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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  Awesome truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Keith - May 26 - 6:56 am

  Great truck all around. Z71 Crew 3.5L I5 with 3.73 gears is good on gas and has good acceleration. Good interior room. Nicest riding midsize pickup on the market. Best looking pickup on the Market.

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  i love my yellow cavi - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By chelle - May 24 - 10:00 am

  loved it the min i saw it. had to buy it!!! lots of looks in it. but its becoming too common now. i was first in my town to have one, now there are 25 yellow cavis :( one problem: window trim is warping in back and its under warrenty and they wont fix it. no other problems :)

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  Love the Trailblazer EXT - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Coach - May 23 - 3:46 pm

  This is a great vehicle. The family has made four round-trips from NY to FL in this vehicle. Comfortable seats. Handles great. The kids love the DVD and the third row seating. This vehicle loves the open highway! As far as fuel economy, well its an SUV...what do you expect? In my opionion, this is a great vehicle. Would definitely purchase another.

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  Cool - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ron Jackson - May 23 - 9:16 am

  I purchased my Silverado in Jun 2009, I upgraded from the Chevy Avalanche, yes upgraded. The Silverado is smooth, and cool. Fun to drive, handles like a car, moves like a Truck and this vehicle demands attention. The 20 Inch Tires, sleek Rims, Black with Silver Trim. I have also added the chrome light covers and some chrome to the tail gate. Looks very nice. This vehicle gets up and go. Very quiet. Bottom Line, Love it. Love the Active Fuel Management.

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  Vernal Equinox - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By DCMX - May 23 - 1:23 am

  So far so good. This is whisper quite vehicle that is very comfortable with the sliding second row. The new design is great with all that extra sound insulation you get a very quite vehicle that glides over the road. I assume their will be the GM " haters" but if this was badged AUDI, VW, Infinti etc. people would drool over it. Some styling cues lifted from the MB 350 ML, but hey a lot cars do that and it is somewhat flattering. Build quality seems to be very good with small panel gaps and nice interior (if a little too much plastic) I would recommend this to any one who want great gas mileage with mid size CUV size this is.

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  A Great Car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By new owner - May 22 - 2:33 pm

  I love this car! Have had it for 3 months and drive it 90 miles back and forth to work every day. The retro styling is really cool. I have the chrome package which adds a nice touch as well. It is fun to drive and I average about 30 miles per gallon. I dont mind the window buttons on the center console as I havent had power windows before, so I am not used to them being on the door. At first the roof light that shines on the center console bothered me, but I got used to it pretty quickly.

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  Best Truck Yet - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Roy - May 20 - 7:23 am

  I have owned both Dodge and Ford trucks and they just do not compare with the ride, Quality, and dependability of the Chevy. It has more romm then the competiton and the 1500 performs like a 2500. My last chevy had 275,000 miles on it. I think this truck is far better than any other truck I have ever owned.

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  Excellent commuter car upto 40 miles oneway - 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV
  By disbeliever - May 19 - 10:16 am

  Im using this for 2 weeks now, to commute 20.13 miles each way. After driving 30 miles on freeway at 65-70 mph and then another 10 miles on expressways and 35-40 mph roads, Im left with nearly 60 miles of range! The range is way better than the 82 miles they show. Im only charging at my work, as it is free and more convenient. The car is updated with technology (as almost all new sub compacts are now-a-days), and comes with some leather + cloth combo seats. Includes tilt, cruise, on-star , hands free calling, and other amenities seen only in premium cars few years back. It is a pity GM doesnt advertize this car at all. Bought this after seriously considering Leaf and Volt.

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  Best Car Ive Owned - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kevin - May 18 - 10:33 am

  I had to buy a new vehicle after an accident. I did a lot of research and I had narrowed it down to the Imapla and a Camry. I drove an 07 Impala and decided that was the car (I bought an 06 to get the price break). The LTZ has the 3.9L engine. It is very powerful, even in a car the size of the Impala. The seats are just great. The leather is soft and comforatble. The interior styling is very clean and refreshing. The trunk is huge! I really think GM has gotten much better. They think of little things that you just dont find in other cars like the delayed door locking allowing you to open another door after pushing the lock button. Very nice!

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  Fantastic car for the money! - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By lexan1965 - May 15 - 10:00 am

  The wife and I went into the local Chevy dealership to test drive a new cruze. We ended up buying the one we test drove. This car is quiet, little road noise, little engine noise. The acoustic package (standard) on the cruze if fantastic, makes your drive very quiet. The turbo lag people have talked about in other reviews is only noticeable when or if you have to stomp the gas pedal down then hold on! "peppy" engine on this car. Im 6-4" and 255 lbs. and I have no issues fitting in this vehicle. Same interior dimensions as the Malibu except 2" less legroom in the rear seats. I would recommend to anyone considering a new, smaller car to give this car a test drive.