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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  What a disappointment - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Hate Chevys Now - October 14 - 7:50 pm

  Wow! I loved the style. I loved the deal. But like mama always said "that which is too good to be true, probably is". After 8 trips to the dealer, they are finally replacing the steering colunm, brake rotors, tie rod ends, ball joints, and brake rotors. These have all gone bad within the 16215 miles I have driven this year. This car rattles, shakes and shimmys its way down the road with great style. Too bad it has a four speed auto when most others have a 6spd auto. I cannot wait to get rid of this car, but its value is still plummeting like a comet falling from the sky. If build quality and rattles with no hint of dealer help do not bother you, please buy mine, it is for sale.

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  Purchase one! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Don McMillin - October 14 - 6:33 pm

  A pleasure to drive. Styling is great. I have been very, very pleased with this SUV. PURCHASE ONE!!

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  The Right Choice - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By The Right Choice - October 14 - 1:38 pm

  I have only had the car three weeks but it has been great so far. Bought it for better mileage in my long commutes to work, so far it is averaging 28.5 in mixed, mostly highway driving (w/2.2 auto). Very comfortable ride, quiet out on the road. The interior is very functional. I have the 1LT in silver and it is everything I need and more...sunroof, Pioneer audio and XM (very nice sound), abs, traction control, curtain air bags. I like the looks with the roof rails, spoiler and running boards. I looked at many other options but this seemed far and away the most (and most versatile) car for the money. Loaded with little extras and niceties.

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  Looks Great - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Kim - October 14 - 1:33 pm

  I have enjoyed the ride but there is a bit of a blind spot at the edge of the windshield and the side window. Take an extra second to watch for pedestrians. I also see they overestimated gas mileage efficency. Im about 20 mpg not at all near the 30/24 on the window sticker. I drive mostly in the city so I know that doesnt help. The car size is great for the city but I chose stylish over hybrid because the mileage estimates were the same. I would have stayed with the hybriyd choice had I known the mileage was going to be so far off. It does always get a "wow" and I never had a car before that did. The double looks it gets have been fun to see.

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  I love this truck - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By Zack - October 14 - 12:38 am

  I love this truck. I have a small lawn service and this truck has never had a problem with my trailer, or any thing else, even with a load of mulch at the same time. The only problem I have had with the truck is since I am the second owner of the truck and the first was my grandfather and it was never really used in 4 wheel drive and we had to replace almost the entire system (costly)

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  Cant Beat It! - 1994 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Blazer Blair - October 13 - 9:48 pm

  I bought my 94 Blazer Sport in July of 1994 and it now (10/07) is 13 years old with 212,000 miles. The best part about it is that it still runs like the day I bought it! The body looks great! I get compliments about it all the time. Yah, the gas mileage might not be the greatest, but everything else about the truck far out-shadows that. Most people will end up going through three vehicles by the time I need my second. I love my Blazer!

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  Buyer beware! - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Carnie - October 13 - 4:56 pm

  Bought this truck brand new off the lot. 3 1/2 years old and the cylinder head is faulty. $2000+ repair that GM has admitted they knew these cylinder heads were faulty, but they wont step up and help defray repair costs. Truck is starting to rust already and weve had the steering column replaced 2 times so far! I thought Chevys were built to last?

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  Two weeks with the 2016 Chevy Equinox AWD 6 Cyl. - 2016 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Richard Tanguay - October 13 - 10:24 am

  I test drove the 4 cylinder model and thought it was sluggish especially climbing hills. I opted for the 6 cyl. which has about a 100 more hp than the 4 cyl. model. The power is great now, the car seems more solid and has a quiet and smooth ride. Options I like are the driver convenience package, sun sound & navigation package, rear liftgate power (which gives you the homelink option for opening your garage doors), and the driver confidence package. The premium sound is nice to listen to and the sound is even throughout the vehicle. I especially like the driver visibility and height at which you are sitting while driving. So far I averaged 20 mpg on the first tank of fuel, but I logged quite a bit of time idling in my driveway learning all the features on this suv. Just two added features would be nice on the Equinox and they would be: 1) heat vents for the rear passengers and 2) an audible speed alarm which you can set to go off it you exceed the predetermined speed setting. The ride is so smooth and with the v6 power, you can easily exceed the highway speed limits and not realize it. I added mud flaps, Husky floor mats and door sill protectors to keep the vehicle looking nice for a longer period of time.

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  CAR IS GREAT WITH NOISE FROM AFM - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By scotty franks - October 13 - 6:30 am

  This car is everything I hoped it to be. The ride is perfect and the car steers great on the road. The silver ice color I picked is so appealing to the eyes. I have had so many lookers turning turning their heads to see how great the car stands out.

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  Great Value - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Rocket Ship - October 13 - 4:18 am

  Have had this car for just over a month. Its performance is incredible and I get 22-23 in overall city/hiway driving. Engine is amazingly powerful radio is a great boom box and handling is outstanding. Was a one- owner vehicle and has only 54K miles. I thank the previous owner for taking such good care of it. Have received many compliments on this beautifully styled vehicle. Looking forward to seeing the redesigned Camaro in model year 2009, but very happy with the one I have. LS1 engine is awesome.