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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  my cavalier - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By curtis bowes - July 18 - 2:00 am

  i would like to say that my chevy cavalier is a very dependable car. the price is affordable and it is very great on gas i recomend this car for anyone that wants to have a car thats fun to drive thankyou curtis bowes

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  My Corvette - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By J-Rod - July 18 - 2:00 am

  When we first got it, I had to see what it could do. I took it out on a long straight a way at about 3 in the morning. I was burning the tires and got it up to about 160 and got scared. The cool thing is that I know that it can do more than that. It handles great and is a lot of fun to drive.

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  Love my Trailblazer! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By zephyr - July 18 - 2:00 am

  Great automobile overall. I feel safe, like the riding high feeling of seeing long down the road. Needs more storage in the cab area. Seats comfy, seat belt too high, needs an adjustment to be higher or lower. Lots of interior room, I carry my mtn bike( 53 y o female) daily, easy in and out. Great headlights. Have side and front air bags.Good mileage at 20-21 mpg.

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  caprice built like a rock - 1992 Chevrolet Caprice
  By cloudsdoc - July 17 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle last year with over 160000. It is in excellent shape. Had alot of miles on it but The car had been well taken care of by the looks of it. It now has over 212000 miles on it and still no oil usage. Still blows cold air and gets 25 miles to the gallon on the highway. I love this car. Chevrolet has a good thing with the caprice.

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  chevy got the name wrong - 2000 Chevrolet Lumina
  By J BERGLUND - July 17 - 2:00 am

  the confusion chevy did by having a van and auto called by the same name was BAD. They shoulda called it the "Monte Carlo 4 Door" because its the 4 dr version of the 2 dr monte carlo without the larger doors . its a great car and gets 30 mpg only trouble we had was electric windows stopped working due to cheaply made parts.and the interiort fan got plug by leaf debris. vehical corners very nice. seats 6 total

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  I WOULD BUY ANOTHER NEW ONE - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By THE DAVIS FAMILY - July 17 - 2:00 am

  NO MAJOR PROBLEMS @ 90,000 MILES DO NOT LIKE CUP HOLDER ON PASSANGER SEAT. OVER ALL A GOOD RIDE.

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  The key is maintance. - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By HJHJHJ - July 17 - 2:00 am

  Little noise from the engine. Run very smoothly.

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  Its been a great, reliable car - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By immikeb - July 16 - 2:00 am

  This car has driven me to lots of places in great comfort. Its getting close to time to have a new one, but well see how long she lasts.

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  Its been great! - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Doug_in_GA - July 16 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car at 60K miles. Now turning 191k, original engine and trans. Ive probably spent 8c a mile lifetime to drive this car, *everything* included (ins,gas,maint,repair, orig cost). Its never left me stranded. Im ready for something new, but will drive this as long as it passes emissions.

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  wow - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By chelsea - July 16 - 2:00 am

  its was an awsome car