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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  meltdowns z24 review - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mtymerlin - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Along with the Z24s attractive appierance, its power and handling capabilities are above average for a car in its price range. I have only had the car less than a year now and have had a fun time driving it around the town.

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  Camaro, One More Time - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By D. Thompson - June 14 - 10:00 am

  As a former Camaro owner (78 Rally Sport), I could not resist buying this car in the 35th and final year of production. After looking at convertibles for 2 years, this car fit the bill from a price, quality, and performance standpoint. Getting a convertible with this much performance at less that Edmunds TMV and walking away with thousands of $$ in my pocket was a great feeling. The build quality on this car is very good inside and out and I noticed none of the problems noted in other editorials. The car rides and drives very well with gas mileage in the 20- 22 range in town and 23 plus on the highway.

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  Best car I ever had - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By jeffrey - June 14 - 10:00 am

  I am a contractor and use this car / truck in my work. I convert it from SUV to truck 1 to 3 times per week. It literally is like having two vehicles.

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  Rugged, Excellent Towing - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By GalTx - June 14 - 10:00 am

  This is my third chevy vehicle and by far the 2002 Trailblazer is the best yet. Excellent power, towing, service, ride. We just got back from a 4,300 mile trip and we averaged 21.3 miles per gallon. Not bad for having 2 kayaks on top. The new 4.2 liter is exremely powerful.

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  Great little car - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By cobalt - June 14 - 9:36 am

  Bought this car used <10000 miles, now have 54000, aside from tires and oil changes no repairs needed. Have had many people of other makes ride in it all compliment the ride. Great gas mileage, have gotten up to 37 highway on extended trips, mostly around 32 daily.

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  Awesome - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By JP - June 14 - 7:52 am

  My husband just bought me this 08 LTZ in the white diamond appearance pkg.w/ 20" wheels. Its a definite head turner. After driving a Toyota for 10years with no real issues I was set on getting another Toyota. However you cant beat the Tahoe in price and all the options. With a family of 4 we cant ask for anything more. And gas mileage is pretty good for such a large SUV. Its pretty comparable to the minivans we looked at. Im getting about 16mpg in the city and about 21mpg on interstate driving. The Tahoe is the way to go!

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  You get what you pay for - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Dr Evil - June 14 - 3:56 am

  If youre looking for a small car with good features and good gas mileage this is a good choice. Lots of room big trunk and fun to drive. If your looking for a pocket rocket shop else where. It does what it is supposed to at a good price. Would recommend.

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  Love This Car! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By OrangeFan - June 14 - 1:40 am

  Im a luxury SUV owner, but wanted a 2nd "smaller" vehicle to just hop in and go. But you cant take the luxury out of a person, so I looked long and hard to find a car I wanted. And this car is it! Its a real joy to drive - very comfortable, quiet, and handles beautifully. The front seats seem to envelop you and the lumbar support is nice. The sound system is just as nice as my Denalis 9-speaker Bose system. I hesitated with the ebony/brick interior, wondering if I would get sick of it, but the opposite is true. I like it more every day. The interior lines with the contrasting colors are very sharp and pleasing to the eye.The swooping dashboard lines give the interior a more open feel

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  Family - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By w. duck - June 14 - 12:40 am

  Good response. good ride, good handling. Its easy to park, and quiet on the road at highway speeds. Its easy to service, affords good visibility of traffic, and has excellent stopping power.

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  No regrets, but one... - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By hishiad - June 14 - 12:02 am

  I got this truck basically as a gift since I had been driving the cheapest thing we could fine when I start back on my associates degree. My parents were kind enough to pay for the truck (no complaints there!). Anyway Ive had the truck over a year now and drove it daily. A few complaints Ive had could be the reliability or the fact the previous owner didnt take too well care of the truck. First the seats I absolutely hate the adjustable handles are flimsy (both have been broken off completely!) and the material has ripped easily as well. Its the 4.3 vor-tec so itll fly. Ive no problem with how it drives, other than issues with break downs.