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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  Great ride - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By smit60 - May 4 - 5:34 pm

  I have been looking for a long time in buying a corvette.I found a 95 coupe that was everything i was looking for.Every one loves the look of the. the ride is nice and easy to get use to driving.anyone would be happy to have 95 corvette.

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  Absolute BEST vehicle Ive ever owned!!! - 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By tahoedream1 - May 3 - 5:16 pm

  The title says it all! I havent had my Tahoe very long but its by far my favorite vehicle Ive ever owned, and Ive had well over 50 cars in my lifetime!! The quality is so good, youd never guess it was 17 years old! Ive always sworn by Jap/German made cars, but this Chevy has changed my mind! Excellent build quality, perfect height for my 62 frame. Runs/drives & looks like its brand new! Literally my only complaint is the plastic door handles, they seem too fragile for such a tough, durable truck. Im a Chevy truck owner for life now! Lets hope Detroit remembers how to build them like they did in 95 when I go to buy a newer Tahoe in 10 years or so!

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  HHR: Great Little Utility Vehicle - 2011 Chevrolet HHR
  By neh1 - May 3 - 1:54 pm

  Own a 2009 2LT version. It does everything I wanted it to. Id only change a few things: 1. install four wheel disc brakes instead of the "disc/drum" brake combination. 2. install the full roof rack instead of just half of it and expecting the buyer to purchase the other half as an aftermarket option. 3. upgrade the radio/cd player so its more robust. CDs keep sticking inside the player necessitating playing games to get them unstuck. 4. change the engine intake air filter housing design. The housing removal is a major pain when you want to change out filters.

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  Bad gas Mileage-Transmission Jumps! - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By ongarvey - May 3 - 12:10 pm

  I am leasing this vehichle and it states gas mileage that isnt correct for all states. Apparently in an E-85 gas the fuel ecomonmy is terrible so thinking It was a smart buy because my car was only getting 16mpg ...Now this only gets about 17mpg combined city and highway not even close to 26 combined. On top of that something is going on with it, it jumps into gear sometimes and when using cruise its not a smooth transition when using the button to accel

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  Its an OK van - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By roy71 - May 3 - 8:44 am

  I wrote a review about a year ago when we first purchased our uplander at 78,000 miles...it now has just under 90,000 and some of my opinions of the van have changed...all in all its a nice van. In the past year we have had to change some sensor by the gas tank which required the mechanics to drop the entire gas tank. we also had to replace the rear brakes because they were down to the metal but the van never even gave us warning that they were so low. then we had to have the exhaust shield fixed because it rattled when we closed the doors. Also the front struts rattle constantly, the transmission acts wierd and doesnt always shift smooth even with new fluid, and now the engine is pinging.

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  Dont learn the hard way - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By mcollins19 - May 1 - 10:15 pm

  I would like to think of myself as an educated consumer, and after reading a lot about the Impala, I decided that it was a good mid-price sedan that would suite my needs. The interior is cheaply made, but functional, and the driving experience is less than impressive, but the car feels safe. The problem is with the reliablilty and support from GM. Since I have limited space to write this, Ill sum it up. The car is currently at 25k miles and has had a new torque converter, turbine shaft and valve body in the transmission, a new water pump, and the A/C is beginning to put out warm air. GM support (located overseas) has offered no warranty incentives and has been very dismissive. Buyer Beware

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  40th aniversaary class 72 - 2012 Chevrolet Camaro
  By 72class2012 - May 1 - 5:37 pm

  Car is great love every thing about it!

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  Dont buy for the gas mileage - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By chick_poo - May 1 - 4:08 pm

  The car is easy to drive and that is where it stops. The gas mileage is not what the advertised sticker states regardless. I drive all highway, posted speed limit, dont use the cruise, and I get an average of 28 mpg. I have tracked the miles - both trip and odometer, date of fill up, cost, and location and I have never gotten near where GM posted the gas mileage to achieve. I have contacted the dealer and GM and was told that the sticker numbers are only an estimate. Combined I was told I should get 30 and I am getting close with 28. I am barely getting city (26) and I never drive in the city - I dont even live near a city. I am 300 miles a week all highway driving. Dont buy!!

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  08 LTZ - 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By horstman83 - May 1 - 12:29 pm

  So I bought a used 2008 Avalanche LTZ January 12th 2012 thought it was my dream truck. Suddenly its now a nightmare. Just over 80,000 miles and here is a list of problems. (1)Service Suspension light came on, (2)service parking assist light came on, (3)rear spoiler fell off, (4)back up camera quit working, (5) door handle broke, (6)brakes locked up in the middle of the busiest interstate in MI, noted my wife and kids were coming back from Iowa without me which left them stranded 45 mins from my house. Oh and it has brand new brakes and rotors on it. (7) Dash Rattles All in all I wish I didnt owe so much on it. Id deffinately go back to a Dodge.

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  I would NOT buy a chevy to say my life!!!! Mostly their vans! - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By ssmee7 - April 30 - 10:25 pm

  We have a 2000 Chevy venture mini van. Biggest pile of junk Ive ever owned! Right after the warranty went out so did the gas gauge! Over $600 to fix it! It was a problem with ALL this model no matter if it was a chev or other GM! Then the power sliding door. Then the power windows, then the rear washer! Then a screw in the head liner over your head fell out some how and just rolls around and around! Nothing but problems with this van! If I could load it full of C4 and blow it up on YouTube I would do it in a heart beat! DO NOT BUY A GM mini van! You will have nothing but problems and the design is horrible! GM will do NOTHING to fix their problems!