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:

• 

  Awesome Truck - 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By TXGREEK - March 20 - 12:24 am

  Traded in my 2014 LTZ z71 for big brother for reasons: Safety, fuel savings on highway, awesome pulling power, build quality, ergonomics, and great fun driving it. In addition to all these attributes I love buying the last model year cause you know youve gotten everything working properly after its been out multiple years. Ill be interested in the newer one once everyone else has been used as Guinea pigs working out the glitches of the newer ram air version lol. Overall, this is a high quality badass truck!

• 

  Impala LS - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By ddumby - March 18 - 11:56 pm

  Still has new car feel 8 months later. Steering is sharp and ride is smooth. Extremely comfortable car to drive or ride in for long trips. Mid priced with a luxury feel.

• 

  Unexpectedly delighted - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Kath & Mike - March 18 - 10:00 am

  I used to be a Toyota-only driver. Then I purchased a Chevy Suburban about a year ago. I noticed the TrailBlazer EXT at the time, which I recently purchased for my family. I appreciate its power and its simplicity. Its fun to drive with plenty of room inside. From a value standpoint, theres really no comparison. With all the GM incentives, I estimate I purchased the TrailBlazer EXT for about 60% of the cost of a similarly equipped Highlander. Thats serious money. The interior may not be as refined, but its a better-looking vehicle on the outside, more powerful, and an outstanding value.

• 

  Love this truck - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bike Mike - March 18 - 10:00 am

  This truck has been great! So far, 70,000 trouble free miles. Ride and handling are great for a truck. My only complaint was with the stock tires- it should be illegal to put such poor (traction B) tires on a vehicle this heavy- yes, I rear ended somebody- first time in over 30 yrs of driving. With premium tires truck stops and corners great. I did have to go to aftermarket rims because the stock ones were too skinny.

• 

  Duramax is awesome - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By dmax fan - March 18 - 10:00 am

  With the dmax/allison combo is by far the best truck out there. Excellent fuel economy and absolutely no problems. Fun, fast and comfortable truck to drive. A real head turner and performs like a race car. Awesome.

• 

  chevy - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By vinnies - March 18 - 10:00 am

  good all around suv

• 

  FORMER SANTA FE OWNER nice nox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By larryh - March 18 - 10:00 am

  I was not looking to purchace another vehicle when I visited the showroom. My eye caught the nox and it was wow the interior, design etc. was fenominal. My friend who owns a tahoe was impressed and kept saying what a sharp looking suv The drive and performance were great. The tray is very functional when shopping. You can use it as a duplex.

• 

  Love my SUV - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By becky wilson - March 18 - 10:00 am

  We saw this advertised on Monday and went looking for it on Tuesday. I love this vehicle. It looks good, and driving it is just plain fun.......

• 

  Best Monte Carlo in Years - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Dave - March 15 - 7:13 am

  I bought my 2001 MC SS used w/ a little over 60k miles on it. The only disappointments I have found would be the absence of the V8 and manual shifter. Car styling is excellent, much better than the mid-90s models. This car has impressive pwr coming from the V6 when needed. Steering is a bit stiff in tight corners, but really drives great at speeds exceeding 80mph. The only thing that I have noticed that is out of sort is a slight popping coming from the front wheels when pulling off of an incline. I have had this checked out and it seems to be just a qwirk with the traction control feature. Nothing worth breaking a sweat over.

• 

  My review - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By chulai - March 15 - 4:23 am

  My vechicle is very comfortable and fun to drive. It handles great and is easy to get in out of. The appearance is great. Almost looks like the BMW. I have received a lot of compliments on it.