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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  corvettes are the best - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By dareelslimkt - January 2 - 10:00 am

  pretty car. fast. nice

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  Covertible Kicks Butt - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bulldogpix - January 2 - 10:00 am

  This is the most powerful and fun sportscar on the market for the money.

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  Tahoe Z71 - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jim103 - January 2 - 10:00 am

  This is the first American vehicle I owned, I bought it mainly to pull our boat. Love the huge amount of torque, hp is ok. Mileage is 13 or so. Ok lots of rattles (compared to the previous Nissans and Toyotas), and it hasnt even gone off road. Every button or switch is different, why? And VERY cheap feeling. Plastic work is poor.

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  very good - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Ricky buchinger - January 2 - 10:00 am

  it has good handling

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  Its a winner - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By weavercity - January 2 - 10:00 am

  After shopping around and doing my homework Im glad I got the Silverado. With the 4.3L and 5 speed Im getting 20+ mpg and have plenty of power for light hauling. The ride is better than the others and it makes the Tundra look punny when you compare the box capacity. The design and engineering of this truck are outstanding.

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  GM is making a big comeback - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Sam J - January 1 - 11:56 pm

  My most recent car was a Mercedes and my wife has a BMW. The drive quality is much better with the Tahoe. It is solid with zero rattles and a powerful engine. The interior is luxurious and passengers feel like they are sitting in first class aboard a 747. The Tahoe looks much better than the competition and truly stands out as most cars look the same these days

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  Reliable Transportation - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Classic
  By HHG - January 1 - 10:53 pm

  I bought mine used with 18000 mls on it. So far I put about 4k trouble free miles on it. Although it is not as a spirited performer as the 03 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE I traded in on the Malibu, I am overall pleased with the performance of the V6 engine. It has plenty of power and is comfortable on long trips. I am 62" and have plenty of room. Visibility is great, the car handles well and feels solid. No rattles, squeaks, etc. I would would buy this car again!

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  My Camaro - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Richs Camaro - January 1 - 3:18 pm

  I have owned this car since Aug. of 06. I have no other words for this car except I love it! It is very fun an for a V-6 it has very impressive power. This car not only looks great but is a pleasure to drive.

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  Victory Red Coupe - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Matt - January 1 - 11:44 am

  One of the last 07s on the lot. Paid $10,300. The only option is the auto tranny. I only had it a couple days so this is an intitial review. The motor has almost the same pep as my 01 Z24 and gets better mileage. Im averaging 25.6 MPG. The interior design of the car is a little plain but straight forward and worlds nicer than the Cavalier. The electric steering feels a little wierd at first but you get used to it. The rear end looks better on the coupe than sedan. The DIC does provide some useful stuff and the auto headlights mean you dont have to worry about leaving them on and draining the battery. The low beams are as bright as the highs on my Z24. Ill put in another review later.

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  Well worth the money! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By chigh0394 - December 31 - 11:10 pm

  Excellent buy for the money. Very well rounded. Has all the advantages of both the large and the small SUV classes. Has only one safety glich, and that is the rear headrests get in the way of the view to the back corners of the vehicle, but is compensated for by larger than expected driver and passenger mirrors. All in all a great buy.