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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  Bills Avlanche Review - 2006 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Bill - December 24 - 8:35 pm

  I have driven my Avalanche for the past seven months, putting 6000 miles on it. During this time, it has run flawlessly, been a very comfortable vehicle to ride in, and a vehicle with enough power to get it up and going. It can hold its own on the highway, running 55 mph or 80 mph. At the higher speeds, I have found it to still have reserve power to make it move if need be. Towing a trailer is tolerated well by the 5.3 liter engine. I have found it to tow very well and brakeing is great. My avalanche will stop very well on its own and equally well with towing a trailer. In short, I love my Avalanche. It drives and rides like a car but has the built of a truck.

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  Chevy hits a home run - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By parky - December 24 - 6:56 pm

  This is the best new car I have ever owned, it is basically flawless The only flaw being the cupholder location. Other than that it is a sensible family car with room for five and their luggage also. This is as if they brought back the station wagon in a new and compact package. Has plenty of power and have been gitting 28 MPG around town with automatic transmission.

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  Nice - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By will - December 24 - 6:39 pm

  I have been wanting one for a while, and I finally got one, and have not been out of it since. It is everything I imagined.

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  Bad luck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By bclocke - December 24 - 5:12 pm

  I bought the truck because I am a huge chevy fan. My prior vehicle was the S- 10 and should have kept it. I have had the Colorado for a year and had it to the dealer 6 times for repair, twice for the same thing! It has cost a lot of wasted time. I would strongly recommend using caution when buying a first year model!

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  Great Car for the money. - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Eddie Davis - December 24 - 3:02 pm

  We have a 2001 Impala LS with the 3.8 V6. Its a great engine. Very peppy for the hills in Tennessee we drive on. The sound system is very high quality other than a speaker rattle in the front passenger door. The only downfall to this car is the turn signals. They only work when they want to and the dealership is no help. They want to charge upwards of $500 to fix something that should be recalled by GM since I know of at least 10 other Impala and Monte Carlo owners with the same problem.The radio also goes out when you turn on the rear defroster. But other than that weve had no problems with our Green Ghost. Its the only high quality vehicle GM has left.

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  The C7 is a superb machine - 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
  By jrwaurora - December 24 - 9:41 am

  Purchased C7 to replace a 370Z. Realize after driving the C7 the Nissan was like driving a turtle. This is my first vette and the curb appeal is beyond anything I imagined. Jet black, upgrade wheels and red calipers. Have parked it next to several Porsches and the C7 streamlining and exterior lines make the German stuff look like cartoon cars. You are paying 1/2 as much for a car that looks twice as good...thats a good deal in anybodys book. Performance and acceleration are awesome.

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  Very Disapointed - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Charley - December 24 - 8:06 am

  I bought my Monte Carlo expecting a great car like the Firebirds of old. I felt the engine and transmission were very good. The fit and finish inside the car was very bad. The dash had a big gap in it and the dealer said they would do nothing about it. The care had three steering shafts put into it. The steering had a problem that Chevrolet knew was there but the fix they had for the collapsible steering shaft was only a temporary fix and the noise and feel of a click would come back after a few thousand miles. The diver seat was loose and the dealer said this was normal. I traded it for a Toyota corolla and am very happy with that car. I had five Trans Ams of old but never a GM product again.

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  Chevys best kept secret - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Paul Wernich - December 24 - 4:26 am

  I was ready for a new car and wanted to spend less than $15k. The Cobalt was a no-brainer. The 2 door laser blue coupe looks fantastic and I got it with all the goodies I wanted for under $14,000. Ive owned it for a few weeks and I have only a couple of complaints. The doors are long and locking/unlocking them is awkward, power door locks should have been standard. No armrest, whats up with that? The interior of the doors are all one color, light gray. Adding a darker gray to the door would have looked sportier and hidden stains better. Window crank handle fell off in my hand after only a few uses, just snapped it back on and all is well. Gas mileage seems OK, a few more mpg would be nice

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  Fast and smooth, unless your stopping. - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Adirondack - December 24 - 2:00 am

  This car looks great, handles well, and was well constructed. I received a lot of compliments about its looks and smooth ride. Just keep the brakes well maintained.

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  Simply put: a good value - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mark T. - December 24 - 2:00 am

  Its about as good a deal as you can get on a decent midsized car. I would advise people looking to buy a Mally to go in after theyre trying to get the new model year cars out there, youll get a great deal. IF YOU ARE BUYING USED, I would advise you to go after a low-mileage Malibu. The Edmunds rating for 99 Mallys is real low, yet my car has been a dream (22K miles). Ive only had to fix: front brake rotors, burned out tail-light (twice), broken seatbelt buckle. All under warranty. And thats it! My Mally has been everything Ive asked for and has never, ever failed me. Love a Malibu and it wont let you down.