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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  x - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jp - November 24 - 10:10 pm

  The vehicle stop running the first day at only 29m and had to be towed. Problem with the heated mirrors, the 4X4 system, the engine makes funny noises, all kind of little problems you should not expect before 4-5 years are there after only a few months. Very poor service at the dealer.

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  The 2.0 Turbo - An Amazing Improvement - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Joe Magrey - November 24 - 5:20 am

  Going from the sluggish 4 cyl 2012 Equinox to the much improved 2018 Equinox LT with the 2.0 Turbo 4 cylinder was an amazing improvement. I reviewed all options carefully before buying. I went with the Confidence and Convenience package along with the Sun and Infotainment package. These two packages with the LT added all of the extra bells and whistles that I needed. I did not want to pay more $$$$ for the expensive Premier level. It still had more expensive options which raised the price way too much. ALSO - I bought this through a Chevy dealership and presented my Costco Card to get their Winter Holiday deal. This meant Supplier Pricing plus a $700 gift card directly from Costco. It took 9 weeks to arrive but it is as good as cash at Costco stores. ALSO EVEN MORE - Before buying, I contacted my GM CARD credit card. They added an additional $1,000 to the points I already accumulated on my GM card. Combined with an aggressive Chevrolet rebate, the Costco Supplier price and the GM Card extra cash, the deal was too good to pass up. Combined, it made great financial sense to buy this new vehicle at such a discounted price. Ford, Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Chrysler couldnt come close to this deal!

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  The greatest car on earth - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Rudi Raye - November 24 - 3:00 am

  We bought this car as a program car back in 94 and I have been the main driver of it. I get great gas mileage and it has had very little maintenance on it as far as parts going bad. I have almost 190,000 miles on it and I would trust it to drive it across the United States any day. We have thought about buying another Chevrolet but I just hate the idea of getting rid of my Lumina! Even thoough its almost 12 years old, I still trust it a lot. Its like one of the family. Thank you Chevrolet for making such a great car.

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  My 2005 Z71 - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By dammitjim1 - November 24 - 12:00 am

  I have always admired the look of the Z71 Tahoe, particularly in black. So when GM offered me the Pull Ahead option on my 02 Trailblazer LTZ lease, along with some other financial incentives, I jumped at the chance to acquire the Tahoe. After a test drive and a bit of negotiation, I drove my new Z71 home. The ride, comfort and handling are outstanding - equal to or better than any car Ive ever driven. Very surprising for such a large vehicle. The sound of XM radio coming through the Bose speakers is awesome, and the kids love the DVD. This is still the "honeymoon" phase. If the reliability holds up over the 48 SmartBuy period, Ill probably be driving a Tahoe in 2008.

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  the best - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By jpoullaides - November 23 - 10:45 pm

  It is absolutely fantastic.

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  Why did I trade my SUV? - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By hand1415 - November 23 - 4:59 pm

  I bought the Trailblazer because it is a great looking SUV. However, I have had several electrical problems. The rear brake lights went our 6 times. The dealer changed the module 3 times before they were fixed. The "Check Engine" light came has come on 3 times. The drivers side mirror never returns to the proper position. The drivers heated seat module had to be replaced. The rear window washer hose has developed a kink in it. The rear seats are very uncomfortable and the drivers seat lacks support. The vehicle has deprieciated much faster than I thought was possible. My three previous SUVs were only in the shop for warranty work once, to repair a fog light that had burned out.

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  Great Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bo - November 23 - 3:26 pm

  This is my 3rd Chevrolet truck, and the best by far. Previous were an 89 that I drove to 125K miles, then a 1996 to 165K miles, and finally this one. Could not be more pleased with the comfort, performance, and convenience. Plus, I am seeing 18 to 19 mpg if I keep my speed around 70 on the highways.

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  96 Impala SS - 1996 Chevrolet Impala
  By billpilot - November 23 - 4:43 am

  Still, to this day in 11/04, I have not found a 4 door sports car for 3-4 times the money that can out-perform my SS. A few minor glitches were fixed under warranty: Odometer,head gaskets & exhaust manifolds, a couple of times. The factory cooling fan settings do not "kick on" until temperature reaches about 220 so a hypertech programmer will turn on fans sooner. I have got 26 MPG on highway with a/c. Usually its about half that yet worth it!

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  My SS - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mr. Bill - November 22 - 6:20 pm

  The new Impala SS is comfortable, quiet, very powerful, and affordable. Gas mileage as I have tested on strictly highway is right where the window sticker has it at 27mpg. My commuting average with hour long traffic jams and stop and go traffic is 22mpg. I have always believed in supporting the US economy when I spend my hard earned dollars by buying American made products(foreign brands, even ones with US badges assembled here, 50 cents of every dollar goes back to the country of origin) and the Impala SS is 92% US and Canadian parts content with the engine and transmission made in the USA. The SS performance surprises the overweight HEMIs and Mustang GTs.

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  LS 4Dr Auto - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By CDN Ren - November 22 - 3:10 pm

  I have the 4dr LS model w/ sport appearance package. After test driving this and the Mazda 3, I found that this car was a tad quieter on the highway. Im averaging 7.9l/100km (even with A/C usage) Its spacious for my needs, and the trunk is absolutely huge (about on par with the 300 from Chrysler). Its small and nimble enough to work well in the city and subburban areas, and it fits in most tight parking spaces. It did take some time to get used to the drivers seat as it felt a bit stiff for a number of weeks, but now Ive found my "sweet spot". The sun visors to me seem a little smaller than my Z24 and I can not block as much sun as I used to. All said though its a fantastic car, get one!