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! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Sam - May 23 - 11:10 am

  Best vehicle Ive owned by far. I bought it for its versatility (i.e. 4X4, pickup bed, etc) but Im amazed at how comfortable it is as a daily driver. This is my commute vehicle and my camping/fishing vehicle and it works great all the way around. Great gas mileage for a truck and it rides more comfortably than my old car (05 Impala). The comfort features like OnStar, remote starter and dual climate control are awesome. Plus its great off-road. The rear locker has gotten me out of at least one tight spot.

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  Bbest car in the world - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By car-lover - May 23 - 4:01 am

  No other car compares to this Corvette for function, style or looks. It will run with cars that cost 3 to 7 times as much and do it more comfortably and much more fuel efficient. This car sips fuel and runs like a jet

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  Too many rattles - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By joe f. harris - May 22 - 5:57 pm

  The vehicle has numerous areas of vibrations and rattles. The gauges are almost unreadable during daylight driving. I did not opt for back-up sensors or camera. These features should be made standard because of the poor rear vision. Gas consumption is about what was advertised. The seating is very comfortable. The lighting in the rear bed should be improved.

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  Redneck buys Spark to drive til daughter turns 16 - 2017 Chevrolet Spark
  By J Scott Flowers - May 22 - 4:12 pm

  Truly impressed so far. Have only put 2500 miles on it. Its by far the neatest car Ive ever owned. Not saying a whole lot there. The last new car I bought was a 94 Olds Achieva. That was sporty back in those days. Id say the Spark is funner to drive. Since then Ive owned old pickup trucks and used cars, so the Spark is high tech to me. I drive once a month a 500 mile round trip and around town besides that. It seems to have a slight lull in accelaration as if pressing the gas takes a wee too long before it starts going. Ive gotten used to it, and its really not a problem. Acceleration is remarkably quick, and I have no problem on the interstate keeping up. Love the cruise control and use it in places Ive never used cruise control before because its so convenient. Get up to speed limit and move my thumb on the steering wheel, and let it go. Defogger and rear wiper are neat. My daughter thinks thats cool. Backup camera is cool, but beware that objects appear further away than they really are. Still use the mirrors to be sure. Visibility is great. Wifi is the cats meow, and checking the cars location or unlocking it with my phone is awesome. So far, so good. I can afford it, and feel I have one of the nicest cars on the road, in spite of it looking like a puddle jumper.

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  Vette powertrain in a cheap box - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By larry - May 22 - 12:24 pm

  I have 105,000 miles on this car and it runs/drives like new. Still gets 23mpg and I do not drive it easy! Cant find more bang for the buck performancewise anywhere. Mustang drivers still look at these with respect 5yrs after theyre no longer made. Its has a cheap, plasticky, rattly interior, but if that starts to bug you just punch the gas and youll remember why you tolerate this thing.

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  Avalanche Z-71 4x4 - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Hella31 - May 22 - 11:35 am

  I just traded in my 02 Suburban for an 07 Avalanche Z-71 4x4. I love this truck. The exhaust and engine sound great. The new interior and dash cluster really looks up to date and then some. The engine is very responsive and shifts very smooth. Fit and finish inside and out is fantastic. The new rack and pinion steering feels much better than my 02 Suburban. The aluminum control arms and coil over suspension absorbs road shock from bumps and holes very well. The overall feel and look of this truck is awesome. GM has hit a home run with there new line of full size trucks.

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  Junk! - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By bigkuz87 - May 22 - 9:46 am

  I have owned a lot of GM products over the years, 6 Chevrolet pickups to be exact. An 81, 83, 84, 87, 95, and 98, all great trucks that took one heck of a beating from me. My seventh pickup, a 2003 Z71 is by far the cheapest made pickup I have ever seen. I cant even think about beating on it, for it wouldnt survive. I bought it with 40000 miles, it now has 66000. Ive replaced both front wheel bearings, the brakes(rear twice), transmission, two alignments, instrument panel cluster, radio, tie rods, and now it has a growling sound that drives me crazy. This will be the last GM vehicle that I will ever buy!

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  New Style Silverado - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Doug G - May 22 - 7:56 am

  Upgraded from an 05 Silverado to the new body style 07. The ride is firm without being stiff. The road noise is reduced. The new gauge cluster is nice and easy to look at. The onboard computer is handy to show tire pressures as well as tranmission temp. Even with the 8/4 cyl. fuel management system, I average only 14.5 MPG with lots of highway miles. My 05 averaged 17.5. It is a very nice looking truck. I look forward to gaining better gas mileage.

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  Best Chevy Ever! - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Yynot - May 22 - 4:50 am

  I bought my SS 2.4 Colbalt with 147 on it. White with black interior has everything I wanted power everything awesome stereo, sunroof. This car is just the best ever for the price I paid and the competitors was prices just right and not over 20k for the options I wanted, I drove the Civic Si, the new Sentra Se R, Tiburion, even Saturn Ion Quad Coupe also the Pontia G5 the cousin of the Cobalt All these were either over priced or didnt have what I wanted to pay for. Chevy has finally got it right and I got the last White one in the area for 2007 sorry. I love it from the moment I saw it I wanted it. Love a first sight so to speak

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  Nice SUV, Poor Quality - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By dcn821 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Nice SUV, but test the hvac in the rear before taking it. Heating for the 2nd and 3rd row passengers that come from the roof blows out cold air only. Took back to the dealer twice. 1st time they said GM is aware if it and they are working on a fix. 2nd time, GM told they had a fix and to bring it back. Dealer measured the heat from the floor to the vents and there is a 30 degree difference. GM said that is acceptable. I have contacted the BBB auto line to get an arbitrator involved. Also, my truck was delivered missing 2 quarts of oil from the factory. Oh yeah, GM customer is a joke. Dont waist your time.