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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  Sweet car!! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By TV - January 21 - 7:00 am

  Ive owned a Toyota and Nissan that had problems from the start and this Cobalt has been perfect with on problems. Its fun to drive with good mileage and quiet interior. GM has made great car. Thank goodness an American company can build a world class car!

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  512 miles so far no problems - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Bretton65 - January 21 - 1:46 am

  We bought a gold LT because it had the side air bags. We were all set to buy a TrailBlazer but were put off by the poor crash test results. We have only put a few miles on it but are very impressed with the comfort and features of the car. The ride quality is very good and the front and rear seat room is excellent for a vehicle of this size. The engine is smooth with plenty of power and we are getting about 20 mpg in mixed driving. We also liked the new RAV4 but the significant price difference pushed us to the Chevrolet. The fit and finish are very good. I recommend that anyone considering this type of car definitely consider the Chevrolet with an open mind.

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  3 X Lucky - 2016 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jim - January 20 - 3:08 pm

  This is my 3rd Impala since 2004. I traded the 04 just a few yrs. ago for a pre-owned 2013. (All I had done to besides regular service , was brakes, and tires once, traded it with150,000 miles). Then bought a pre-owned 2013 LTZ. ( Besides regular service and a set of tires ) traded it with 65,000 miles on it for a 2016 model. I have had this one for a week and love it! Averaging 24 mpg in city! ( with a V6 ) Looks and drives great, with plenty of room (I am 62" ). Looking forward to my road trip next month. I have either been 3X lucky or these are just great cars.

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  5.3 seem bulletproof - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By consolidatedwm - January 20 - 1:05 pm

  Bought the our 03 z71 burb after an accident sidelined our same style Tahoe. We had 160K on the clock with the Tahoe and Im convinced it would have gone well past 200K with no major repairs. Very dependable and it never left us stuck. Im sticking with the 5.3 engine and glad I did with the burb. Ride quality is incredible and we are amazed at the steering radius in the burb vs our older Tahoe. Creature features all are good quality and overall we give kudos to GM for quality, looks, and performance. We did change out all fluids to synthetics as we had good luck last time - why tempt fate. We will be in the market for a brand new one it two years, very happy with what we have to get us there.

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  My 04 Cavi - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jmock - January 20 - 11:50 am

  This hasnt been too bad of a car. Although, I dont think I get the mileage others do. The best I have gotten is 29 mpg on the interstate. I have had it in the shop 5 times for front end noise in less than a year. But I like the style, and for a 2.2 it has decent power.

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  monte carlo 2003 - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By roxane dillon - January 20 - 10:00 am

  What I like the most about this car is the look, color, and also the ride. Gmac did me good on this one 1.9%, I use to knock them but no more.Thanks GMAC!!I will remember you in my conversations!! oh easy on gas!

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  Great Price/performance - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By JohnEP - January 20 - 10:00 am

  The Cavalier is nothing fancy, a basic car, but as a commuter car it gets consistently 30 mpg and has had zippo defects. Nice mileage, with various rebates and payments I ended up at less the $10k for a new vehicle, which is unheard of. (Thank you, GM MasterCard.) This car seems to get knocked in trade rags; I dont understand why. I test drove about six-seven models in the $15- $20k price range, and all have similar plusses/minusses. Most seemed noisy, and handled adequately but not great. Cavalier in this price range really seems to be near the top. And its fully debugged, in my opinion. Traded in an 87 Corolla, am quite happy I did.

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  2003 Trailbrazer - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By masonsmom - January 20 - 10:00 am

  Love the exterior look of this vehicle, the interior is nice but could use some nicer touches. The ride is to die for, comforable, great travel vehicle, plenty of room for 4 or 5 people. The engine handles towing my boat without a problem and when you need to pass in a hurry the engine is right there for you. Havent tried it in snow yet, but Im looking forward to it. I would buy this vehicle again.

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  Better than Expected - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jeffro35744 - January 20 - 10:00 am

  Awesome Truck, I traded in a Toyota Tundra because I needed something a little larger. I hesitated to buy a GM ,but after the test drive I thought I would take a chance. WOW!!!! If this is a sign of how far Detroit has come I will never buy foreign again!!! The Power, The Room, The Ride, The build quality and lack of rattles is awesome. Highly Recommend!!!!!! I would recommend the 5.3 though.

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  Good truck, mileage is not even reasonable - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By L2theG - January 20 - 4:36 am

  Have an 08 2500HD. Its a good truck but I have already broke down first time I towed my RV (6000 lbs). Fuel mileage is terrible. 13 -15 mpg. When I tow this little RV mileage drops to 8-9 mpg. My fathers 05 is twice as good on fuel with a load 15-17 mpg. They really missed the boat with this new emmissions package. Knowing what I know now I would not have bought this truck.