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:

• 

  Love this car!! - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By micpick - July 9 - 4:33 pm

  Purchased the end of January 2010. Put a little over 1000 miles on it so far. It has plenty of power for the driving I do (mostly surface streets/some freeway). Display says Im averaging 23 mpg. I havent done a road trip with it yet. Hoping gas mileage will improve, but even if it doesnt, I am completely satisfied with this car! Its very roomy and comfortable(the initial attraction for us)and not too high off the ground for my elderly mother-in-law to get in. Settled for black color because this vehicle is hard to find and I didnt want to wait to order one! Looks good, rides good, and I drive every chance I can get. I love this vehicle!

• 

  Fun while it lasted - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Chris Adams - July 9 - 2:00 am

  Purchased with 62k miles, looked great. there was a problem with no. 2 spark plug tube oil seal. Easy to fix ourselves. We set this car up for towing behind our motorhome. My wife liked it so much she drove it 7k miles around town. More fun than her El Dorado. Last week it became the center car in a chain reaction. We were fine. We drove it home. The other cars were towed. Car still runs/handles like a dream. Thats well built. Were going to fix it as insurance offered us 60% what it would cost to replace it. Real cost far excedes everybodys book values. At least here in California.

• 

  I Love My Car!!! - 1998 Chevrolet Metro
  By New Mommy cries - July 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car solely due to its low price back in 1998. Since that time I have put on 82000miles & have had no problems, I love my car. I have been in 2 accidents once in the front and once in the rear and both left no damage on myself or my car. The gas mileage is amazing even with the A/C running. I find I often shock those next to me at lights because I am not the last one out. You would think this 3 cyl engine would drag, but I have never experienced this. I hate to have to get rid of this car, but it is not compatable to car seats going in and out. ohh Have I mentioned I love my car. It is the most under rated car that has ever been sold.

• 

  MY METRO - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By Tashauna - July 9 - 2:00 am

  My car was bought because we were expecting a baby. It was cheep and I liked the way it looked. It isnt too big, but it isnt too small. I am short and have trouble fitting into bigger cars, I fit perfect in this car. And I usually dont have trouble parking.

• 

  best chevy so far - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By donny190 - July 9 - 2:00 am

  i have been a chevy person since i was a teen and i used to own a chevy s10 blazer. i loved the ride and when i went to the gm over drive event i test drove a suburban i feel in love i hate how these new suvs are light and dont have a the weight to make the ride nice and smooth and this does perfect. since my kids play soccer i travel alot and the dvd player is a god send and when i go to the shore i can really enjoy the xm radio and the kids can watch what they want.

• 

  Crosscountry road trips - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jorgenson - July 9 - 2:00 am

  Every spring we take a long road trip.This year we went out to the Grand Tetons from MN. total 3000 miles .The car performed perfectly and we averaged 30 miles to the gallon (not driving slow) The trunk works great ( two sets of golf clubs ) And for us the convertible is the only way to go. We will definitly will be buying another.

• 

  2005 Maxx - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By ron - July 8 - 3:03 pm

  After months of internet research & weeks of test driving 8 cars., I chose the Malibu Maxx. I love it. What I was looking for in a car was; plenty of leg room, good ride, good fuel economy, nice looks, comfortable interior and most important, price! The Maxx has it all. I was very surprised at its performance! It is very quick! Good mileage too. We just returned from a 800 mile trip and averaged 30.8 mpg. Driving hwy speeds 75-80 mph. Interior space is in a class by itself in the mid size segment. Im 64" and can set with my legs crossed in the rear seats with the front seat set to fit me. I think it has a good looking exterior, kind of euro looking. Im very pleased with my Malibu Maxx!

• 

  2006 Impala SS Improved, but ....... - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Brett - July 8 - 8:26 am

  I bought my SS in October. This is my third Impala and the best by far. I love the car, styling and performance. However, GM cant seem to close the deal on making a car that can compete with the imports. Ive always been a fan of GMs powertrains, but to put a 300hp engine to a dated four speed tranny reaks of cutting corners. Torque steer is a problem The interior. I travel 40,000 miles year so I do like creature comforts along with performance. Full intrumentation would be great to match performance of the car. The HVAC controlls are old school (no LED readout for temps, plus clusmsy dials). The cup holders are big enough either Hopefully GM will get up to speed for 2007.

• 

  great - 1991 Chevrolet Caprice
  By andrewalesso - July 8 - 2:00 am

  great car. rarely a problem. strong car. strong frame. good in all weather conditions. comfotable.

• 

  Feels like a 1940... - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By Ezekiel_Ramirez - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Just got done with a employee test drive, very nice if you dont mind driving a floating brick. It weighs too much, the road feel is super detached, brakes are too grippy until you get used to them. Interior is great, love the body colored rim, and aluminum accents. And the GMC Sierra Crew Cab felt like it had better performance, even though it weighs more and hp is (rated) less