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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  solid, could use a little more refinement - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Tom - September 16 - 10:09 am

  tet drove a base model with 2.0 turbo. Chassis is good, nice ride and responsive handling, steering and brakes are responsive with good feel. Transmission was smooth, and the engine powerful, though a touch trashy when pushed hard.A little more road noise than I might have expected but not too objectionable. Biggest drawback was the seats, both driver and passenger front were too tight across the lower ribs. My wife and I are both in shape athletes, so we were surprised by how the side bolsters felt. Seat bottoms were fine for us, but larger people may find them intrusive. Salesman suggested that the leather seat models are a little less restrictive, had a quick seat in them and he might be right. I immediately noticed that the steering wheel profiling is a little different, so different seats are certainly plausible

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  Cavalier is a worthy car to own one. - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Road Runner 2000 - September 16 - 8:51 am

  Driving control and stability is excellent, especially on highways, comparing to the car in the same segment such as Civic, Corolla and Focus. Surprisingly, its even better than Camary and Accord of the same year model. The acceleration is very impressive even though equipped with a shy horsepower engine. However, the engine is torquey. That compensates for the cars weight quite well. Fuel consumption is outstanding on highways and resonable in town. Cars appearance is handsome, and roomier than the like ones. C-Pillar looks very beautiful. I like this the best.

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  Great Experience - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bob - September 16 - 8:33 am

  We bought the Malibu new in September 2003. Actually we bought two (one basic and one LS), and have been very pleased. This review is based on our experience involving the basic Malibu after 59,000 miles. Mainly interstate driving, 20,000 miles per year. Using cruise control, I consistently average 30 MPG. New tires at 43,000 miles. Replaced front brakes at 56,000 miles, at a dealership cost of $127.90. Rear brakes still good shape. Oil changes every 3,000 miles. We are happy Malibu owners, and armed with hindsight, we would make the same purchase decision as we did in Septemer 2003.

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  Great Car, Great Deal - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Very Happy - September 16 - 7:48 am

  My 2007 LT is a great vehicle. Solid, quiet, very comfortable to drive, all sorts of great bells and whistles. Have made several multi-hour drives on both highway and local roads and havent gotten the normal long trip fatigue. Mileage is improving with each long trip. Love the interior finishes in the charcoal color.

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  Six Months In - Glad to have it! - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By V. NICK - September 15 - 8:13 pm

  We purchased this 2003 Impala pre-owned in April. The fuel economy is impressive, particularly on long drives out of state. The spaceous cabin and trunk are a plus with the kids. Its nice to be able to drive something sensible yet sporty, and not have to drive a minivan! Im fine with the build quality. Others forget that more impressive builds = more money on the sticker. Its a car! And since all cars depreciate and break, I dont want to pay more than I should.

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  Not what I expected. - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By DKJones96 - September 15 - 4:44 pm

  I bought this car to replace my Toyota Cressida. Big mistake. In 9 months and 12k miles, Ive had to replace the alternator that actually left me stranded, blower fan, the radiators fiberglass end-caps have cracked and started leaking, the tensioner and idler pully were worn very badly, and the car has 75K on it and none of those items are maintenance related. Repair is expensive. The electric fan breaks off the fins on the condenser hurting a/c performance a lot. The body squeaks, and the cheap plastic tabs all need replaced. They either fall off or break when removed. Mileage in 70/30 hwy/city averages 19MPG. Not impressive for a 4 banger, and its slow.

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  I waited 33 Years - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Vetteman - September 15 - 12:42 pm

  Can I just say I love this car? Ive always been a car connoisseur and have always wanted a Vette. The first year I couldnt get out of the car without looking back at it in astonishment about how good looking it is. The car rides amazingly smooth even with the Z- 51 suspension. The acceleration is amazingly fast and smooth. This car is refined beyond what most people would think. Its only downfall is that its sold by Chevy dealers and they dont know how to treat Corvette owners.

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  I love the Maxx - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Floyd - September 15 - 12:13 pm

  I looked for a truly new and clean look and found it in the Malibu Maxx. Coupled with good mileage, comfort, and features makes this American car a great value. The V6 power plant is very spicey and makes the Malibu Maxx fun to drive. It is right up there with the Imports in all areas.

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  Suburbans and mileage / ethenol gas - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Chuck Maricle - September 15 - 11:56 am

  I have had a 2000, 2003 and now 2007 Suburban. Its like a Harley and motorcycles, everything else is not a Suburban. Regarding mileage, in Houston we have Ethenol for 1/2 the year which kills mileage to 12 or so. When I can get non-ethenol gas, it goes up to almost 19+ highway.

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  Excellent - 1996 Chevrolet Impala
  By terry - September 15 - 8:01 am

  It does very well on the highway. I drive it on the weekends going on long term drives. The seats are very comfortable for those long rides. To me this is the best car in the world.