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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  1997 S10 Etx Cab - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By Deerehere - April 19 - 2:00 am

  I bought this truck new 7 years ago. I has been a great running and reliable truck.

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  I never was a Chevy man until.... - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By 04Malibuman - April 19 - 2:00 am

  At 67 I dont have the luxury of being picky about which cars I can drive. Many auto makers both foreign and domestic seem to have forgotten the "large" market of car buyers. With a telescopic steering column and six- way power seat option I found no problems on entry and exit as well as driving comfort. When I found this car and sat in it and I thought "this is great room but how does it perform?" I was pleasantly suprised at the acceleration in this vehicle, very peppy in the 0-60 range under 8 seconds. All of that with an average fuel economy of 28mpg city/hwy, this is one of the most value minded car choices in America!

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  Better than expected! - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By tomfw3 - April 19 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle, smooth ride & very comfortable. Even gas mileage is better than expected @ over 15 mpg average(city). Great highway cruiser, quiet and terric tunes. Seats are very comfortable, Im 11 inches taller than my wife & both have no problem getting comfy. Pretty good off the line, plenty of torque. Oh, dealer experience was better than Mercedes, much better (we have a 320e).

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  Oh What Fun!!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By S. Beck - April 19 - 2:00 am

  We chose the 2WD with locking differential and the resulting fuel economy is remarkable. I average nearly 18mg, just wish I would have opted for leather interior.

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  White w/ Sport appearance pkg - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By BoomerJoe - April 19 - 2:00 am

  Traded a 94 Deville in for this and lost only a little interior room (seats 5 instead of 6), gained LOTS at the pump (87 octane vs. 91 and 28 mpg vs. 22 @75mph), trunk size about the same, except the Chevys back seats fold down! This is my first Chev. (except for a 69 vette back in my wilder days) and the form, fit, and function is A1. Rides and drives great although it does tend to get a bit cramped on extended (6+ hours) trips for my 63" 250# build. (Its my wifes car though, Ill stick to the F350)All in all a great car with a very decent sound sytem from GM. Buy American!

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  2004 Chevy - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By chancy - April 19 - 2:00 am

  Great power and ride. After compareing the big three it was evident that there was no compare. It was the winner by far. Ford looks so plain and out dated compared and Dodge could not hold there resale value if they had to. It was very easy for me to go with the Chevy.

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  First Chevrolet...Happy Customer - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By litework - April 19 - 2:00 am

  The truck has a powerful engine with just enough noise to let you know youre driving a truck. Suspension and interior features provides the driver and passenger with a cozy ride. The Silverado has a lot of options that are fun and functional. All in all, a great truck.

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  Very nice - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Scortch - April 19 - 12:26 am

  After the HHR, this thing is like 100 times better. It rides smooth as silk. The shifting is really smooth. It has a really nice pickup and just plain comfortable to drive around in. One of the best cars I have had.

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  2003 "Silver Star" - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Janet L. Kraus - April 18 - 2:00 am

  My van is "trailer towing" equipped and Ive found its performance to be exceptional. Highway mileage without my boat is 23+ mpg with my boat its 21+ mpg. Its tops for comfort, reliability and just plain fun to drive.

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  01 suburban - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By bugs - April 18 - 2:00 am

  We love it we have a 99 tahoe also and like it but this drives abit smoother and the styling is more modern.We feel very safe and have not problems. We will by another when decide it is time to trade it in!!