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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  Love my Chevy - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By 49alaska49 - November 11 - 3:25 pm

  Ive owned this truck for 8 years now and it now has around 150,000 miles on it. It has been a great truck with very minimal repairs. My fuel pump went out at 120,000 miles and my alternator just went out at 149,000. Both were original parts! I live in Alaska and haul my snowmachines, 4-wheelers, and boat all over the state, and the transmission has lasted 150,000 miles and still going strong. I took off my 1/2 ton leaf springs and swapped them with 3/4 ton springs to help with heavy loads. Other than that, I have not modified the truck at all. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a truck at a good affordable price.

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  Z06 - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By ARTG - November 11 - 10:00 am

  Upgraded from a Porsche 930 --- no car can compare to the shear power, performance and handling. Love it!

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  Z71 is the Best of the Best - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Tampa Z71 - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I love this truck! My Mercedes SLK230 and Harley Road King end up spending a lot of time in the garage on battery tenders because the Z71 is so much fun to drive. If you are looking for a good traveling vehicle, this is it. Three trips from Tampa to Atlanta since December 2002, and the Z71 made each one a joy.My truck is jet black and I added window vent covers and a matching plastic front spoiler for the hood. I also painted the chevy bowtie black and removed the chevrolet badge from the rear. This baby looks awesome and gets many drooling looks every where I go.

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  Outstanding Performance Automobile! - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By jimhild - November 11 - 2:00 am

  63000 miles, no real issues. 28+ mpg on highway, 165+ mph capability. Trunk will hold two golf bags and luggage for two people for three weeks. We have driven as many as 960 miles in a single day and the car is comfortable and easy to drive. Active handling is a benefit. Indy Pace Car colors and trim is bold, but tastefully done. Many, many thumbs up, photo requests and discussions when stopping for fuel. Would do it again.

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  Sparky to the Rescue! - 2016 Chevrolet Spark
  By John King - November 10 - 11:31 pm

  One of the lowest priced new vehicles one can purchased, yet it doesnt look like one or perform like one. I had MINI Cooper for 12 years and loved everything about it EXCEPT its fuel economy (much less than people think), propensity to break down, and cost of repairs (its made by BMW). In less than a month I have fallen in love with my Chevrolet Spark. It simply does not feel like an economy car and it looks dashing! The engine is so quiet I have had to check a few times to see if it was still running (and it always was)! It is nimble to maneuver, cruises at 55-70 mph smoothly with no strain, the front seat was comfortable even for a 6 foot +, 300 pound man.

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  A lot better than past years! - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Day - November 10 - 9:50 pm

  Ive had a 2002 Monte and after I had a lot of stuff go wrong with it, I looked into getting a new car. I narrowed my choices to 3 cars. Mustang, Monte and Charger. Mustang way too small. Charger has more power. But only 2/10 of a sec quicker. Plus doesnt have some of the features that I like. The Monte has everything but a DVD nav system. Cell phone, on star, DOD (charger doesnt let you know when its active or not.) Remote start. I think alot of people need to rethink the GMs lineup. There cars have power not stuck at 200 HP like in the past. This car all around better then 2000-2005 Monte year. MPG for me is around 15.8. Sorry people, you have to pay for power.

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  Great Car, Fun Ride. - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Doug White - November 9 - 12:53 pm

  Leaps and bounds above all the other cars in its class right now. My only complaint would be the typical "plain" design on the interior that Chevy is famous for. Build quality seems improved over Chevys of the past. My In-laws have an Impala SS and its a couple of years old and havent seen any of the Chevy-Famous Squeaks that usually pop up in older Chevys. Good Car, Skip the Corolla & The Honda, pick up a Cobalt today, youll be glad you did.

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  Enviable Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By anmaric - November 9 - 8:50 am

  I love my new Equinox!!! I couldnt have made a better choice.

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  chevy traker 2002 - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By FFHS74 - November 9 - 2:00 am

  I just love the car and would buy another one. It is very comfy and it is nice looking...I get compliments on how nice the car looks all the time. I goes great in the snow and ice and I have not had any problems with it during bad weather.

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  tracker1 - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By mboy - November 9 - 2:00 am

  i think the tracker in the 2005 should get the onstar option and all years should be retrofited with it --- tracker is the best suv i ever drove