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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  Chevy Cobalt - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Brent Tuag - October 11 - 9:53 am

  This is one of the cars to drive this year. It has great handling and its supercharger really kick in.

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  Soaked - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jay - October 11 - 7:56 am

  The car has problems with water leaks. Had problems with brakes. Needed new windshield. Gas mileage poor. Comfort leaves much to be desired. Very disatisfied with the car and also GM. If they ever get the leak fixed and it drys out I can get rid of it. That will be the happiest day with my Equinox.

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  Purchased new in 2006 now 10 years old - 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Frank Galka - October 11 - 1:23 am

  Still performs like new.Get 16.5 MPG on trips 13.0MPG local.Comfortable to drive,feeling is safe & secure.Smooth riding even @ 75-80MPH 97000 Miles on it in 10 years.Serviced regularly.No Major Problems or setbacks.Will purchase new again. Just passed 104000 miles,still running good since I purchased it in 2006.Still have it serviced regularly by the dealer I purchased it from.Minor repairs.Had to replace heater fan & leaking seals on differential.$750 for repairs,mostly labor cost. Just passed 109000 miles,still running good since I purchased it in 2006.Still have it serviced regularly by the dealer i purchased it from.Just replaced all 4 wheel brake pads & rotors. A little rust on rear bumper right corner otherwise paint job is still like new.

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  Last GM for me - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By j smith - October 11 - 12:03 am

  In the last 10 years I have bought 10 new GM cars or trucks, and I have owned 25 GMs in my life, This Blazer is the main reason I will no longer buy GM. It had two sections of the body repainted in the factoy. Can now be seen due to low clear coat mils that have lost their gloss and some over spray. When I reported the problem to GM, they told me the paint only had a 2 year warranty. It has what feels like an out of balance tire since day one that has never gone away no mater who or how offen the tires were balanced, same for the second set of tires. The seats will not stay locked down and will slide back and forth if gas or brakes are applied hard.

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  My Review - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Clinton - October 10 - 3:16 pm

  My driving experience with my truck has been excellent. However, I need something smaller and more fuel efficient. If I had to rate my truck 1 out of 10, it would easily be a 9.5. I was very satisfied with the truck and its driving.

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  Make me say wow! - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By thaisch - October 10 - 11:10 am

  I’ve been waiting to get a real sports car for as long as I can remember. I wanted a classic but the money for what you get was too high for me. So I took an 05 with 20k miles for a test drive. 5 miles later I was hooked. I now have a "new" black 05 C6 with 700 miles. This car is so much fun to drive. The power is endless, and the brakes are equally impressive. It has magnetic ride control that gives a firm but civilized ride in touring mode, and a very firm tight ride in sport mode. The best of both worlds. I never get tired of looking at this car and from the looks I get neither does everyone else. Very happy to have a "real" Americian sports car. My wife even likes to drive it!

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  Stop Living In The Past - 1994 Chevrolet Impala
  By banx - October 10 - 9:29 am

  I owned this car for a year in 96. Compared to todays cars, its a slug. Curb weight was 4200 lbs and with only 260 hp, 0-60 was almost 8 seconds. Almost any car today can do that. Handling was great for the time, but a new car would run rings around it now. It was relatively easy to maintain, but not well assembled. I loved the aggressive look then. Today it looks like a brick on wheels. The best part of the SS was its ability to hold so many passengers and their equipment.

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  still owning Chevy`s - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jim & Norma - October 10 - 5:06 am

  This truck is excellent! Weve owned about a dozen new and used Chevy pickups in the last 25yrs. They just keep getting better! We like the new hood style. The ride is extremely smooth and comfortable. Visibility out all windows is great. This truck rides more like a car. I would have to say this is probably the best used pickup "so far".

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  2006 Corvette - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By JIM STRICKLAND - October 9 - 11:03 pm

  I have owned 50 Corvettes since 1967 includig big blocks and small blocks. I have always felt like my 1967 Vette with 425 H.P. was " The Best of The Best" ... until now! I picked up my new 2006 Victory Red Coupe at the Museum last January ... and after driving it less than 11 months, I can say without a doubt, its the "Best Damn Vette" I have ever owned! Over the years, I have owned Rolls, Jaguars, Ferraris, Porsches, and many muscle cars ... but I am totally convinced this Vette is the "Best Bang for the Buck" of any automobile ever built! 0-60 MPH in 4 seconds! ... 26+ MPG on the road and nearly 20 MPG in town! I can have it serviced in any Chevy Dealership in America!

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  2014 silverado vibration - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By surdi - October 9 - 6:11 pm

  I bought a 2014 Chevy Silverado back in Feb. Besides the dealership selling me the truck with a recall that I was not told about till I took the truck in for another batch of recalls at a dealer closer to home .I have had the truck in for a radio problem that the first dealership was to take care of and never did,and now there is vibration every time I stay at a steady speed , It seems like the transmission is searching for a gear and stays in a higher gear and not shifting to a lower gear and starts to lug the engine. causing the vibration.I dont know if there is a computer glitch that is not telling the transmission where to shift ,but it seams to be getting worse. I want my 2000 GMC back