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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  Okay - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Willam Anderson - October 27 - 2:00 am

  This car takes the bumbs very well. If you work 5 minutes away from your house or just dont drive alot, this is a perfect car to drive. I should have bought the Honda Pilot instead of this. This car handles like a big wide cruise.

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  So far, so good - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By desertdiamond - October 27 - 1:50 am

  Ive had my Equinox for almost a month now and so far the only problems I have noticed is the gas mileage. Far from the 19/25 on the sticker price. I think Im averaging out 16/20. Other than that, no problems at all. I love it and cant believe I waited so long to purchase my first SUV.

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  No Real Complaints - 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By someguy8 - October 26 - 11:37 pm

  Bought my 2012 in early 2013 with 5 miles on it. At first I thought it was going to be more truck than I needed as I was mainly looking for a way to get a family of four around with all of our stuff. Salesman gave me a great deal since it was last years model. I have drove 22k miles already. No issues. I get on average 18 MPG. I drive a county road to work for about 35 miles each way up and down hills and around a few bends. Fun to drive. Tires are still good, brakes are fine, no noises. Only after market purchase was a tonneau cover to keep the hockey gear dry and a set of nerf bars so the kids could climb in easier. I plan on having this truck for years

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  Great Car for Price - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Shell - October 26 - 6:55 am

  I am already at 50k+ miles in 2.5 years and have had no issues with this car. It is a basic car - no frills. It drives smoothly and is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. My only complaint is that the interior materials are cheap. One mirror cover broke off already with basic use and the metallic coating on a door handle is peeling off already. The door locks are kind of weird (the only autolock button is on the dash) and the basic model lacks many modern features such as keyless entry/start-up or a back-up view camera. The USB connection can be finicky, and I had to have it replaced when it was new, but now it usually works as long as the USB cord is good quality. The backseats are a little cramped when people sit behind someone tallish (I am 57). I average around 35mpg, which is awesome. Sometimes I go 40m on 1 gallon. I only paid $15k for this car, so I am very pleased with it overall.

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  Great Car for Price - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Shell - October 26 - 5:56 am

  I am already at 50k+ miles in 2.5 years and have had no issues with this car. It is a basic car - no frills. It drives smoothly and is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. My only complaint is that the interior materials are cheap. One mirror cover broke off already with basic use and the metallic coating on a door handle is peeling off already. The door locks are kind of weird (the only autolock button is on the dash) and the basic model lacks many modern features such as keyless entry/start-up or a back-up view camera. The USB connection can be finicky, and I had to have it replaced when it was new, but now it usually works as long as the USB cord is good quality. The backseats are a little cramped when people sit behind someone tallish (I am 57). I average around 35mpg, which is awesome. Sometimes I go 40m on 1 gallon. I only paid $15k for this car, so I am very pleased with it overall.

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  Great car for the Money - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Dan79 - October 26 - 2:00 am

  This car has been absolutely great for me, I bought it in ’98 with 20K and now it has over 160K. Thank God this car has practically never given me trouble, the only thing I remember changing was the AC compressor. The car doesn’t have great pick-up but what can you expect from a 4-cyln, but it flies I do 70-80 mph with no problem and no shaking. Its starting to show its age now, but I cant complain considering how it has performed till now. I dont know if I was bless, cause Ive seen some pretty sh*tty reviews here and on Consumer Reports, but Im extreamly happy with it.

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  You get what you paid for - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By wildkard58 - October 26 - 2:00 am

  At time of purchase, was best bang for buck. Has ABS, front and side airbags. We put about 18K kms per year. 2 road trips every year. Comfy ride highway & good gas mileage too. Under warranty, brought back 5 times to repair interior flaws, once for exterior paint. 3 GM dealers (under warranty period) said lo coolant light shows problem with sensor or head gasket problem. 3 months after warranty ended, coolant leak found: both intake manifold gaskets. This is a known issue with GM 3.4 litre V6s. After 2 months of "talking" with dealership and GM Canada, they fixed it under "goodwill" but still had to pay $130. Poor quality and bad dealer service.

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  Vibration Issues - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mason Ballard - October 26 - 12:05 am

  I will not purchase another GM product

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  My Impala - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Don Stansloski - October 25 - 10:00 am

  We are at about 24000 miles with absolutely no problems. The car has impeccable manners. Good acceleration and we get about 28 overall mpg and 32 to 35 on the Interstate.

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  Silverado 1500 SB LT - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By shellbert - October 25 - 10:00 am

  This truck is beautiful. Its performance is outstanding. Acceleration is excellent. The LT package has beautiful leather and features. It handles like a sports car and rides unbelievably smooth.