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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  Great Truck! - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By sixty8camaro - January 12 - 8:30 pm

  I have over 110,000 miles on my p/u and have had only one part break ($25 U-joint + 1 hour of my time to replace). Id say thats great reliability! Still runs close to as strong as when I bought it and can pull a loaded trailer (roughly 5,000 lbs) with no problems.

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  Tahoe Great So Far - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Ron - January 12 - 4:36 pm

  Great interior styling, and great drivability. Comfort and conveinence everywhere. Practical vehicle for the kids and for winter trips.

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  My Dream Car - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By sdream696 - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Camaros have always been a favorite of mine, and my car has only reinforced this attitude. My friends and family know that my car is a part of Chevrolet, American history. Never before or since could you get this sort of bang for the buck! I paid $24K in Sept. of 1998, and have absolutley NO COMPLAINTS. No problems, excellent performance, and great quality. Five summers of fun, fun, fun... GM did their homework on these cars... I will keep my car so that my kids will someday know what a musclecar really is. Oh yeah, it eats V-8 Mustang Cobras for lunch. :-)

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  I like mine!! - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bennigan - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I bought mine with only 33,311 miles. Only problem so far is A/C fan ddi not work at speeds 1&2. There is a tapping in the mornings. Told not to worry.

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  Great SUV - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By John - January 11 - 7:10 pm

  I just purchased an LT Z71 and I love it. I was torn between the Escalade and the Tahoe and I am glad I went with the Tahoe. I saved $15,000 and got 4 wheel drive. I have always owned small trucks because the bigger ones are tough to park and drive, not the case with the 2007 Tahoe. Rides like a Caddy and handles like a sedan! Great family vehicle. Make sure you shop around. 3 dealers only came down $4000, the 4th came down $6,000.

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  Camaro SS - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By TommySS - January 11 - 2:00 am

  Best bang for the buck - ever. Solid car, no rattles/squeaks/leaks. Extremely fast, very sure-footed.

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  great purchase - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By vicaltman - January 11 - 2:00 am

  I bought a basic 4wd with an awesome look and a stable feel. One of the best purchases I have ever made.

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  My second Prism - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By PRISMLOVER - January 10 - 2:00 am

  I have owed alot of cars. This is so affordable and reliable. Great car for a single woman or single parent. Great for young drivers. So easy to drive. Almost impossible to wreck.. I TRUST THIS CAR TO THE UPMOST. AND I WOULD BUY AGAIN.

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  Great daily driver for mid teens - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By StArrow68 - January 10 - 2:00 am

  Got the 95 for a daily driver that would be fun to drive. It was a garage queen, of which I think there are many, and only had 18k miles after 8 years. Only issues were the engine well and one small frayed spot on the passenger carpet. Paint, weather stripping, tinted blue roof and rest of carpet and seats were in spotless condition, reflecting mileage and sitting in garage. Got it for mid sixteens and put new fluids in along with a good cleaning of the engine. Runs strong and just plain fun.

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  Im Happy - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By DesertAnne - January 10 - 2:00 am

  So far so good. For the money its a good car. I havent had any problems, I love the stereo and it handles well. My only complaint is the lack of pickup, too bad they didnt offer a manual transmission. Other than that I love the car.