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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  Lovin it - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By josho - January 3 - 3:46 am

  This truck is a great one. It does everything I need it to do. Great power and looks better than any other brand on the market. I have the LT1 with leather, and the interior looks good. Its a truck, what do you want to look like a Corvette dash? If you use a truck as a truck, this one is perfect.

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  What Happened? - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By FelixT - January 3 - 3:02 am

  Had 2000 and 2003 Malibu and thought that GM was finally on the right track with interior design. In 50 years of car ownership I can say the daytime readability of instrumentation is the worst I have ever had. The speedometer has only even numbered markings and the fuel gage level is difficult to interpret with quick glance. The markings are difficult to see unless in direct sunlight and become invisible if you wear sunglasses. Hard to use air flow & temp knobs. Center consle awkward to use. Drivers seat has lump in center from front to back. Electric power steering is scary with poor road feel at straight line highway/expwy speeds over 50 mph.

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  Dont buy one - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By aggieof10 - January 3 - 2:13 am

  Within a month of buying this truck, all of the power locks went out. Chevy replaced them for free since it was under warranty. Then my rear power window stopped working, transmission is spotty, cant decide when to shift, tpms comes on at random times telling me my tires are flat (they arent). Put groceries in the back seat one day, and the pocket on the back of drivers seat ripped out. Turns out, they arent sewn in at the factory, someone is there with a staple gun putting them on. Wind caught the door last week, and pulled the hinges away from the body, now the door grinds on the body work every time I open it. I am absolutely furious with this truck. Chevy used to mean something.

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  So Far Love It! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Vin - January 2 - 10:36 am

  I owned many new cars over my life. The Cobalt had one of the best build qualities of any of them. The Cobalt is a very solid well built car, GM has there act together on this one. Ive owned it for 2 months now and have yet to find anything wrong. The cars ride is solid, the interior is very comfortable and the fuel economy is averaging 24 city 31 hwy. Im not complaining since my last car was averaging 13. The MP-3 stereo with the pioneer speaker system has a sound that has to be heard. I could drive this car for hours. Its fun to drive and very sporty to look at. The trunk is enormous. I would suggest the Cobalt to anyone looking for a solid car.

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  Liking this truck - 2015 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Tony J - January 2 - 10:24 am

  Colorado LT ext cab v6. 30k.Other than a minor recall I have had no problems. Truck is the right size and lots easier in parking lots than my previous Silverado.

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  2014 Cruze 2LT RS 1.4 turbo 6A - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Rick S. - January 2 - 2:58 am

  I bought this car Labor Day weekend of 2015 and in the year Ive had it Ive had it in for only one warranty repair. Check engine light came on and that turned out to be a vacuum leak and needed cam cover replacement. This had been a rental car and I was a little leery but it has turned out to be a pretty good car, so far. Good gas mileage, decent acceleration and braking, good road handling, responsive steering. As others have noted, the front seats are a little firm and can be a little uncomfortable toward the end of longer trips, but not horrible. Ive put about 12,000 miles on it in the year Ive owned it. Hopefully it will last a good long while.

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  Its about time - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By purdueguy - January 2 - 12:30 am

  This was my first truck purchase and I wasnt disappointed. The Z71 package provides a stiff ride, which reminds me that Im in a truck. I get better gas mileage that my previous two SUVs. The truck is the perfect size. The baby seat fits in the rear seat, and I have no problem with parking (even in downtown Chicago). Overall, I would recommend this truck to anyone.

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  GM got it right - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By tallmug - January 1 - 8:26 pm

  The interior of this car is excellent and very functional. My family of four fits great. The leg room in the back seat is great. I was tired of my daughter in her car seat kicking the back of my seat in our Saab. I used the car to transport an enormous amount of junk the other day, and it fit wonderfully. The only complaint is the plastic interior materials need to be of a little higher quality.

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  Great looks and practical - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Doron - January 1 - 7:51 pm

  This car is really reliable, like most GMs. The 4.3 is plenty powerful to tow or for merging into traffic. The fuel economy isnt that bad either, I average 16-17 city and 20-22 highway with a heavy foot. Overall I am really happy with this truck and plan on keeping it a long time.

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  2001 Suburban - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By D. Rigsby - January 1 - 5:08 pm

  This is my 3rd Suburban and I have loved all three, keeping all until well over 100000 miles. There is significant improvement in this models drive train over my 1990 model. However, the interior is not worthy of the price of the vehicle. I did not opt for leather seats. The fabric is worn in rather strange places due to tightness of fit and several plastic molding on the inside have either come off, or have broken when something was dropped on the piece. The latch for the rear fold down broke after only 3 years and the gray is coming off the dash. I love the convenience and the haulability of people, dogs and other stuff. Have Suburban, will travel!