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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  brilliant - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By RED DRAGON 07 - April 28 - 2:00 am

  this truck is the best thing i have ever drove in my life. it can pull anything, it is faster than dodge or ford, and it is more comfortable than any other truck

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  decent compact - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By ch15x - April 28 - 2:00 am

  If you want a simple means of transportation, this is not a bad pick.

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  Its Been A Good Truck - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By TOMKAT - April 28 - 2:00 am

  My truck has the 6.0 L. engine, which for my money does everything it should. The truck has plenty of power and has been reliable. The few problems that I had were, a loose heat sheild on the exhaust, chrome came off the grill, and rear u-joints went at about 30,000 mi.. I feel I use the truck more than most of the yuppies who buy the big extended cab diesel. I plow snow with it and it also does all the work on my farm. I would buy this truck again in a heartbeat.

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  Super Ride - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Tater69 - April 28 - 2:00 am

  I think this is the best GM has to offer. The ride,power and handling are outstanding. Its comfortable leather heated seats and smooth ride make it a joy to drive on trips.

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  Best suv out there - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By kingpinokc - April 28 - 2:00 am

  There is no other suv in its class that has the horsepower and fun to drive feature. When I first brought my wife thought it would be hard for her to drive since all she every had was small cars. She would not trade it in for the world. Also she came from a ford family and I have comverted her. HA HA HA

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  Do Not Believe Baised Magazine Writers - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By msl8129 - April 27 - 9:56 pm

  With gas prices the way up we decide to shop for a fuel efficent vehicle. We looked at many cars and the Cobalt is a great little car. Please compare it with the foregin cars in the same class. You will find out how much more you get with the Cobalt and at a great price. The 2.2L 4cly has plenty of power to get on the freeways and has a smooth ride with good breaking, and great handling. Look at standard features you get with the Cobalt more HP, XM radio, side curtain air bags, 5 yr/1,000,000 power train. I have not owned a GM vehicle since 1984. GM has greatly improved I am very happy with this vehicle. Keep making these cars in the US. Its a great product.

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  Great Car, 1st Chevy - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Maurice - April 27 - 9:45 pm

  This is one fine small car. Interior comfort and quility is more than expected for a car this size. The exterior is great to me. I love it. Now as to mileage going back and forth to work and driving around, I have gotten over 40 miles to a gallon. I do drive easy but still I think for the cost there is no comparision to other cars in class. This is by far better. I know others would not be better on mileage than this one I own. Best small car I have owned. I think for price I paid and mileage I get this is the cheapest to own dont care how you compute it. Love this car.

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  The Car that never let me down - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CavGuy4Life - April 27 - 1:50 pm

  I was taking my car to Tennessee one year and on the way down it was leaking transmission fluid. I did no know this, drove down, stayed for a week and drove home. On the way home the transmission started acting up. When I got home and got the car to a mechanic, I was totally out of transmission fluid. The mechanic said my car should have never made it out of Tennessee. This car is very relyable if you maintain it and respect it. Cause mine got me home when she should never have got me out of the city of Gallatin TN.

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  Fabulous Car - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Babs - April 27 - 12:26 pm

  Bought the first 2010 off the lot and I love it. The Equinox got a good write up in our local paper and I decided to check it out. Just what I wanted, and Ive been looking for 2 years at edmunds. Love all the extras, and the price was great. Plenty of acceleration for a 4 cyl. Classy interior with plenty of room. With the Sirius radio, On Star and other features I felt like I had bought a Lexus.

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  Major Gas Hog - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By bsm2dogs - April 27 - 11:59 am

  I didnt care about the poor fuel mileage of this hog at the time of purchase, but boy is it bad now that fuel is $3.50 a gallon! The navigation system is also a joke. You cant use it without the disk which by the way cost $500+ and it is outdated. Want updates?, Buy a new disk at the $500+ price. In my opinion, there are much better choices out there then this vehicle - Dont waste your money on it.