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 sports car - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By al martoia - March 25 - 2:48 pm

  Had this 2008 for 4 months now and love it. Super fast for a stock Vette. Traded my 2003 anniversary in on it. The ride is a lot more comfortable and the interior looks and feels great. The 3lt package is a must. Cant beat the price, a lot of car for 50 grand.

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  Very pleased - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By VA - March 25 - 12:53 pm

  So far Im very pleased. GM definitely made strides with this truck. In particular the interior comfort and build quality is far better than in previous years. Gas mileage isnt good, but hey, its a truck!

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  Good Value - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Dino Motta - March 25 - 12:50 pm

  Purchased this vehicle used with 4,500 miles. Currently has 171,000 and still only uses a quart of oil every 3K. For this size vehicle fuel economy is excellent. I just from a 1,500 mile trip and averaged 17.9 mpg traveling at an average speed of 72 mph (5.7L Gas). Most unusual repair was replacement of intake manifold gasket (75K), this appears to be an issue with many Chevy models other in addition to Suburban. I have done many expected repairs, water pump, fuel pump, u-joints, radiator (plastic sides tanks are silly). Brakes, rotors and drums are an issue. Brake system probably undersized for weight of vehicle.

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  Nice car, a few problems - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Amy Voutt - March 25 - 12:20 pm

  I love my 2008 Aveo that I purchased in aug 2007 however I have had some problems with it. Not once but twice the struts had to be changed (the same side). And just a month ago it was in the shop for 3 weeks because something happened to my transmission. Now that it is fixed and it is running okay I love it. I get great gas mileage and I love that it has 4 doors. Great for families with a 5 year old like me and still is somewhat sporty. Love the spoiler.

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  Great for couple with no kids - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By L.H. - March 25 - 5:33 am

  I love my little Tracker. I bought it 5 years ago and have not had one bit of trouble with it. This vehicle is very compact if you need to put a child car seat in the back seat be prepared to have the chid banging the back of your seat. You cant fit an adult in the back seat comfortably. But that aside if you put the seats down you have a huge amount of room to haul stuff. This little SUV is very cute and alot of fun to drive. It has get up and go and handles well. When you pop it into four wheel drive you can go through almost anything. In Minnesota winters it has come in handy a quite a few times. My car sits outside and it has always started even when the temp was 30 below zero.

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  Couldnt be happier - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Pat - March 24 - 11:08 pm

  Ive towed a loaded trailer from Dallas to Vegas and back, family trips, light offroading, carpool duty, and city commuting and my Suburban has handled it all with aplomb. I bought my truck because it could handle full 4x8 sheets with the seats folded and all the other things too and its never failed me yet. Its like the Swiss Army knife of vehicles. It may not be the best at any single thing, but it can do a lot of stuff and do it very, very well. And without all the fumbling around that you get with one of those uber-everything chunky Swiss Army knives, either. Its a super-capable vehicle. I couldnt be happier with my choice to buy this truck.

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  2008 Equinox 6 cyl 3.4 LS - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jeffrey McMinn - March 24 - 9:16 pm

  Runs great in that have had no problems so far, but only have 3000 miles. Has great pick-up when needed, corners well. Style is impressive and everything inside "makes sense". The ride is not as smooth as Id like to have it, but were not talking a Caddy here. Drive conservative and get 25 MPG, but do little city driving. Realistically, Id probably get 21 if I drove like I used to do when gas wasnt gold plated, but if we can put a man on the moon, surely we could design one that gets 30 mpg.

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  Good Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By DamonLee22 - March 24 - 8:58 pm

  If there is one thing I can say about this truck, Its reliable. As of today my Silverado has 320K miles, I have had to replaced the front hubs, wheel bearings, and the water pump, and of course the brakes. I had problems with the climate control selectors.. While running the AC there would be a thump and the left side would instantly go to full heat.. And the fan control module melted once, lots of smoke.. The truck still runs pretty strong, but wear to the engine and trans has begun to have an effect on performance.. but shes never left me on the side of the road, and the four wheel drive is still functioning normally. All in all, a very good truck, and if it died today, I couldnt complain.

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  Better than youd expect - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Hal - March 24 - 5:41 pm

  Body & engine tight and smooth, interior trim a little rough(headliner doesnt fit shugly). Seat-belt receptacle cover breaks easily). Five speed shifts out smoothly for 1-5,but often resists going into reverse. Impressive acceleration for a 4- cylinder. Decent gas mileage averaging about 22 with a 50/50 mix of city & highway going all-out...26 highway if I nurse it. Only maintenance in 48,000 miles has been oil, filters, & tires.

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  Fast - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Midnight - March 24 - 5:24 pm

  The wife wanted a hybrid, but nothing caught my except the TBSS. It has a mean muscular stance. We bought one in Red Jewel Tintcoat. Just a beautiful color. It is fast, roomy, and handles real well. I like big trucks. Im a big guy, and even though the HHR was better on gas, this works the best for us. My wife drives it to and from the train station and we use it on weekends. If I had to drive this to my work every day, 80 miles roundtrip, I wouldnt buy it because the gas would kill us. This is one awesome vehicle and is a lot fun to drive.