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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  great car - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By grafton - March 29 - 10:00 am

  I like the car, I was not happy that at only a year old (it is a 2002, and it had 42 thousand miles on it already. It runs great. It tells you when you need an oil change, washer fluid, all that. It runs great and very quiet!

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  Great Car - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Bob B - March 28 - 9:00 pm

  Drive 98 miles daily in town and highway gas mileage avg 34 miles per gal. Fun to drive. Had 6 months. Have no problems.

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  Works fine for me - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Bradley Boersema - March 28 - 6:21 pm

  I have owned my pickup for 2 years now, and I have only had to take it in once for a fuel sensor. Other than that I have had no problems with it. Its a great little commuter and play truck. I have even added several of my own feaures that was so easy to instal on this particular model (C B radio and anntennas, touch screen DVD/radio, side running lights, cold air intake). I love this truck and so does every one else in the neighborhood.

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  Great basic model - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Carpizo74 - March 28 - 4:17 pm

  I bought this car after testing a Matrix. The HHR felt like a much better car. My only option is automatic tranny, but it comes with so much standard stuff that I am very pleased. I love the information center and the mp3 plug-in feuture. I drive 50 miles each way to school 3 times a week and I find the car extremely comfortable and I really appreciate the gas mileage, its awesome. Its great for the money, I feel like Im driving a far more expensive car. It fits my wife, 2 kids, and all the gear (strollers and such.) What else can I say? If youre considering one, Id highly recommend it.

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  Nice Car - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Army Vet - March 28 - 10:57 am

  We bought this car off of the original owner with 25,000 miles on it. This car drives very well and man does it hug the road. This car does turn heads even when its dirty which is not very often. There are only two things one is it seems as tho the paint on the front end chips away very easy? The other is sometimes when you start it up the starter will stay engaged for about 3 to 5 seconds. Other than that I find that we are all very comfortable with this care and we are very happy with our choice.

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  Dream Car - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By G-Man - March 27 - 8:42 pm

  I have finally purchased my life long dream car. I love this car and I would say the only thing I would do differently is improve the rearward visibility. The view through the rear glass looks a little fuzzy because of the curvature of the glass. I love the car and the performance is outstanding.

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  Terribly dissapointed - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Glen - March 27 - 6:42 pm

  Day one-problems with acceleration, brakes, front-end. Interior plastic warped on back door. Flat spot on acceleration, bogs out and dealers cannot find problem. Very dissapointed, was very excited to purchase this new model and now wish that I hadnt. Am class a mechanic so I know how a vehicle should run.

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  Awesome! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Deb - March 27 - 12:50 pm

  I am from the UK so I had to find a car that was all in 1. Having never driven in snow I needed a good stable 4WD. This SUV is outstanding in all aspects. I am realy pleased I bought this car so I am totally recommending it to everyone that is thinking about buying one.

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  buy foreign - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By jffrnkn - March 27 - 11:21 am

  Bought van with 37,000 miles on it. Great for awhile, but then had trouble with electrical to back tail light. Had head and manifold gaskets replaced right before 100,000 miles. Three months later, transmission starts acting up. While in the shop having the tranny looked at, the bearings and crank go out of the engine. Beware and buy Honda or Toyota. No more gm.

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  Poor Car - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Dave - March 27 - 10:57 am

  Bought this car for my wife against my better judgment. (cars reputation) I was told that they had improved build quality. They have not!! The car only has 55000 km on it and something breaks every week. All new brakes at 40k, fan speed switch, lower control arm bushings, broken rear defrost switch that required a complete heater control unit because you cant just change switch!! etc, etc! Everything squeaks! Not even close to being is the same league as my last Toyota or current Subaru. Cant wait to get rid of this car. I will never buy another GM!!!!