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:

• 

  Excellent mileage - 1999 Chevrolet Metro
  By Dean - August 23 - 9:42 am

  Bought this Metro used. Im very impressed the way it drive, handle, and fuel economy. Im getting around 47 MPG mostly highway.

• 

  Cheap but gets the job done - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Kev - August 23 - 1:28 am

  This car was purchased brand new 11 years ago and since put 87000 miles on it. It has been fairly reliable throughout these mile. However, on the down side, performance and quality is on the poor side. Maintenance is a real biggy. Since its American, fixing this car is a hassle thanks to poor design of the engine bay. The major problems that comes up are the fan and alignment issues. Frequently, my coolant tank will get dirty with grime and dirt and needs to be cleaned. Also, I noticed once I have the AC on, the car will sometimes overheat, going past the mid point of the temp gauge. This can be a result of a recall back in 1997 with the fan.

• 

  My Favorite SUV of All Time. - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Anonymous - August 22 - 8:27 pm

  My new Tahoe is one of my most favorite, fun SUV of all times. I recently purchased a used 1999 Tahoe LT Fully Loaded with every dealer option. An after market chrome brush guard and top head lamps compliments it well. The previous owner stocked it up with BF Goodrich Heavy Duty Commercial Tires That hum everywhere I go. It is certainly a head turner in my town. I know I am safe in that vehicle no matter where I go.

• 

  Best car for the buck - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By benczik - August 22 - 4:40 pm

  I bought this car with 69,000 on it and it has 97,000 now. The way the car is performing I would not doubt that it may reach 200,000. Engine is spotless. I heard my pastors wife say right next to me not knowing it was mine that it was a very quiet car. Made me feel proud. Not to mention getting 53 mpg consistently and a/c still works. I prayed for 2 weeks for a 3 cylinder 5 speed metro at a time when very few were selling them because of fuel prices. I did find some for sale on eBay but did not want to go out of state. Then this car showed up about 2 1/2 miles from my house. The guy said he just showed up with it one hour ago. Paid 2,700. It is just like I wanted but better. Will never sell it!

• 

  Good SUV - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Brent - August 22 - 4:32 pm

  Upgraded from an Impala LS to Trailblazer for more storage and light hauling. Very pleased with overall performance - acceleration leaves a little to be desired, but I was coming from an Impala. I have driven in 2 blizzards already and felt very relaxed. Gas mileage is a little bummer - I average around 13 in city and 18 on highway. After 3 years and 30K miles, I have only had it in for routine maintenance.

• 

  The Black Vette - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Brad - August 22 - 10:52 am

  My black ext, 2-tone red int 6-speed Vette has impressed me since the day I bought it. Im trying to not get a speeding ticket within the first 1k miles. Fast! 0 - 60 in the blink of an eye. What other 400 hp V8 can get 28 mpg highway and 18 mpg city? This 07 Vette is handsdown a great car. Great ride and great handling with the Z51 package. A lot of nice options with the 3LT especially the HUD with a G meter. I receive compliments every where I go. Thanks to Chevy for a real American made sports car.

• 

  1999 Metro Base 5 spd - 1999 Chevrolet Metro
  By Dean - August 22 - 9:50 am

  I bought this 99 Metro from a private with 69,000 one-owner documented miles. I have been driving about 3000 miles, and very impress with the car performance and gas mileage. It is very decent acceleration for 1.0 3 cyl, and I get an average of 46 MPG mostly highway miles (65-70 MPH). So far, Im very happy with it.

• 

  A Very Good Car - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Brian - August 22 - 5:46 am

  Chevy did a nice job with this car. Its comfortable and stylish (the ladies love it - NO JOKE!). Acceleration and gas mileage with the 3.4L V6 arent this engines strong suits, but its relatively smooth and works well with the 4-speed auto trans. Steering is slightly overassisted, but handling is decent. After nearly 12,000 miles, no problems, except for slightly warped brake rotors which Ill have checked and probably replaced under warranty soon. The interior could stand more usable storage space up front, but overall, no complaints. Great sound from CD stereo.

• 

  could be better - 2016 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Laura - August 22 - 5:05 am

  2016 Traverse has the most uncomfortable seats ever. Granted I have a basic model but cmon... lumbar support is important. My manual says its optional. If its a manual seat it should be on all cars. We have the split bench in 2nd row. The seat belts are down right painful for adults butts. Behind the driver seat you cannot move where the belt buckles in. There is zero give. You CAN move the buckle on the passenger side so its not digging into your backside but not in the driver side. this needs to be addressed. Also I am not a fan of not having outside mirror defrosters. My 03 trailblazer LS had this option and it was a base model. Not understanding why its not in a 16 when its a safety necessity in my opinion. Cargo room is HUGE!! I love how much room I have in here. The stereo system is really nice. There is bluetooth but for whatever reason I cannot play music from my phone or iPod through the speakers. Defeats the purpose of bluetooth no? Lastly the gas mileage is awful. Maybe its the AWD idk but i go through gas faster on this 16 car than with my old 03 that had 225,000. miles on it. No way shld a new car that has a 22 gallon tank only get 250 miles to a tank.

• 

  Best performance bargain out there - 1990 Chevrolet Corvette
  By ZR-601 - August 21 - 8:55 pm

  Now the average joe can afford a supercar. For the price of a used Honda Accord, you can purchase one of the highest-performing cars from the 90s. These cars sold for over $70,000 new (over $100,000 in todays dollars) and only 6,000 or so were made. I predict that they will skyrocket in value in 5 to 10 years.