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:

• 

  Nice ride - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By bw193 - November 19 - 2:00 am

  This is best ride of any four wheel drive truck that I have owned.

• 

  AVALANCHE IS THE WAY TO GO! - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By FRITO754@AOL.COM - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I HAVE TRADED TRUCKS EVERY EWO YEARS FO THE PAST 16 YEARS. ONLY CHEVYS DURING THIS TIME. THIS IS THE 2ND Z66 I HAVE OWNED. THE BOSE SYSTEM ALONG WITH ALL THE COMFORT IS OUTSTANDING!

• 

  Happy owner - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By JoeyDee - November 19 - 2:00 am

  We have owned our Impala for a year,and so far it has proven to be one of the best cars either my wife or myself has owned.I have driven sports cars all my life and was reluctant to buy a "Family" car. Our Impala has enough "get up and go" to keep me happy and enough room and comfort to keep our family happy.

• 

  Great Ride - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By sjpioneer - November 19 - 2:00 am

  This care is fantastic. Its smooth/ sleek ride makes it a blast to ride for hours. Controls are easy to get used to. plenty of room to enjoy company. ONly problem is that the tourque of the engine makes it little hard to get going in the snow in Drive, even with TRAC control

• 

  best yet - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By no1mrrythem - November 19 - 2:00 am

  one of the best chevys i owned yet. you will enjoy for sure and feel confident while on the road. I have very good vibes with this car from day one. Good lu ck with your new set of wheels . you are sure to enjoy.

• 

  My Z71 Tahoe kicks ass, I love it !!!!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Big Mike2 - November 19 - 2:00 am

  In a perfect world I wish I could configure the rear area for sleeping. You know, unexpected rain on a camping trip or when ya have a few too many at the tavern.

• 

  Arnolds View - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By arnold & onnie - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I am impressed with the ride of the 2500HD and the way it drives.It is a tough looking truck and I have had a lot of compliments on how it looks. We bought it to pull a 30ft camper and it does it with ease.

• 

  Good Reliability Quality Vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By gmsmith - November 19 - 2:00 am

  My Chevy Trailblazer has plenty of pick up and passing power I love the power. This is a very fun vehicle to drive; I took this SUV on a trip that was about 1600 miles round trip, it average about 21.97 mpg on the highway and about 14 to 16 in the city, I think that great mileage for a truck with that kind of power. It has a very soft ride for a SUV. The seat can be a little more supportive but they are fairly comfortable. This is a very reliable vehicle I have 20K on it right now. The crap that they say that the ford explorer handles better is not true my son has a 2002 ford and my trailblazer is faster and handle a lot better than his ford explorer.

• 

  Cool car - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By becky - November 18 - 9:26 pm

  Traded a 2000 Blazer for my Equinox and Im very pleased with the gas mileage. Got a great deal in Lancaster, pa- especially with ChevyÂ’s employee pricing. So much room in the back seat- a person could sleep on the floor. Love the AWD capability. Very pleased-and would recommend for purchase

• 

  Fun for everyone! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Aftershock - November 17 - 10:00 am

  When parking in public, leave time to answer onlookers questions and enthusiastic comments. It truely does turn heads. Not since I drove my 67 Shelby have I noticed this much attention. Im in my 50s but the teens all want a turn at the wheel. And my mother also commented on the ride comfort in the back seat. (as good or better than the full sized Oldsmobile that I traded in). The appeal seems to span generations and genders. As a downer, my tailgate also fell open in the locked position.