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:

• 

  Good SUV, Good for towing, Ext LS - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Relentless TBExt - September 17 - 12:43 am

  This is my 1st truck, 1st 4WD, 1st tow veh. I6 does well w/ family of 5, 2 kayaks atop, and 27 x 4,300# UVW Wilderness trailer behind. 3rd seat a must. Dont like the front seat belts. 9- 11 MPG towing, as high as 21 highway w/ just passengers. 17.7 OA MPG. With high priced gas, Im very happy with the choice. Durango wheel base too short! Saw some w/ flipped trailers (beware!). TB Ext SUV pulls safe! With the load Im pulling, Ill stick to flatland. High gas prices make that easier to take. Wish they had higher standards on the body sheet metal, you double take to make sure theres no body work on this. Toyota would not attempt sell this quality!

• 

  The 6th generation of a classic - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Chris - September 16 - 7:15 pm

  The car not only grabs the attention of passerbys, but you also have the speed to get away from gawkers at anytime. The only complaint I would have is the stiff suspension on long trips. If you replace the runflats with a non runflat tire it will take care of the problem though

• 

  The LS is a quality buy you wont regret - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kla_brown - September 16 - 6:34 pm

  The car was purchased after my 99 Grand Am was totaled. The car is sturdier, smoother ride and definately more luxury. Gas mileage is better than the Pontiac, insurance is cheaper and so are the plates. My black LS is sleek and stylish without feeling like a grandma car!!

• 

  02 silverado 200,000 and still going strong - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dangerranger48 - September 16 - 12:50 pm

  my grandpa bought his 02 for 3,100 bucks couple years ago since then it has had no issues at all still runs great only thing it does burn alittle bit but not to much have to say this truck is really fun to drive only thing that i would say is the ride quality could be improved a bit kinda bouncy

• 

  Easy To Drive - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Little Red Head Girl - September 16 - 12:30 pm

  At first, when I saw this car, I wasnt happy with the design but when I test drove it at the dealership, I was sold. The turning radius is wonderful, It parks easilly, is fun to drive, and is roomy for even short or tall people.

• 

  One of the best cars I e ever owned - 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV
  By c208driver - September 16 - 11:36 am

  So I made the leap about 1.5 months ago to all electric. It was an impulse buy honestly. But I have not come to regret it. At first, I thought my love for this car was because of its newness. But Ive discovered that this is no honeymoon period. I truly love this car and I am excited to drive it every time I hop in it. As a matter of fact, I have to bring it in to the dealer due to pre-existing damage when I bought it and I am having serious separation anxiety ready. LOL It is so much FUN to drive. Its acceleration is phenomenal and the handling with it. For urban and short range missions, it is perfect. I recommend it to anyone.

• 

  Chevies are comfortable - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Judith Greski - September 16 - 10:38 am

  Had unusual repairs on car, i.e. rack and pinion steering replaced, ignition troubles and sunroof malfunctioned.

• 

  Trasmission and electronics - 2009 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jason - September 16 - 10:06 am

  I purchased this 2009 chevy equniox for my used 3 years ago with 50,000 miles on it. When we purchased it finish was starting to come off on the controls, but not bad. Everything was good for the first year then the problems started. First was the drivers door lock would not work with the fob after 2 years. You had to use the Manuel key. Then the third year the service tration control light came on. Then the service engine light. Then the trasmission started slipping. The vehicle started going down quick. Yesterday I decided it was time to trade it in @ 81,00 miles and it was such a relief. Chevy is not what it used to be. A friend that is a chevy mechanic told us that the head gasket would need to be replaced soon because that is a very common problem. The resale value is also poor. Trade in was only $2,500 -$3,500. We still owed $8,000 on it so we ended up paying Msrp to get the suv paid off. Lesson learned. I bought a new hyundai sonata and bought my wife a new kia sorento. 100,000 mile warranty and best rated for reliability.

• 

  5 months and loving it! - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Anthony in NY - September 16 - 4:12 am

  To provide a fair assessment, I waited 5000 miles to post this. The Avalanche had by far the best ride of any truck in the class, with the Z-71 package being a relative bargain. Fit and finish is excellent engine is smooth, ride exceptional for a behemoth of 5800 lbs OnStar is a plus very capable offroad and in the sand. It powers right through. There is nothing like the ease of use of the bed. It has held everything from a yard of topsoil, fishing gear, home depot trips and it handled them all well with ease. The side locking compartments around the bed are valuable and the truck could not be sturdier. Truly the best all-around vehicle I have owned and the most comfortable truck to date. No real complaints. Gas mileage on the hwy is great- about 21. Around town its exactly what youd expect- 13 or so. Air pressure makes a big difference in mileage on the Avalanche. Too low and it drops. If you can afford the gas, this is the truck.

• 

  Great little car - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mm - September 15 - 11:56 pm

  Have driven it for three years and it has not been in the shop for anything other than a burned out headlight. Has been very dependable and is really a nice car on the road as well as in town.