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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  Owner - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By zyk - December 6 - 2:00 am

  Excellent for outdoor/traveling use. Ample room for packing and moving items between home locations.

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  2nd SubBurban - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Tom/Allentown - December 6 - 2:00 am

  Bought our 1st in Texas in 1992, put 168000 miles on it, shined it up and it looked new. Never occured to us to replace it with anything else. We no longer need to haul 12 girlscouts or 500 boxes of cookes ot a time, but my wife just loves her Surburban. Who cares if the mileage is less than 20MPG? Get rearended someday, get out and look at the poor guy that hit you and you will never drive a lesser car(truck)

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  My favorite SUV - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Gail - December 5 - 9:20 pm

  I have owned Isuzu Rodeo and Ford Expedition. This is by far my favorite SUV. Traded in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo recently. I love this vehicle.

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  Excellent truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By chriss8935 - December 5 - 7:20 am

  I have owned this truck for over three years and it is my second Duramax. If you do proper maintenance these trucks will last a very long time. I have over 600,000 miles on my first Duramax and its getting tired, and I just dont trust it real far anymore although I still drive it around the farm and into town. I drive my trucks very hard and I do not have time for breakdowns, so if you are looking for a hard working truck that will last look no further, Chevy has outdone themselves.

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  trusty trooper - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By wd - December 5 - 2:00 am

  I am original owner with 160,000 plus miles and bought this vehicle knowing I needed reliable transportation more than anything else at the time. I am just now retiring the vehicle for something new. It served flawlessly. I only had to repair normal things over its life (tires, brakes, battery, exhaust)

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  Good car/Great Value - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Currycook - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Good car, very good value. I bought this car because its a Toyota for less money. The chevy dealer gave me a good price and when you compare the price to the Toyota corrolla its a great value. I have had the car for 1.5 years and 26,000 miles and NO TROUBLE SO FAR. I dont expect any - I expect the same good reliability that you get in a toyota corrolla. But I didnt have to pay the extra dollars for it. The LSI features gives the car the little added touch and I think its well worth the extra cost for that package. I am very pleased with this car.

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  Keep the Camaro - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Map Guy - December 5 - 2:00 am

  It is a shame that GM has decided to drop the Camaro\Firebird line. It is the on fun car that still is reasonably priced. This is my 4th Camaro and I love driving them each one gets better.

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  Im caught up in an Avalanche! - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Misty Moo - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Just sitting in the Chevy Avalanche is HEAVEN! Thats all that can be said about something God-sent!!!!

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  Not surprised! - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By thdon - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Experience has been great. 16,000 and not one item for the dealer to fix. I do not care for the 3rd row of seats. I think they are unsafe and I wish I had not bought them.

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  NO REGRETS - 2015 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Mark Wyss - December 4 - 6:50 pm

  Never thought Id own a Chevy. I bough a 2015 Sonic after buying a 2013 Buick Encore. I was so impressed by the Encore (never thought Id own a GM product) that I got the Sonic as a second car because its the same engine and drivetrain. Its a small car, got the RS version with 6-speed manual tranny. Fun to drive! Its a "sporty" car that is meant to hug the road and it does, so the downside to that is you feel every pothole and bump. But you have to expect that with a sport suspension and a car that is low to the ground. Im 61" and I have no difficulty getting in and out or finding a comfortable driving position. Love the heated leather seats and moonroof. Instrumentation is laid out perfectly, and the My Link info-tainment system is great. Have had the car for a year and had no issues. Mostly used as a city car and get overall combine city mileage of 29 mpg. The RS is a fun trim model and I enjoy it, even if Im not the intended buyer (Im 55 years old). On a good stretch of road the car is quiet and smooth and hearing while using Bluetooth for your cell phone is never an issue. Very nice build quality. If youre looking for a fun, sporty hatchback, I recommend the Sonic. And despite Edmunds thinking there isnt much room, with the back seats folded down, youd be surprised how much cargo you can carry! Two years in, still no complaints. Still enjoying the car & the look and still no rattles despite driving on poorly maintained Wisconsin roads.