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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  Fun Car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Brice - March 6 - 11:50 am

  Its more than I bargined for. This car handles great. In city traffic it is a little stiff but sporty.

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  2017 Trax, reminds me of my Chevy Tracker - 2017 Chevrolet Trax
  By northwoods711 - March 6 - 3:47 am

  This is a great little SUV, good for commuting and saving gas. The stereo is a fun update from my 2011 Cruze, as well as the transmission being much more responsive and better shifting. Its still a 4 cylinder engine, not a race car, so the acceleration is what it is. I like the interior design of the LT, having test driven the LS, I much prefer the LT. The interior package overall is nice, heated mirrors, tinted rear windows, reverse camera, projection headlights. Its a nice step up from the Cruze I had without sacrificing the gas mileage, and has about the same interior room (including the rear instead of a trunk). I added the cross rails, and a cargo bag, and that is something that I could not do with the Cruze. Its quiet on the road, and I have not had any issues with performance or otherwise. The dealership I purchased from is on top of everything, and makes sure that I keep up with maintenance as needed.

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  Tough, reliable, sharp - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Whoolio - March 5 - 8:10 pm

  Will pull a house off its foundation and drives beautifully. MPG is what youd expect from a heavy truck, but dont drive like a fool and it improves. Travels very well, even through mountain areas.

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  LTZ Silverado - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Rick Swearingen - March 5 - 1:03 pm

  This is Motor Trends truck of the year for a reason. From its luxury suv interior and ride, solid build quality, smooth powerful engine, and rugid good looks GM has built one nice truck.

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  Chevy Cavalier - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Chevrolet Cavalier - March 5 - 12:21 pm

  I love my Chevy Cavalier. It has been a very reliable form of transportation. I believe the old design has been very effective. The majority of the Cavalier owners have responded positively regarding their cars. I like the manner it performs on the highway and in the city. I believe it rates higher than experts rating scale. Americans need a car like the Chevy Cavalier. I believe it will become an American Icon like the Ford Mustang. I believe that you need to reconsider your evaluation criteria. One important criteria is that the Cavalier is American made with American technology.

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  Love my Nox 05 - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By CaddyLady - March 5 - 10:40 am

  My husband gave me this car as a birthday gift. No problems. Dont particularly like the back window wash system, but love the way the car handles, and I get about 18 mpg in the city. I have no problem with odors in the car, no water leakage, just occassionally a gas smell in the oil, but I found out that is caused by the synthetic oil used by my mechanic. My next will be Caddy SRX. All my other cars were Fleetwoods. Wanted a small SUV. Ironically, they are both built in the same plant in Canada. But I chose the leather, no OnStar, and no Sirius radio. I like to listen to my cds and books on disc. Maintenance is a key issue. No problems with the original tires, but I took the 17 in rims.

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  Impala LS Sport - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By SaabDriver - March 4 - 8:54 pm

  This is a great car. It comes with the LS sport package(Corvette tail lights, carbon-fibre interior trim, little Impala logos on the door panels on the inside, shiny exaust tip, 16" sporty 5 spoke wheels and lower front fascia extensions. The interior is really big, even though I like small cars better.

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  Tahoe Z71 package - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Light - March 4 - 7:46 pm

  LOVED this SUV! Only complaint is how the leather on the seats wear.

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  A keeper - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By holle - March 4 - 11:27 am

  I love the way it rides comfort and style. It is just so funny that when you buy a vehicle no matter what it is all of a sudden you see hundreds more then you saw before. Chevy made a nice looking and comfortable truck... Keep it in the family a long time Please...

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  One of the few good chevys - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By mike in norther ohio - March 4 - 3:27 am

  Bought it new. Yes the steering shaft went twice-but I wrote to GM and they paid for out of warranty ($223)repair. Original tires noisy, replaced with Regattas. The 3800 engine is a dream, quick and 28 mpg at 75 mph. The ABS/traction control feature is absolutely great for snow. The car is still tight and handles extreamly well after five years. I just saw the 2006 Impala at a car show and cant wait to buy it. (and keep this one too). Unlike the smaller sedans this one is built tight and well and is without the excessive road noise you get in the earlier models. Lastly the brakes were imporoved over previous Luminas although you warp rotors prior to pad replacement, but you do stop.