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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  It rules the ROAD - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By Superman01992 - February 13 - 2:00 am

  I only need to say about four words to describe it: IT RULES THE ROAD!!!

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  Good car, little maintenance - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By revjmike - February 13 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Chevy Malibu as a pre-owned vehicle with 33,000 miles on it already. I now have put just under 100,000 miles on it giving it a total of 129,000 miles. It continues to handle extremely well, even though I have not replaced struts or shocks. The engine still has plenty of zip and my only significant repair has been tensioner replacement. Quite frankly I am astonished at the quality of this vehicle. This is one of the few cars I have owned where I have never doubted whether I made the right choice or not

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  Monte Carlo SS - 2001 - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Leopold - February 12 - 11:26 am

  This car has been underrated on fuel economy and performance. We have averaged 29 MPG (not just highway) since owning it. It is a beautiful car and had good pick up considering it is a V6. The original tires we had were noisy, and since changing them at 60,000 miles to a style with that in mind, this one drawback has been greatly improved.

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  The Best - 1998 Chevrolet Camaro
  By hggirlly - February 12 - 2:00 am

  Awesome car, kills the Mustang (even the GT) every time!!!

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  Fun stuff! - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Seoulgirl7 - February 11 - 8:03 am

  It seems like time stops when im in my Cobalt SS/SC. It handles great, and I love the interior, all the options, and what the factory offers for me for aftermarket. Really a lot of car for the price! Just writing this makes me want to go out to the back roads again:)

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  Great Vehicle - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Garnern - February 11 - 2:00 am

  At 64 years old I have had many cars including Cadillacs. This Tahoe is by far my favorite vehicle ever! It is very comfortable to drive and ride in the heated seats, seat memory, handling are great.

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  Sweet car - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By pooch1 - February 11 - 2:00 am

  If you want an affordable American car with huge amounts of bang for the buck then look no further. This car will beat anyting under $100,000 by seconds around a race track. Poor Vipers.....very fast in 1/4 mile, but poor brakes and handling hurt overall performance. If you want German or Italian performance without the price then her you go.

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  2010 LTZ AWD - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By irwin2842 - February 10 - 6:50 pm

  Love the cockpit feel while driving this car. Also the blue tooth is awesome. I am getting used to all the new buttons but very similar to my Acadia just smaller but drives and rides like a dream. Excellent service from my dealer and priced very well. Who could ask for more? Way to go Chevy :)

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  Great SUV! - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By kristin - February 10 - 2:23 pm

  We bought this vehicle preparing for our growing family. It is a great size for parking, weekend trips and everyday driving. It has great cargo room, very functional interior and great exterior styling. I like the fact that it does not look like every other SUV out there!!! We have had no problems at all.

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  WOW GM. TOP NOTCH - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Jeff Delabre - February 10 - 7:36 am

  I was considering a BMW 135i with a manual and a few options at about $42k. But this Camaro 2SS/RS loaded costing $38k BLOWS AWAY the little BMW