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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  My 2005 Corvette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By RYTAR36 - July 2 - 10:00 am

  I traded in my 1998 Corvette for this new and much improved 2005 Vette. It drives like a dream. We took it on a 200 mile trip thru the curvy mountain roads of East Tennesse and Western North Carolina the day after we bought it. The handling was great. The new style was a real attention getter. The motorcycles would actually pull over to let us pass because they couldnt keep up. We Love our new Corvette.

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  The Best - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By shy1939 - July 2 - 10:00 am

  THink it is the best car ever

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  BEST CAR I EVER BOUTGHT - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Scott Pelletier - July 2 - 10:00 am

  Hands donw the best car i have and will ever buy. This cars power with handing is second to none!!! With the 6.0l LS2 this car has the torque and hourse power to pull to and bottom end. With the none flip head lights the car lookes meaner then ever.and defening but it is not much llou

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  My 2005 Sunset Orange Vette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Vettejoel - July 2 - 10:00 am

  I am now on my 16th Corvette. The 2005 is a huge difference from my 2002. The thing I like the most is the much more refined interior. The car is much quieter than the last Corvette model. The touch screen navagation is awsome. It also displays the navagation in the heads up display if so desired. The XM radio is great to have also. I have been getting many compliments on the new body style also. I love the new headlights also. Last year when Corvette loyalist found out that Chevrolet was doing away with the pop up headlights in favor of more aerodynamic HID lighting everyone was not happy with that. Corvettes have had pop up headlights since 1963. The proformance is awsome also! 400 HP!

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  Hot Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By K4 - July 2 - 10:00 am

  Has Low raties & Is on a good lote!!!...

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  Happy HHR owner - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By doug byron - July 1 - 1:06 pm

  I have 4,000 miles on my HHR. It is a fun little vehicle to drive. A lot of people check the car out when I have it parked in the public. I guess the novelty hasnt wore off yet. I love the retro styling. I feel I got a lot of car for the buck.

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  Best GM Product to Date - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By rseebo - July 1 - 8:33 am

  I was skeptical in getting another GM product as the prior 3 were trash. I had an 05 2500 Diesel that would do nothing but overheat while pulling my toyhauler and the dealer said there were no issues. I pulled this same trailer from Cali to Ga. loaded down with 13k + lbs and the only thing that was bad about it was my tires wore down after 20k miles. This truck pulls like a dream and has no mechanical issues at all!!! 18 - 19 mpg on hwy and 11 mpg while towing with 1 size up on stock tires, could be a little better. If I had to have a complaint it would be that you cant put an 18" wheel with a 285 tire under the front end without shaving the wheel wells.

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  Awesome - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Gary Van Gundy - June 29 - 9:43 pm

  This is the fourth Corvette I have owned (1961-1990-1999) -the C6 is by far the best one.

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  Chevrolet Sonic is a great car. - 2015 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Lorraine Crews - June 29 - 3:07 am

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  Chevys Better Idea - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By BlackAV - June 29 - 2:00 am

  GM/Chevrolet produced a nice "two in one" vehicle with the Avalanche/Esclade EXT (although the AV is probably the better bang for the buck). Smooth ride and drives smaller than it looks. Steering is a bit loose, but doesnt pitch badly on turns. Brake pedal is spongy, but still stops well. People who complain about the mileage should buy a smaller 6 cylinder vehicle. Toyota Tundra doesnt do much better with less room. Acceleration is decent, but not overpowering. Ive changed the exhaust to duals and it helps. Easy to change. Fun to drive and gets a lot of looks.