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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  2003 Chevrolet Impala LS sport - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Rick Watts - March 4 - 2:00 am

  The Impala is a great car that is fun to drive. I have the sport model which adds a few features to the car that makes it ( in my opinion) complete.

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  HHR Experience - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Runner - March 3 - 1:16 pm

  Very satisfied with driving and ownership of vehicle. Pleasant to drive with great storage capacity for a small SUV. Would not hesitate to buy another HHR.

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  I love my new Volt! - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By Lucy Yen - March 3 - 8:26 am

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  "MY BABY" !!!!!!!!! - 1995 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Jennifer DeArmitt - March 3 - 2:00 am

  NO REGRETS FOR THIS PURCHASE! BOUGHT IT 2 YRS AGO, DRIVE IT ALOT NEARLY 1000 A WEEK SOMETIMES & IT HAS NEVER LET ME DOWN DESPITE SLOW OIL CHANGES (LAST ONE WAS OVER 10000 MILES AGO). I DONT LIKE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL BEING A ROTATING, ROUND KNOB AND I REALLY DONT LIKE NOT HAVING A DELAY FOR WIPERS BUT THOSE ARE MINOR COMPLAINTS CONSIDERING THE DEPENDABILITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE. WITH DARK TINT, BRA FROM MANUFACTURER AND REGULAR WAXING IT IS AN EYE CATCHER YOU WONT SEE BROKEN DOWN SOMEWHERE. ID ADVISE ANYONE NEEDING A RELIABLE CAR THAT IS A PLEASURE TO DRIVE AND EASY TO INDIVIDUALIZE VISUALLY TO BUY ONE!!

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  No better sports car made ! - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By BigBadZ - March 3 - 2:00 am

  Pure power . I put les then 200 bucks into it and I was running 12 second quarter times on stret tires . I have put 100k on the car now , I drive it constantly . Very reliable ! Plus I had it dynoed stock , and it dynoed 304 to the wheels . That means that this car has over 340 HP stock . Not the 305 advertised . I had a 99 Mustang GT before buying this . This car destroys it in power , and performance . Getting better gas milage too .

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  WHO KNEW? - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By rogerw5 - March 2 - 6:47 pm

  Been driving a Nissan for a while; went to a dealer to check out used Nissans. Walking through the used lot I spotted a 2005 Malibu Maxx; another customer behind me told me "best damn car GM ever produced". Took a test drive and bought it without hesitation...that was 7 years ago. Had the tranny rebuilt...only major fix in 7 years!! Getting ready to buy one for my granddaughter (college student)...she wanted mine...I gave her driving lessons and she also took her driving test in my Maxx. I just went over 133,000 miles! I want to be buried in it!

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  Phew... just rolled over 275,000 original miles! - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By A MILF - March 2 - 5:09 pm

  This car has been amazing. Definitely recommend it to any new avid car collector. The engine reliability and longevity is well worth every penny. I do not reccomend this car if you have a car seat for baby/child as its very cumbersome to retract the front seat to settle in the kids.

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  Workhorse - no glamour - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By nicholas slater - March 2 - 9:23 am

  Guzzles gas (not good right now), no frills, reliable workhorse. I would not buy another one though, as I do not feel it is value for the price.

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  Cracked heads - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Willie - March 2 - 2:40 am

  Spent 3,000 to replace cracked heads, they should have been a recall on this, for shame Chevy. 6

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  No more S-10 - 1996 Chevrolet S-10
  By acmtx - March 2 - 2:00 am

  This is my third S-10 and for the most part Ive gotten where I needed to go. The 1996 has been one problem after another. In order Brakes, Wiper Motor, Speedometer, A/C, Heater,Intake Leak, Radiator,Transmission and now the Water Pump! Throw in 5 Batteries, 5 Thermostats, Two Radios and a back window. Thats my 1996 Chevy S-10. All at 74,554 miles! BuyAYORisk!