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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  Trade in for 03 - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By M. Williams - January 26 - 2:00 am

  Nice up grade with the system gas mileage and trip computer. My wife would only take one with the heated seats. A little unclear if you can add a DVD with a sun roof. Traded in a 01 LT for the 03Z71 cannot wait to take a trip.

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  Definitely Tougher Than Rocks - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
  By Ezechiel Florea - January 25 - 9:46 pm

  This truck I bought last year new. I have already 65,000 miles on it. It broke at about 56,000 and now Im getting 18MPG without the trailer on the highway. At first it got 12 and 14 at best with out the trailer. I haul 10,000-13,000 pounds all the time. You can go up and down moutains and it just keeps on moving forward. The Allison Trany and the Duramax makes the truck tougher and more reliable. It never broke down on me/never had a problem. I am always going to be a Chevy fan. The tow command is simple and very good to have. It helps out buy being easier on my truck brakes. Always has power to spare. I would recommend this truck to anyone that needs a tough reliable truck that will never stop.

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  Love this car - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By djmullins56 - January 25 - 9:31 am

  We love this car!! Gas mileage misrepresented but still a great car - The more we drive the car the more we love it. We previously owned 2008 Equinox - a great car - traded in for a newer model. Very comfortable, alot of storage, can not say enough good about this car.

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  Smoooth - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By BurritoJ - January 25 - 2:52 am

  Best car Ive ever owned. First electric vehicle and I will not go back to a gas engine. Smooth linear acceleration and barely a whisper of noise. Good torque makes it peppy to drive and fairly agile for its weight. Saves me $150 on gas every month during a 30 mile commute. Saves me $100 a year in oil changes. More importantly saves me the time and hassle of going to the gas station or oil change shop. Better than a lot of cars in its class in the snow because of its weight. Leather suede interior is luxury and durable, not like my wifes junk Prius with the plastic falling off the doors. Not to mention the sound insulation on the volt is waaay better than the prius (like the difference in driving with your windows down or up on the highway). Only trouble in 3 years of owning it was covered under a recall for bubbles in the battery coolant, and cost me nothing.

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  130K Miles and still running strong - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Chepnih - January 24 - 5:46 am

  So far so good. I have owned this car for 6 years. Regular maintenance is all it needs. Engine and Transmission still in great shape. A lot more reliable than accord that I used to own. My only issue is with the headlights. You need to spend an hour of labor to change just the bulb. But after watching a few youtube videos, I changed the last one myself.

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  So far so good - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By jbomaha - January 22 - 5:53 pm

  Purchased a 2007 Avalanche last weekend. Traded in my Yukon Denali. I have always liked the concept of the Avalanche, just could not stand the body cladding. I love the 2007 style inside and out. Much needed improvement for Chevy. I have the LT version, with most of the LTZ upgrades. 20 inch wheels, sunroof, rain sensing wipers, locking differential etc. We will see how the "V4" does with the mileage. So far on my first tank I am averaging around 12mpg in city.

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  2006 Impala Super Sport - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By dennis penberthy - January 22 - 1:13 pm

  The 2006 Impala SS that we bought was the first one in our area. Other Chevy dealers would stop us and ask to check it out because they couldnt get one. This car is not only very powerful but very comfortable to drive and ride in. The rear seat is one of the best to get into and also has one of the most comfortable rides I have ever seen. The fuel mileage is not the greatest but we get about an average of 22.5 mpg during the warm months and 21.6 during the winter. The highest we have gotten was 24.6 mpg. My 2004 Impala SS has a 3.8 Supercharged engine and it averaged 30.4 mpg on a trip to Oklahoma.

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  Stars Cobalt Review - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Star - January 22 - 5:36 am

  This car is great! For a small car, it has a LOT of room. You can actually sit comfortably in the back seat! The sound system is top notch and the mp3 player is an added bonus. This car handles great and has a lot of pickup. If you want a smaller car with room and speed...choose the cobalt.

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  Low mileage, full leather - 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Frank Dalton - January 22 - 4:58 am

  Resale prices on these are VERY low. For me, best looking Corvette ever--and I had a new 1965 Fifty years ago. Amazing performance but no fun at seven- tenths. If you are in a position to drive 100+ mph daily, this is a great ride. At legal speed, not so much fun. Less than 9,000 miles--mostly highway--in seven years. Always garaged. Always starts & runs reliably. Awesome performance. If you want a premium example of the previous Corvette body, check it out.

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  Good every day car - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Intech - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my monte carlo for 2.5 years and have really enjoyed it. Great ride, large trunk to carry all the tools and equipment for my computer business. Front rotors have been turned twice but havent held up very well. Slight pulsing at higher speeds. Overall, good comfortable car with very little maintenance.