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 Car for the Money - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Good Car - July 16 - 2:00 am

  We bought the Cavalier LS new in 1998 and have been very pleased with its performance. There have never been any reliability issues and it surprises us how it always starts with the first crank even when being left out in the cold Wisconsin winters over night. The gas mileage is about 30 HWY and has lots of acceleration. No beefs for the money spent and now it is practically paying for itself.

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  2000 Corvette Coupe - 2000 Chevrolet Corvette
  By sra07734 - July 16 - 2:00 am

  The Corvette has been a great car. Acceleration is phenomenal! I have owned a 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS5, and the Corvette is quicker. Minor problems I have experienced include replacement of the steering wheel lock motor and replacement of the passenger side power window motor. There are many available aftermarket performance parts that are easy to install.

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  It saved my life - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Rev Peter - July 16 - 2:00 am

  6 months after we bought our Suburban, we had an accident that totalled our 26 trailer (it flipped on its side) and did significant ($10,000) damage to the truck. All four wheel remained on the ground and the sherriffs dept told us they had had three SUVs flip earlier in the week. After the truck was repaired, there was only one mechanical problem with the truck, which was fixed in less than an hour.

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  My new chevy Cruze - 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Brian Buzak - July 15 - 10:25 pm

  When purchasing or leasing a Cruze. Do all your research first , make sure that you can do all your negotiating over the phone and talk to family or friends that own one. First so you can get the feel of the vehicle. I had just leased my new Cruze and i love it very much it is a great car if you are in collage or just want something that will get you to a to b. Other than that Chevy did a great job on the design and it is a great first car.

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  The Only Chevy for Me - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By BadBoy911 - July 15 - 10:00 am

  This was the only 2Dr that would fit me, im a 63 big guy and they mention the Caviler, first off it sux, second i said "look at me" then they showed me the Monte, I used to have a monte but that was a 1980, and it never left me on the side of the road for any thing mechanical and it was at 98,000 miles and still ran strong!, so i said what the hell, now i love this car, its a sport/muscle car for the big boyz.

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  I love my car - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kisskalt - July 15 - 10:00 am

  Roomy, smooth ride, nice features and a fantastic price.

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  I LOVE IT - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By LANILALA - July 15 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE DRIVEN HONDA ACCORDS FOR THE PAST 9 YEARS. I HAVE NEVER BEEN INTERESTED IN A CHEVROLET UNTIL I SAW THE EQUINOX. I AM SO HAPPY WITH MY PURCHASE, I HAVE NOT MET ONE PERSON THAT HAS NOT BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE GREAT STYLE OF THE CAR. I DO AGREE WITH THE OTHERS ABOUT THE BLIND SPOTS, BUT I WILL GET USED TO IT. I DO RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE (SUV) TO OTHERS.

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  Outstanding Automobile. - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By PhillyMike - July 15 - 10:00 am

  The Chevy Equinox offers such a smooth ride for a SUV. There was no comparison after mytest drive of the Equinox with other SUVs. Not only is the Equinox a stylish automobile it has great gas mileage and a great interior. I would highly recommend the Equinox if youre looking for a Midsize SUV.

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  Super Z - 1998 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Nemesis - July 15 - 2:00 am

  My Z has been the best car I have ever driven. It is so easy to squeeze dozens of horse power out of it for the minimal amount of money. And if your good with a Jigg-saw you can do half of the mods for free. To be able to get 400 hp from a stock motor with out having to spend more than $700 then thats the car you want.

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  EXCELLENT DRIVING MACHINE - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By sear2 - July 15 - 2:00 am

  Edmunds is right, it might be call the Impala, but this beautiful front wheel- drive family sedan has little in common with the v8-powered rear-drive models of the past. It is a much better sedan. than the past, excellent performance from 3.4 V6 & 3.8 V6. And it is better sedan than Ford, Chrysler & Toyata.