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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  Tony Stewart SS is a keeper - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Bob Hendrichs - January 21 - 8:00 am

  I bought my Tony Stewart 2005 SS a year and a half ago. I have had several people offer me more than I paid for it. This car is a keeper. If you have one hang on to it. It will be a collectable. What a sweet ride.

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  Best Drive in 2005 - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By John Taylor - January 21 - 3:56 am

  I’ve had the vette for a 720 mile week. It’s awesome. Visibility is better than my Acura RL and Lincoln Mk VIII. 26.5 MPG on a trip. Expect mileage to climb to 28-30 following break-in. XM radio and Nav are top of the line. Keyless push button start takes getting used to but is a great feature. Build quality/fit & finish is superior,on par with any import. Performs and handles like a true sports car with out the usual drawbacks. Seats are outstanding. Interior ergonomics score an “A+”. Even with the perf. suspension (Z-51) it rides comfortably. I coud not imagine a better car. Weigh the performance, drivability, & cost, the 2005 Corvette is a hands-down winner in every category.

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  Go Go Speed Racer - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Melissa - January 20 - 5:14 pm

  I bought this car because I needed something cheap since Im starting a new job and going back to school. I had very low hopes for the Cavalier but just needed something to get me from point A to B. When I first got the car I dubbed it the "Go-kart" because it was so small. I had no idea this car would be so much fun to drive.

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  Best car under 20k - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Josh - January 20 - 8:26 am

  I have only had my Cobalt one month but the car is really growing on me. I bought it because of an excellent lease option and GM card money. It has more than enough power and gets excellent gas mileage. Judging by the performance of the naturally aspirated 2.2 the SS edition should be a rocket.

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  Most roomy car since the 55 chevy - 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mark - January 19 - 5:46 pm

  The seats are ok...I wished I would have upgraded to the suede version. The car is very roomy. I recently went to trade in the car and the same Chevy dealer where I purchased it, low balled me on the value. Other then that, it was a great car while we owned it.

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  Fun car, but terrible reliability. - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By F-Body Luver - January 19 - 2:50 pm

  This is a fun car and it looks great, so if you like that for a cheap price this is all you need. But you better have a couple grand on hand for repair costs. AC compressor, fuel pump (TWICE), gaskets, transmission service, brakes, etc. have all failed early, by 60,000 miles. Be ready for headaches to offset the driving experience.

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  Great car and value - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By isaiah - January 18 - 10:40 pm

  I got my Impala used with 32,000 miles and it runs like it has 32 miles. Lots of space with the old school third seat in the front. The new body style is slick and if you put 20 inch rims on it heads will turn.

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  Good basic transportation - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By PublicTrans-no more - January 18 - 10:00 am

  This car seems to have been designed to be basic transportation with a few extra features to make you forget that. While the Cavalier may be a bit higher priced than its rivals in the same catagory, you cant find a better mode of basic transportation. The automatic transmission is a charm, seemlessly gliding through gears, and the 140HP engine pops when you need it to. The ECOTEC engine also sips fuel, my highway mileage is easily 38-40 MPG. How we ever got by without 60/40 fold down seats Ill never know, this feature is the bridge in utility that hatchbacks always had, and traditional coupes could only dream of...until now.

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  Impala...a good USA alternative - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Robert 9999999 - January 18 - 10:00 am

  A nice domestic car...looks good and does everything with ease. A no hassle alternative to glitz.

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  Cobalt is level 2 - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By tommyntonya - January 18 - 4:23 am

  I purchased this vehicle in Oct. of 06. Since then Ive noticed a very annoying medium tone whistling coming from the underside of the vehicle. Other than that I generally get 32 mpg. overall city/hwy. The interior is laid out well while the exterior has a very appealing Japanese styling. I am a little disappointed at the aftermarket options for this specific model, although there is a turbo kit that is said to add some serious power, well above the output of the ss/sc. Overall I would say this car has one of the best price to value ratios on the market.