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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  Happy with this car! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Claude Harris - June 25 - 2:00 am

  This is, for us, a good family car. It is pleasant to drive. The suspension is a little harder than other cars that we have owned but it corners better and seems quite sure footed.

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  Way beyond my expectations!!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Luvmyvette - June 25 - 2:00 am

  I owned a 1996 with 6 spd and enjoyed it BUT this 2004 just blows it away on all fronts! I mean the fit, function, looks, handling, std features, top removal (so easy now), seats, entry/exit, wind noise...What a sweet car. One tip**the body side moldings are only $150.00 and make the car look soooo sleek! Best option for the price EVER! At a chop it will run $800.00.

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  Z06 - 2004 - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By andrecan - June 25 - 2:00 am

  I had a 99 Corvette hardtop and traded that in after 60k miles (no problems) for a 350Z. I missed the Corvettes torque so much I traded the 350Z back for this 2004 Z06. This car never disappoints. 0-60 in about 4 seconds, 1G on the skidpad, perfect handling, firm but not punishing ride, headturning styleing,respect from the harley guys, whats not to like? I bought this rather than wait for the 05 Vette as I didnt like the new style (no pop up headlights). I may change my mind if a 2005-06 Z06 comes out with 500hp...

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  Great Used Car - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By specbike81 - June 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car after 2 Brothers of mine have previously owned Prizms. I bought it because it is a Toyota Corolla that is 2 grand cheaper. Same engine, and basically the same car. I bought my Prizm with 34,000 miles on it, and 10,000 miles later I havent had a single problem. Its a great car.

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  Fun Fun Fun - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Charlotte - June 24 - 2:00 am

  This is the perfect vehicle to zip around town. Not being a big person and not having any young children makes the size a practical fit. True, it is not anything fancy on the inside but, it does have all the features one needs. I drove this vehicle when I was on travel and loved it so much I had to buy one. I would recommend to a person who loves SUVs but does not need or care about all the extras. This is a fun vehicle...

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  2001 - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier is great! - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Curtis Lockwood - June 24 - 2:00 am

  The Chevrolet Cavalier we purchased is being used for our driving school in Columbia, SC. We have driven the first car for one year and put 50,000 miles without any repairs. We have found that it is extremely agile and the handling is terrific ( new drivers can be a challenge to teach even in a well handling car). We have gotten 32 MPG as an average through the first year and now have about 92000 miles on the first car. We just purchased another Cavalier to expand our business and plan to buy another before the end of the year.

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  An American Ferrari! - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Vman - June 23 - 10:53 pm

  The design is Ferrari based and is fast as some. It is sleek, stylish and fast. A sports car that not only has the horsepower but comfort, storage space and the cost wont break the bank.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By dolphyn193 - June 23 - 2:00 am

  We recently bought the 2004 Blazer as our 1st SUV purchase. We couldnt have made a better choice. We love to exterior and the roominess of the interior. You cant beat a chevy, thats for sure!

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  TRUE GRIT - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Jim Merryweather - June 22 - 9:46 pm

  I picked up my car on 9/25/09 and all I can say is "WOW". Have 900 plus miles on her and have enjoyed every mile. Ordered with auto/rs package and she is a real beast. Im 62 and this car brought back the days of my 1967 GTO. Just happened by the dealership with a bunch of friends and saw the new 2010 camaro and couldnt sleep that night. Went back the next weekend and ordered her. Ive not looked back! This car is just a delight and draws attention from all age groups. Go get one and remember, youre not here for a long time - just a good time.

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  GM is getting close with the new Tahoe - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Bob - June 22 - 12:40 pm

  I really like the new Tahoe. Unfortunately, it does have some problems. The doors all squeak a lot on anything but a really smooth road. Driver window also squeaks when lowered. Three trips to dealer have not fixed anything and driver window now hass alot of wind noise. Gas mileage was initially very poor but got better after engine was broken in and I reprogrammed engine chip.