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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  Love It! Great for families! - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By hotmama - March 21 - 1:55 am

  Its a nice car that is small and ecomonomical, yet large enough for my husband to comfortably drive, and hes 63". I like the dark interior and how quiet the ride is. And the mileage is great, but she can get up and go too!

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  2006 Malibu SS Laser Blue Metallic - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Damon Baker - March 20 - 5:40 pm

  What a great little car. Nice performance and good and comfortable. Had a little torque steer but that went away with the addition of a Borla exhaust. The stereo is a little weak for my taste! I wish the aftermarket world would take notice.

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  Best Truck for the money - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Brian-33 - March 20 - 2:22 pm

  I bought my Colorado in the summer of 2005 during the height of the employee discount sales and got a fantastic deal. I now have over 32,000 miles on my Colorado and I love it. The styling is great, the interier while a bit over-plastic in some areas seems to be holding up better then my S-10 Blazer. The 6-disk CD player is great, and overall the truck is fairly comfortable on long trips. The ride is impeccable for a 4x4 truck, rides like a car on trips, and a truck when it needs to. Having owned multiple 4x4s this one is the best and most stable negotiating icy roads. Gas mileage is good (20MPG on avg). The engine needs a bit more refinement as it seems to stuggle in high altitutes.

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  2003 LTZ - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Gene - March 20 - 2:08 pm

  This has been a wonderful vehicle to own and operate. It handles well, has adequate power and is comfortable to drive. The turning radius is out of this world, simply fantastic. During a recent relocation I used the vehicle to tow a 16 foot utility trailer on several trips of 700 miles over mountains and interstate. If you were to do this all the time Id recommend the V-8, but for occasional use the 4200 straight six is very good. Mileage at 20 +/- on the highway and 17-18 around town. Towing really takes a toll on mileage, but thats to be expected. I would buy another one of these vehicles in a heartbeat. Great size and fun to drive. Thanks Chevy.

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  Love It So Far - 2017 Chevrolet Impala
  By RobG - March 20 - 9:12 am

  I have only had it for a week, so cant say anything about the reliability or the fuel economy. Had to order it special because I wanted the Adaptive Cruise Control which comes with Forward Automatic Braking (they work great), and the dealers dont stock cars with that option. I really like the built in GPS and maps - no longer have to carry a Garmin on my front shelf. And you can program the GPS by talking to it. Got lost at night the first time we were out, and was able to tell it where I wanted to go, and it got us there.

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  I watied two months and a day - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By kw5kw - March 20 - 7:13 am

  I waited two months and a day for my new Impala to get here. I ordered it on 6/14/06 and it came in 8/15/06. I was on pins and needles waiting for it. Now that Its here I love it. I like the AFM (6cyl to 3cyl) for helping with fuel economy while it only has a few less hp (233hp) than the 1999 Mustang GT 4.6L 35th anniversary editon convertible (260hp) that Im replacing. Having said that, going from a RWD to a FWD and from a V-8 to a V-6 Im really noticing a lack of performance. Now, I realize that a sports car is supposed to run better and faster than a family sedan, so Im not comparing apples to apples, but Im really happy with the ride and performance of my new Impala!

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  Good Rental - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Andrew423 - March 20 - 2:00 am

  We resenty got in a car accedent and have to rent a Chevy Caviler and its great its nice car it drives great easy on the roads and i still like my car but this cars nice.

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  Poor Waranty Work - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By AL B - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Replaced input steering shaft twice. Having problems again with only 7500 miles. Loud wind noise from rear of cab, in back of both doors. Had to replace rack and pinion steering. Transmission and altanater both have louder than nomal high pitched wine.

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  Great Mix of Workhorse and Showhorse - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By JohnNDallas - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Very pleased with this vehicle. I have found the added features worth the cost.

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  Best in Show - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Best in Show - March 20 - 2:00 am

  After reading Edmunds review of the 2003 Impala. Moved with caution before purchase. After many test drives both long and short experiences. I found Edmunds review selling the Impala short on all there comments. Edmunds weak reveiw shows that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. I am extremely happy with my new Impala. It performs beyond all my expectations