as well! It has really awesome gas mileage. It has a large trunk which surprised me when I got the car because most smaller cars have small trunks. I have had it for two years now and it runs great. It has great brakes too! I havent had any problems with it except for recently the back window stopped rolling down so I am having the window motor replaced. Interior is holding up well so far. It is a good size for a first car or for a small family. I have one son now and it works well for everything that I need to bring with me.

• 

  Outstanding quality - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Bill F - June 15 - 10:22 pm

  I bought this car because I love my 2003 Tahoe Z71 so much. Phenominal truck. You cant break it with a baseball bat. I gave my wife the Tahoe and traded her Ford Windstar in for the Suburban, which I now drive. Excellent ride, nice power, good braking. I bought the LTZ, so it has all of the creature comforts. Very comfortable. You could drive this car for days without tiring. Personally, I think it is the nicest looking truck on the street, with my Tahoe a close runner up. For city or combo driving I average 16 mpg. I tend to go 75 - 80 mph on the highway, which gives me slightly less than 16 mpg. The Windstar would give me 20 plus on the highway, so that is a disappointment.

• 

  Im lovin it - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Luvin my ride!! - June 15 - 9:36 pm

  I got my Trailblazer for my 25th birthday from my wife because I was a little jealous of her Envoy she had purchased from 2002! I love the way it handles and when you floor it it moves! Gas mileage could be much better. I get 16mpg in mixed driving. I drive about 34 miles a day, and we go vacationing a lot down south, so I drive alot!