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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  Fun car to drive - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By Pat - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Chevy SS is a great handling and performance car I am 71 yrs old but driving SS you fell like a teen again.

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  JWOO - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By JWOO - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I love the exterior design, great job well done. Awesome dash lighting. Fun to drive and very quick. Downfall is the drivers seat is creaking and popping, noisy !

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  2 Door Coupe quick and sporty. - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By chevyguy - September 19 - 2:00 am

  Purchased a 2007 Malibu for my mother and it has been a good car for her, so I purchased the 2010 Cobalt for myself. I havent driven Chevy products for many years, but have been impressed by my 2 door LT Cobalt. It is a fun little car to drive, handles well, and has plenty of get up and go. Fit and finish are much better the past Chevys. Many features included that you would expect to be on a much more expensive car. Shifts smooth given the fact that it is a 4 speed auto. Handles and rides well, hope it continues to perform well with many miles put on.

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  Trade down due to economic slowdown - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Heathj1 - September 18 - 2:00 am

  The day I got my 99 Suburban it was a sad day or so I thought. I had to trade my 05 Chevy extended z71 truck that I had bought new off the show room floor. I traded my truck for Suburban to get out of payments and got some cash back. I was only getting 30-35 hours at work for about 3 months something had to give. Suburban has 136K miles on it rides and pulls better then my 05. I was bummed that I had to trade my truck but I think I got a better truck in return. I pulled 2 3/4 tons truck back to the house on the trailer 80 miles each trip put in 3 gear and set cruise for 60 mph. It didnt ever shift down. It unlocked covter for a couple of bigger hills. Going to take it on vacation.

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  Love my Impala - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kathy L - September 18 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this car for 8 years. Its incredibly dependable and a comfortable car. I recommend purchasing an extended 100,000 warranty in case you do have any issues which I have had a few but the ext. warranty helped. Still gets 30 mpg on the highway. Only problem is the gas gauge doesnt work but I can live with that. I do service it yearly whether it needs it or not. A lot of times its all about the maintenance!

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  Scary fast, manual Z-51, NPP - 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Ed - September 18 - 2:00 am

  If you are looking for super car performance under 55k this is the right car. The sound of the exhaust with the NPP exhaust mode its awesome. The car is willing to be launched and almost begging you to do it at every light. I like to launch the car when passengers dont expect it, they get scared lol! My wifes sunglasses came out flying out of her head one time. I got the z-51 manual and it is awkward at low speeds, awful to be driven in traffic. If you are getting a vette because of the looks only, get an automatic. A vette is a first class sports car so for me a manual gear box is the only proper option until they come up with some kind of real double clutch flappy paddles like Ferrari.

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  Car works well - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By JB - September 18 - 2:00 am

  My car has not given me any problems. I get regular oil changes every 3K miles. I have almost 60K on the car which is now 4 yo. At least 26 mpg (hwy. Only thing I have had to change is the original tires. Every car is different and each brand will have their pitfalls but so far this one has worked well for me!

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  Suite - 2011 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Nick - September 18 - 2:00 am

  This is a suite ride. Not a misspelling, the interior is larger then some motels. I moved out of a Toyota and I am amazed at the quality of this vehicle. Solid ride, excellent handling, fun to drive, easy to maneuver. My job puts me in dozens of rental cars in a year. I drove a Traverse and immediately started looking to buy. It is the nicest overall vehicle I have been exposed to in the last 5 years. GM got this one right!

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  What a Joy to own and drive - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By new chevy driver - September 17 - 2:00 am

  I bought this used and have never ever looked back and said "Why" This is the perfect SUV/TRUCK for me. I sold my Ford F150 and my older SUV and rolled two cars into this one. What a joy to own and drive. Im getting in the low 20s for overall mileage and could not be happier. I take the covers off the back and get 20 bales of hay in with no problem. It hauls out two horse trailer as easy as can be. The interior room is wonderful great to take a trip in. I love the overall looks of it.

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  Red Rocket - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Dave Henry - September 17 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car sight unseen, and it had a different seat than the one I tested, and also a sunroof, both of which cut into the very limited headroom. The car is a blast to drive, especially since I added the dealer installed turbo upgrade. Handling and precise steering are surprising in a retro wagon. I have major problems seeing out of the car. The roofless/windshield design make me crouch down to see overhead traffic lights, and the center windshield rear view mirror obstruct vision severely. Also, theres a huge blind spot when changing lanes. The 4 speed auto is missing at least one gear, as the turbo is always trying to make up for the huge gaps. Id get the manual trans next time.