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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  Bad SS - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By redracer1 - February 27 - 12:55 am

  I have the 35th SS LE Convertible it has been an absolute blast. More than enough power great handling and turns heads where ever I go.

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  I miss my Trailblazer - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jo - February 27 - 12:16 am

  I owned my Trailblazer for almost 2 years. Bought it used with 15000 miles on it. Im shocked by the negative reviews on other Trailblazers because mine was great, except for the gas mileage. It started out at 17 mpg, later was getting 14 mpg. As much as I hated to, I decided to trade it for a Hyundai Tuscan so I could get better gas mileage. When I traded, it had 35000 miles on it. Other than it being in the shop a few times right after I got it, to replace a window motor and radio (which were covered under warranty) I never had any other problems. I wish that Chevrolet had made the Trailblazer get the same gas mileage as my Tuscan. Id still be driving it

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  Fun in the City - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By D Monroe - February 27 - 12:10 am

  Great combination of performance & comfortable city driving. Love the powerful off-line acceleration coupled with great city & highway gas mileage. In my opinion, there is no better sports coupe under $100,000 that combines the features of great styling, raw performance and pure overall driveability. My wife absolutely loves it. She drives it while Im out of town on business. Besides the acceleration, she loves the time saving keyless FOB that prevents her from fumbling in her purse for keys when she has groceries or school supplies in her arms. Spacious cargo area. The addition of XM Radio, OnStar, heated seats and HomeLink Transmitter makes life safer & much more driver friendly.

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  perfect - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By pb - February 26 - 8:00 pm

  Truck was my office. Put over 103,735 miles on in two and half yrs. Rear ujoint only thing replaced besides tires. From the hottest humid weather to -12 actual temp no problems starting. Rolled begining of feb 08 on to roof. Truck totaled. Cab held up with windshield spider cracking in one corner and thats it. Walked away no sctraches. Drove truck home when rolled onto wheels.

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  Good little truck - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Colorado in Colorado - February 26 - 5:02 pm

  These are a steal used. Has been trouble free for the 20000 miles I have owned it. 21.5 mpg around town 26-29 mpg on hwy. 2wd does fine in the snow. Seats could be more comfortable. No rattles in the interior. 2wd Z85 easy on tires, looks like Ill get another 20000 out of them. Handles great for a truck. More fun to drive than my 04 full size overpriced, gas guzzling Toyota that I traded in. Would buy another used one in a minute.

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  Love it! - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Stephanie - February 26 - 1:49 pm

  I love my Impala SS Indy Limited edition. It has been an overall great car! It is comfortable, fun to drive, and the sterreo is awesome! My only complaint with this vehicle is having to put premium gas in it. Ooch! It is not a winter vehicle unless you live somewhere that doesnt get any snow!

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  Comfort and Size - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By dave8697 - February 25 - 7:53 pm

  Original owner for 9.9 years. Have spent a few hundred to fix rear a/c and a few hundred to fix transmission. A rear bearing seal is leaking, the water pump was replaced, and the original battery spit out a terminal. It is easy on tires and brakes and the replacement battery so far. Took on 900 mile trip this month and got over 21 mpg and had room for everything without it being in your way. Interior has held up excellent, except recliner levers. Still solid, quiet, roomy and economical. You dont want to know the resale value unless you are buying a used one.

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  Excellent vehicle for the price - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By yarom - February 25 - 6:48 pm

  Without a doubt, the best bang for the buck in todays market. I purchased a 4WD LTZ with all the options. This car looks good, is wel built and perform extremely well for the size. Build quality is fine and there are no issues I can find so far. For ski trip of hauling kids and stuff, there is very little competition.

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  American Muscle - 1993 Chevrolet Camaro
  By apballin - February 25 - 2:19 pm

  This car is awesome. Hit the gas and hold on. Bought the car with 89000mi. I have surprised new Chargers and Mustangs with LT1 power.This car will get sideways when you stomp the gas. Definitely a car worth purchasing. Funnest car I have ever driven.

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  chevy rules - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By JaredB - February 25 - 2:00 am

  The Silverado SS is the best there is. The lightning might have more horespower, but you got to remember that it a ford. Ford engines dont put out a lot of horsepower, so you could have used that extra money spent on its wasted engine to mod out a Siverado. The stupid blue oval doesnt have any reliability. Not to mention that its design sucks. Anyone with common sense can see that.