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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  Nice, family SUV - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By cdb - January 19 - 3:20 pm

  Im not much into power of the vehicle and all of that. I will say this is my 2nd TrailBlazer. The 2nd one I upgraded to the third row, DVD player, and leather seating. Very comfortable, smooth riding SUV.

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  Overall a very good vehicle - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Mark NJ - January 19 - 2:37 pm

  We were forced to purchase a new car after the Jeep dealer ruined our 05 Jeep Liberty. We really did not want to be in the market for a car and yet here we were. We began my search in the beginning of September and wanted to get a year end deal on a 2007 model. After reviewing a number of models, we settled on the Pontiac Torrent. Although, this was the first choice, we gravitated to the Equinox as we could not find a Torrent with the equipment desired. However, if we could have assembled the car ourselves we would have put the Torrent front on the Equinox rear. Since purchased we put on about 4,400 trouble free miles. We have not had to take the car back for any adjustments or correc

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  Good Bang for the Buck - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By andrecan - January 19 - 2:21 pm

  Coming off a 2004 Z06 lease I wanted to keep some "Vette" in my life w/2 kids and frequent trips to snow country demand AWD. While no Vette, it does instill confidence leaving tolls or kicking down to pass at any speed. Ride is nice and handling is good for this size vehicle. Seats are comfortable. Window doesnt close properly properly at high speed. I have to slow down, then close to get proper fit wout wind noise. Also transmission wants to slow this car down when you try to coast at about 68 mph. which makes it challenging to keep a steady foot in traffic at that speed. I like my wifes FX45 2x better but after comparing stickers Im happy.

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  Never Again! - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By beatlegirl9 - January 19 - 2:14 pm

  Ive had this car 7 yrs & Ive had nothing but problems. It only has 67,000 miles as I dont do much driving except work & errands. I also do the reg. maintenance. I have an extended warranty that has been my lifeline in terms of shelling out money. Every time I take it to the dealership for repair, the same problems start back up a couple of weeks later. I have the manifold gasket repaired, my transmission replaced, the drivers side control panel replaced, the a/c control panel replaced(3x), fuel pump, a couple of the fuel injectors, the water pump & some others I am sure I am leaving out. Will never buy a Chevy or GM ever again based on the nightmare I have had w/ this car. Buyer Beware!

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  Nothing like it at all! - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Surf Guru - January 19 - 2:00 pm

  After owning just about every kind of suv, car, truck, I purchased this from a friend and cannot wait to get behind the wheel each day. Sold a 2007 Toyota Tacoma Sport and replaced it with this vehicle and would never go back. LTZ equipment package, 6.0 366 hp engine tops. Get the factory navigation if you can.

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  Great Car - 1995 Chevrolet Beretta
  By floridacats - January 19 - 7:25 am

  I bought my Beretta slightly used. Have had it for 12 years now and have 213,000 miles on it. Yes it needs a new engine but It has given me little trouble and I wish too Chevy would make them again. It has good space inside for tall drivers. Ill be sad to see her go.

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  Great truck - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Dave Soderholm - January 19 - 2:00 am

  I love this truck. Great power!!!

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  sexy - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By kheperia - January 19 - 2:00 am

  My boyfriend bought this truck to use for himself- I urged him to b/c of the dead sexy look of any Chevy. I drive a little Hyundai for the fuel economy- but we have been having horrible windy, snowy weather lately. My man was able to get me out of a ditch in his baby when the 80mph wind and ice sent me spinning. And now I get to drive it whenever we have nasty weather cause it handles the ice and wind so well.

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  Great family car - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By barbara jones - January 19 - 1:04 am

  For the few years between carting kids to practice then college in a mini-van I had a sports car. THEN my kids had kids :-) and I needed a car that could hold up to three car seats / booster seats depending on grandkids in the back seat. There is room and the back seat is a "flat" bench with pre-installed hooks for carseats. Hook to the frame on both sides of the bottom, hook to the frame behind headrest and seats were appropriately installed and *I* did it! Easy in and out as I also transport my elderly parents in the car. Both front and back doors open wide (be sure passengers know that lest the next car get dinged) and I can have Mom put both legs out and on the ground, she holds the bracket and my hand and up we go. I regret that I dont have leather seats, which Ive always had. However, the upholstery is of good quality and cleans with a babywipe. Im picky about dust, etc, and it looks great just driving through a carwash. The computer in the car is so accurate I know when tire pressure needs attention, mpg readout is accurate, oil life

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  I should have bought a durango - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Diana wenzler - January 18 - 5:25 pm

  I love amercian cars but not ford so i bought a chevy LTZ for cheaper than a middle of the line durango i used to think that was a good deal