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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  Love this car - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By lrogers - December 24 - 6:36 pm

  I have had my Malibu Maxx for 1 week now. I love how it handles. it has a great smooth ride. The extras are great. My shades do not seem to roll back into their holder, they just hang. I really like the car.

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  Back to the Dream - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By BG - December 24 - 5:02 pm

  I owned a 84 Camaro in Europe, where they simply dont exist and I was some kind of a Celebrity...Forget this- they are great cars and after selling my BMW 840ci I jumped on the Z28, which is just awesome car a bit rough on the edges, but truly one of the last real American Muscle Cars, doomed to extinction by Japanese hybrids, and European Grocery Carts! I love this car!

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  Last chevy - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Dave - December 24 - 4:46 pm

  This truck was trouble free until the transmission gave out. Traded it in three days later, new tranny and all since I refuse to own a vehicle that requires major work with only 51,000 easy miles. I also found the handling kind of loose although that may be typical of this large a vehicle. Otherwise the truck did well.

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  Dont buy - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By fran - December 24 - 4:24 pm

  I purchased and as I was leaving the lot I found out it had no power! (windows, seats, doors)Cost $32,000. I had to have the brakes replaced at 1000 miles they were all rusted out. The rear seat I was told seats 3 accross. It seats 3 very small adults squished. It would seat 2 adults across. It has many blind spots, this surprised me because of how high it sits. It handles well on snow/ice in 4wd. this is not a on the fly switch however.

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  Excellent Car... GM Finally Got it Right - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By EDK - December 24 - 4:23 pm

  I bought this car because I had accumulated some GM credit card points. My last two cars were German VW cars, but after reading the safety reviews I decided to purchase a GM car. With almost seven months of riding this car I love it. In fact, when the lease is over I probably will replace it with another Malibu. The car is spacious on the inside, and is full of great accessories. I especially like the heated seats and the OnStar system.

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  Uplander review - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Paul - December 24 - 11:25 am

  We have enjoyed our Uplander very much. Electric sliding doors on both sides is major plus. Folding/removable passenger seating is very convenient.

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  Excellent - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Elinda Ewing - December 24 - 11:14 am

  This vehicle is fun to drive and very stable and comfortable. The power is exceptional for a 6 cyl. engine. The interior layout is great, and the options are fantastic!

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  Same great car 3 years in a row - 2017 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mark - December 23 - 11:41 pm

  Ive had the 2017 Premier for a few weeks now. Traded in my 2014 impala 2LT for an upgraded version. Its the same car as before only much nicer interior. Im not impressed by infotainment and leather, I want them but thats not why I got another Impala. I got it because it drives like a dream. Acceleration at low speeds is very good, at highway speeds it awesome. It handles like a performance car when cornering. Its interior is very quite which make driving any distance a pleasure. Cargo space is excellent and my passengers in the back seat are amazed at how much room they have and how comfortable it is. Ive watched the maintenance reviews from other drivers and its been a solid car. Gas mileage is what you would expect for a full size sedan. If you like bells and whistles, wifi, infotainment, heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel and side mirrors, if you cant live without usb ports and a 120 volt outlet in the back seat well this car will not disappoint you. Did I mention the Bose sound system and oh its got a "secret" compartment that I can lock behind the infotainment center that seems to impress everyone that sees it. Seriously, its a great car that doesnt disappoint.

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  Much improved from older models - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mike kercher - December 23 - 9:38 pm

  My wife and I traded in our 2002 Malibu and purchased a new 2005 Malibu. Overall it is much improved over the older model.The only thing we were dissapointed in was that the new model we purchased did not have ABS brakes and was a 4 cyl.

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  One great car! - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By addwinell - December 23 - 8:22 pm

  I bought this car used almost 2 years ago with 70,000 miles and I just love it. Ive only had it in the shop once for small repairs and once for tires. I traded a Jeep Grand Cherokee (which I really miss) for the Malubu but I was pleasantly suprised. It has every bell & whistle that Chevy offered. I have been a long time customer of Chevy and this car solidified my relationship w/them. There are a few small things (center console) that I dislike but, overall this is a wonderful car!