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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  Well worth the price. - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By fighter0410 - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Had my Malibu for about a month and a half now. Very happy with it. Only two minor things wrong with interior trim pieces and squeaky breaks that were fixed by the dealer. I would recommend this care to anyone looking at a Camry or Accord but wanting to buy an American car instead. I traded in a Nissan for this car, and I can say the build quality is exceptional. Im satified in many ways, most by the price and feature content, and also by the cars driving dynamics and road manners. Very smooth ride.

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  Monte Carlo - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By TChurchill - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Excellent American Vehicle. Under rated and ignored by the news media.

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  Love my Avalanche - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By WilkeyBJ - August 19 - 2:00 am

  In my opinion the only auto better than this one is the Cadillac Excursion. This is including all cars and trucks! This is the best luxury truck made. The truck as a whole is absolutely outstanding.

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  2003 Tahoe - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jontz2002 - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Hands down the best vehicle in its class. Awesome turning radius and styling is beautiful and sleek. Very comfortable ride

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  Best vehicle Ive owned - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By kbeat - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Having owned this vehicle for a little over a month, I must say Im terribly impressed. Power, looks, comfort, luxury, size, features: a fantastic blend. Must say the gas prices in SoCal are huting the experience. That said, I look for excuses to drive.

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  Trip to Florida, 2005 Vette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By G Green - August 18 - 12:26 pm

  I traded a 2001 corvette in on this 2005. I drove the 2001 to Florida for four winters and was pleased with the C5. After driving the 2005 down 1350 miles it was a very enjoyable trip. The car rode better and was quieter.

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  Shattered Dreams - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By CodysalmostkillerZ28 - August 18 - 2:00 am

  Bought the 1995 Camaro it was in mint shape about 8 hours later a mechanical failure almost killed me, go to http://www.cardomain.com/id/cody17chels ie to see my camaro before and after i wrecked, this is one of the worst 1- car wrecks imaginable that i walked away from...take a look seeing is believing.

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  chevrolet malibu - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By brjoe - August 18 - 2:00 am

  Nice car,I traded in a 98 camry. I have not owned an american car since 1982. I must say, so far, I have 12000 trouble free miles on this malibu LT v6, and it is great. I highly recommend this vehicle. I looked at a camry, taurus, altima, and passat. The malibu had my favorite interior, and the best motor. It felt as fast as an altima but runs on regular gas. At first I got around 24 mpg, but after a good run-in, I have been getting around 29-30 mpg mostly highway. Build quality seems much better than what I have come to expect in an american car and way better than the taurus and altima I looked at.

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  My First SUV by Jorge Gonzalez - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Jagonzo - August 18 - 2:00 am

  The most powerful vehicle I ever owned had a 118 horsepower engine. My Z71 has almost 300! Its beautiful and has a smooth ride. It gets lousy mileage but I only work 4 miles from work.

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  Color Me Red - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Philsgood - August 18 - 2:00 am

  Very powerful, very comfy, great handling, superb sound system, gorgeous styling, gets looks from everyone!