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 Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Stacey Dirks - February 4 - 12:23 am

  I love my Chevrolet Equinox. It is a very smooth ride with lots of options. There is lots of leg room inside, and lots of space for cargo if you need there it. It is so much fun to drive, and I am in heaven

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  Great car with annoying problems - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Paul Scarpelli - February 4 - 12:05 am

  My C6 is a refinement of my C5, and the Z51 package provides better brakes, shorter gear ratios, and a tight suspension. I replaced the Lexus- sounding exhaust with a Corsa Sport system, and now it sounds like a Corvette. The bad news is little irritating problems, like a plethora of interior rattles, and a chronic roof panel rattle. Fixed under recall, it still makes noise. The worst problem is known as "dead battery syndrome" due to the need to shut off the car in reverse, or it stays in accessory and it kills your battery. This ruined a weekend for me. The F1 Supercar Run Flats are very good for run flats, and I can accept the low 220 wear rating in trade for great handling.

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  Plastics - 2006 Chevrolet Suburban
  By great truck - February 3 - 11:20 pm

  Overall, A great SUV. The room is great. Only negative for GM / Chevrolet is to get a better handle on the plastic interior. Letters fade, and just feel cheap. This is something that can be fixed. No mechanical issues at all..100% great, as this is the 2nd Suburban owned. A+ truck with a family. Apparently you did do something with the carpet as it is better than 2003. Get the plastics under control and things should be good.

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  Average truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By golden - February 3 - 10:36 pm

  This is a pretty average truck. It doesnt really excel in any area. I went on a trip to Wisconsin and was driving thru the mountains and the little 4 cylinder engine could not take it. Its comfortable inside but not great. Long trips are tiring. The manual is pretty good but needs a broader range of shifting. And what is up with no key holes on the passenger door?!!!

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  My love let me down - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Hera - February 3 - 5:30 pm

  I fell in love at first sight with the newer Monte and bought one in 2004. It was an excellent car for the first year or so then things started to go downhill. By 75,000 miles the car started missing and hesitating which seemed to be fixed by frequent tune-ups but the solution was only temporary. Now, with a year left on my 5 year loan, the car has major electrical problems - turn signals only work occasionally, some of the lights in the car quit working, it has troubling power surges that make it stutter while moving and it keeps killing a perfectly good battery. I was advised to dump it soon by a mechanic I took it to recently. And I too had to replace the driver side window switch.

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  I love my car! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Reg - February 3 - 2:43 pm

  It is a smooth ride. Everytime I see it I say "Wow, that is MY car!!" I never had a car that I loved to look at AND drive -- and could afford!

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  Manual or Auto? - 2016 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Taxguy - February 3 - 1:50 am

  I recently traded in my LT1 2015 with 8 speed auto for a 2016 with 7 speed manual. Ive always been a manual transmission guy with my sports cars and auto for the family sedans. I bought the automatic believing the paddle shift would simulate the manual experience. After almost two years of driving, I can say that the automatic doesnt deliver the classic sports car "feel." The downshifting is where I mostly notice the difference. The manual transmission Vette is a very different experience. I now feel that Im really driving the manual Vette, not just putting the car in Drive and aiming it. I do mostly around town driving, so rarely get the car out of fourth gear, so constant shifting is not a hassle. The transmission shifts smoothly once I got used to the stiff clutch and found the correct shift points. So, if youre shopping for a Vette, my advice is to try both transmissions before you buy. FOLLOW UP: Sprang for a 911 since this review. MSRP exactly double the Vettes. And, it is auto--the well engineered "PDK" system by Porsche. This is much closer to a manual than the Vettes, plus the Porsche quality vs Chevrolet build. However, for the money, the Vette is an outstanding value, You wont lose much when it is time to sell a C7 unless you got one loaded with overpriced bells and whistles. Example : Color matching brake calipers for $600. Get real. But the option prices on the 911 are even worse.

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  Bland/Average Van - 2005 Chevrolet Venture
  By Kevin - February 2 - 3:05 pm

  Average van, bland styling, brakes are weak,no storage pockets on the back of the front capt seats,only one power sliding door,noisy cabin,no cassette player, not enough cup holders for middle row,DVD hard to reach/see when cup holders are being used,rear wiper streaks/doesnt work in cold weather. I thought I would get better gas milliage with such a small V6 engine. All in all this van is O.K, not bad, not impressive, just average.If you dont want to spend a lot of money on an import, this van would be a good deal.

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  Im Hooked! - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By John - February 2 - 2:54 pm

  Ive finally been able to buy my first Vette! Now Im hooked, and I know that there will always be one (or more) parked in my garage. The power, handling, versatility, comfort, styling, and stereo are simply an amazing combination. Im still not used to the admiring stares from other drivers, and people saying "nice ride" in parking lots , etc. Im 6-5", and am happy to report that I fit very well in the coupe & convertible. Alas, the Z06 "real" hard top has frame struts that prevented me from fitting into my true desire. Oh well, I probably wouldve got mare tickets with that baby...

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  Great for travel - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By asproule - February 2 - 10:35 am

  I have owned this same vehicle for the past 6.5 years. I have taken it on many long distance trips and found it quite exceptional. It is very comfortable and roomy for kids moving about, and for extra storing.