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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  2000 monte is at least pretty - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By theunbound1 - May 10 - 10:00 am

  car mechanically stable....beautifull exterior design...my prob is the butt- ugle interior...everything is hard plastic and there is nothing really accenting anything..looks like they spent a lot of time designing the body and 10 seconds on the interior. the super-special radio sounds like a singe speaker radio in a tin can and is probably the worst stock radio ive ever heard. i keep bopping my funny bone on the hard plastic center console..and there is no cusion-like grip everywhere there should be. but hey it gets good gas milage and looks really really nice on the outside...

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  Great engine and transmission - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Frank ODonnell - May 10 - 10:00 am

  Nice driving car, engine and transmission are terrific, ECOTEC engine was best of all the cars I drove. Ride is noisy, good CD, mileage, A/C is average.

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  Very Satisfied - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Rolando - May 10 - 10:00 am

  I Enjoy the ride and the comfort, I am very pleased. Would recommend strongly.

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  BEST MID SIZE SUV - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By trailblazer154 - May 10 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this suv for a while now, and with 15,000 miles it has been a great car. You will have no problems beating anybody at an intersection, this suv keeps up w/ audis and bmws! Everything is perfect on it, best suv for the money ever!!!

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  Malibu - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By zylepp - May 10 - 9:17 am

  In 80,000 miles had to replace the theft sensor. Only repair to date except for a battery that was under warranty. Plenty of pep and excellent mileage (32 mpg on 635 mile trip to florida averaging 80 miles an hour).

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  Good value - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By miker - May 10 - 2:36 am

  The 08 impala lt drives great. I stepped down owning a Mercedes-Benz C-class for 8 years. The Impala is very quiet, smooth shifting and I like the styling and space. Mileage is excellent and it uses regular gas. I am used to that other motorists look at you while driving a Mercedes-Benz, same thing happens with the new Impala. Love that car.

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  Put it through hell - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Big D - May 10 - 12:28 am

  Have had very little problems with my TrailBlazer. I do a lot of towing, 3500lb. boat and 5000lb. travel trailer. I take it out to the woods all the time. Have recently had to replace the water pump. Still using the original brakes and only on my third set of tires. Not having any of the problems with stereo and so forth that other reviewers are discussing. I put my Trailblazer thru hell and have loved every minute of it.

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  Love It So Far - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By PaulR - May 9 - 10:43 pm

  I traded a 1997 Venture for the Equinox. I wanted a more sporty vehicle, with adequate cargo space and AWD. I love the ride and the overall feel of the car. It drives like a small sedan, but has the SUV features. I havent had to use AWD yet, but I am happy I have that feature available for next years snows. It seems well made and I have no complaints so far.

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  i keep it cuz its paid for - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By big jim - May 9 - 9:52 pm

  Bought in 2000,4 months later transmission broke. Did fine until 02 when the alternator went out, 03 fuel pump, 05 new rotors and window motor, seat adjust handle broke, ball joints went bad, yada yada yada. Overall decent a-b car but I dont trust it for long trips. Now has 143,000 miles and the engine is still pretty good just the overall integrity of it is not so good. But like I said its paid for and stil running so ill run it till it dies since I wouldnt get what its worth trading in or selling it.

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  2006 4x4 Colorodo Crew Cab - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By GAB - May 9 - 7:23 pm

  I find this truck to be extremely comfortable. It has the Z71 package and the I5 engine. It pulls a light bass boat with ease and get respectable mpg about 17mpg to 22pg. It is loaded with leather and all the toys. Love the truck.