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:

• 

  From an F150 to this - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By waduncan - June 11 - 10:50 am

  I am 63" and love this car. It appears small from the outside, however the leg room is amazing. The seats are comfortable, though a little too stiff if you are making trips of 60+ miles. The gas mileage is great, 28 MPG so far. The five speed gives you a lot of control and the engine builds power all the way to the red line of 6500. GM offers performance exhaust and a stage 2 kit that will put this engine at 250+ hp. Add an after market intake and you are looking at 260+ hp in a very light car. Awesome handling, I live near the "dragon" in Tennessee and I can tear through it much quicker than I could in my old Camaro (though in fairness the Camaro did not have low profile tires).

• 

  OneQuickLumina - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By LuLu lover - June 11 - 2:00 am

  My mom bought the Lumina(nicknamed Hotmama by friends) new in 1992. Its been an excellent car since then. It has broken a few times(4 alternators) and a few sets of brakes but only left me stranded one time in all 12 years. I would definitely suggest a Lumina to anyone. Theyre great cars!

• 

  matts review - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mattdude - June 11 - 2:00 am

  Very good car, i would suggest to buy it.

• 

  It was A Blessing - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Blessed - June 11 - 2:00 am

  First,lets thank God for the auto.It looks and runs great,A1 sound system good gas milage,its just awsome to be in a chevy .I remember driving in my aunts Chevy,when I was a good back in the 70s tis is certainly NOT THAT CAR by any means..................

• 

  2005 Chevrolet Corvette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Mike Saton - June 10 - 8:56 pm

  FAST CAR.

• 

  An American Legend Lives On. - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Gordon - June 10 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd Vett, they keep getting better, fantastic power, great ride and unbelievable gas mileage for a car with this amount of power. No mechanical problems to date. Lots of after market performance parts available. Cost of service is very reasonable.

• 

  Love it! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By FireManZMom - June 9 - 8:53 pm

  Great vehicle. My sons are both over 6 ft tall and they both have lots of leg room in the Equinox.

• 

  Extremely pleased with my HHR! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By kennyg - June 9 - 2:40 am

  This vehicle is very tightly built for an American car. Ive been very pleased with its quiet ride, gas mileage, and reasonable purchase price.

• 

  Solid, Versitle - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By turboboost17 - June 9 - 2:00 am

  The conversion capability is priceless. Just a quick 1-10 minute change depending on what I need. Im a snowboard instructor in VT and the 4WD, and the ability to comfortably carry 5 (bucket seats) and gear without a roof rack (theyre dirty anyway) or even converting is clutch. With all this comes cost though. It takes quite a bit more time to clean and condition all the seals plus all the maintence of 4WD. Then again, theres not a lot of paint to wax :) Also it is a bit of an ordeal to add any sub woofers and miantain the conversion capability. If you want to know more see chevyavalanchefanclub. com

• 

  Like a Rock - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By macroma - June 8 - 4:23 pm

  Awesome truck.