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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  Cheap, Great MPG, Low Operating Cost - 1998 Chevrolet Metro
  By Linda - February 17 - 9:18 am

  40 mpg city without air on. Air drags 3 cyl 5 spd down to 30mpg. Dont expect to get on the freeway unless you turn everything off and downshift to third to get up speed. Im always the last from a light. 50 mph the car runs fantastic, at 70 on freeway it is wound up so tight in 5th gear it is hurting. Repairs have been minor except for a constant unrepairable airconditioning compressor leak. On the 3rd compressor and no air with only 59,000 miles on the car. Cheap cost, great low driving and repair cost - but get what you pay for.

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  Best Sports for the Money - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By mr2000ddd - February 17 - 7:57 am

  I rarely drive my Corvette daily, but I drive it on the weekends around the city. The driving experience is absolutely refreshing, because the engine has so much torque available at any speed. The seats are comfortable along with the close proximity of the user controls which make drving the car more pleasureble. The most impressive feat of the Corvette is its ability to give very good highway miles per gallons in parallel with an engine that put creates 400HP. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a solid Amreican-made sports car.

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  I like my Tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Stooplover - February 17 - 1:13 am

  My dash gauges are going out and have had issues with my A/C but overall I love it.

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  Awesome - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By PAT - February 16 - 8:43 pm

  This car is awesome! Beats the competition. So many standard features. 6 Airbags, stabilitrac, onstar, satellite radio. The turn by turn navigation system is so easy to use. No map discs to buy again. No screen to have to stare at. Smooth acceleration and super quiet inside. People are staring at my car when I stop. Nice job GM!

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  The Bitterness of Poor Quality - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Bill - February 16 - 6:33 pm

  In the year that Ive owned this truck, Ive gone through 3 sets of tires, 8 alignments, 2 body control modules, and 2 brake light switches. Chevy knows about a serious problem with the front suspension on this truck (theyve issued 5 service bulletins to their dealerships on this subject) that causes the front tires to wear prematurely and excessive vibration. The truck wont hold an alignment. What is worse is that Ive been in the process of lemon lawing this truck since March and Chevrolet refuses to acknowledge or take responsibility for the problem. The tires are so bad now that the treads are separating. Whatever you do spare yourself the horrible experience of owning a Colorado.

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  Good Truck for the Money - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By JPM - February 16 - 4:44 pm

  This is a great truck. The 5 cylinder engine is silky smooth although the gas mileage could be better. The ride is firm but comfortable. Some extra lateral support in the seats would be good. I was amazed at how quiet it is inside-even at highway speeds. Outstanding leg room for driver and front seat passenger. Fit and finish is above average.

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  My New HHR Chevy - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Jack - February 16 - 4:26 pm

  This is a great new car model from GM. It has almost every option as standard equipment. It appears to be a very high quality vehicle and should give me many years of pleasure. I am 62 years old!

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  Been a good car for us - 2001 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Vicki - February 16 - 2:53 pm

  We have experienced no mechanical failures with this car. Weve had to replace tires, brakes and a battery, the expected. Highway mpg is around 30. Amazing for a car of this size. Mileage around town not quite so good, but within limits. Car is confortable and quiet on the road. Poor quality of console drink holder. It broke early in our ownership. We had the windows tinted darker, better for our hot Texas summers. Installed CD/radio unit for our own pleasure. We were in a pressure situation when we purchased this car and didnt notice until later that wed overlooked a few things, like trunk release.

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  Chevrolet Knocked This One Out Of The Park - 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Shane - February 16 - 11:48 am

  I own the 2016 Malibu LT with the Convenience and Technology Package and the car is absolutely amazing! First off, the exterior is gorgeous! It draws a lot of eyes and for good reason. The interior is extremely spacious and comfortable! The lumbar support is great and the room in both the front seats and back seats is amazing. I have had multiple adults in the back seats and they all comment about how much room they have. The technology within My Link is great and easy to use. My Link also enables Apple Car Play which is an amazing feature that just adds that much more usability to the entertainment system. On top of it all the 8" color display looks amazing! Performance itself is also very nice! You wont win any races but there is a little bit of get up and go in it. The start stop technology is also very seamless, as long as you dont try to hammer the gas the second the light turns you wont experience any problems with jerkiness some people talk about. To top it off Ive consistently gotten better than the estimated gas mileage both in town and on the highway! Overall, Chevrolet really has out done itself with this car and it is one of the best if not the best in the class. I also test drove a Ford Fusion and Honda Accord before deciding on the Malibu.

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  My Aveo! - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By charlielisha - February 16 - 10:50 am

  Good car for its price. Me and my wife use it for commuting. She drives it in the morning I use it at night. Good gas milleage.