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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  Arnolds View - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By arnold & onnie - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I am impressed with the ride of the 2500HD and the way it drives.It is a tough looking truck and I have had a lot of compliments on how it looks. We bought it to pull a 30ft camper and it does it with ease.

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  Good Reliability Quality Vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By gmsmith - November 19 - 2:00 am

  My Chevy Trailblazer has plenty of pick up and passing power I love the power. This is a very fun vehicle to drive; I took this SUV on a trip that was about 1600 miles round trip, it average about 21.97 mpg on the highway and about 14 to 16 in the city, I think that great mileage for a truck with that kind of power. It has a very soft ride for a SUV. The seat can be a little more supportive but they are fairly comfortable. This is a very reliable vehicle I have 20K on it right now. The crap that they say that the ford explorer handles better is not true my son has a 2002 ford and my trailblazer is faster and handle a lot better than his ford explorer.

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  EDS SILVERADO - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By C.E. - November 19 - 2:00 am

  Like the truck a lot except for a vibration a 1200 RPMs

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  Cool car - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By becky - November 18 - 9:26 pm

  Traded a 2000 Blazer for my Equinox and Im very pleased with the gas mileage. Got a great deal in Lancaster, pa- especially with Chevy’s employee pricing. So much room in the back seat- a person could sleep on the floor. Love the AWD capability. Very pleased-and would recommend for purchase

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  Nice truck - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Frank McLaughlin - November 18 - 5:00 pm

  This truck is the smoothest and most quiet truck Ive ever owned. Lots of power in 4.8l v8. Interior finish is very good and the exterior looks great. I drove a Toyota Tacoma and this truck is every bit as good. This truck should help GM and I think will become very popular. Try it youll like it.

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  Safety issues -Airbag will not inflate! - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By lovesub - November 17 - 6:05 pm

  Some power to toll and haul stuff

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  Fun for everyone! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Aftershock - November 17 - 10:00 am

  When parking in public, leave time to answer onlookers questions and enthusiastic comments. It truely does turn heads. Not since I drove my 67 Shelby have I noticed this much attention. Im in my 50s but the teens all want a turn at the wheel. And my mother also commented on the ride comfort in the back seat. (as good or better than the full sized Oldsmobile that I traded in). The appeal seems to span generations and genders. As a downer, my tailgate also fell open in the locked position.

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  Great Car - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By slp - November 17 - 4:26 am

  Had it for 3 months. Love the car. Very spacious. Kids love it. Husband had enough room in the back seat with the front seat all the way back and he is not a small man. I love this car.

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  My Chevrolet Avalanche - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By drsmithmm - November 16 - 4:19 pm

  This vehicle is a joy to drive. Backing up, especially at night, is a little bit difficult due to restricted visibility. The rear window is vertically oriented, so lights from the instrument panel tend to glare off of it further reducing visibility. I have found that I must depend heavily on the side mirrors. I still would not give up this vehicle for the world, it is an absolute pleasure to own and drive.

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  Power, with quirks 2015 LTZ Hatch - 2015 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Llia Olsen - November 16 - 1:32 pm

  I bought the car for the interior. The hatchback offered the space I wanted for cargo and the dash was nicely arranged and constructed. The car seats are comfortable and heated and cup holders are a fast food junkies dream. The car lacks in handling, its tight but in a stiff new car suspension way, not in its ability to corner. What I could safely coax out of say the Chevy Cobalt, I would be worried to perform in the Sonic LTZ. The LTZ has larger rims but narrower sidewall so you really feel the road. The auto really hurts off the line coupled with the turbo lag but it builds quick enough. Running on octane lower that 92/93 does make a difference. I feel deeply cheapened by the fact there are no temperature gauges for the oil/water as those would be crucial in getting a heads up on potential engine damage. For now I use a "Torque Pro" app reading from an OBD interface to keep an eye on coolant temps. The smell of coolant comes from the vents when you open the flow through the heater core. This on a 14000 mile car has me poised for an early repair.