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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  Trade it in b4 50,000 miles - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By not a Malibu fan - October 12 - 2:00 am

  We bought our 98 brand new. It seemed great. At 50,000 miles, a gasket leaked oil coolant into the engine and destroyed the entire engine with no warning($5,000.00). Jiffy Lube told us "Everyone knows Malibu gaskets do this after 50,000 miles." Internet sites confirmed the statement. The dealer and Chevy were very concerned and paid to replace the engine. Conscientous car builder or one who knows their product has a defect? ABS light comes on whenever it wants to, AC only works on #3. Not soured on Chevy, though. We have a 2002 Avalanche and love it to death!

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  Comfortable Gas Sipper - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By vc999 - October 11 - 1:00 pm

  Ive put 3000 mostly highway miles on this car in just over a month. I purchased side curtain airbags, the enhanced MP3 CD player, and Pioneer speakers as options to the automatic LS Sport package. The seats are comfortable for long distance driving, and the car does "feel" like a larger car. Im getting 29 - 31 MPG according to the digital readout. The steering column tilt lever should be redesigned to be smaller as it can be a knee stabber in the unlocked position. I also miss having a power seat control option. Thumbs up to Chevy for producing a competitive, fun to drive domestic small car.

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  Forgot all about the Matrix - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Plasticman - October 11 - 10:10 am

  Its so quiet and smooth, I sometimes forget how fast Im going. After driving it and the 2005 Matrix, there was no comparing the ride. Its also much more comfortable and stylish. It has more room in the front, and a nicely flexible cargo space. I was afraid it would be a lot larger in length, but its only longer by 5 inches. The HHR is the car for me

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  Dream Car - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By KR - October 11 - 7:00 am

  I cant say enough about this car. I factory ordered the LTZ model black on black with cloth seating (as I dont like leather) and the metallic trim on the inside instead of the base woodgrain trim. This car is my dream! 18" Wheels that stand out and look like I went out and custom bought them. Two large exhaust tubes sporting stainless steel tips. I tried to create a great sports car with this vehicle and I succeded by putting two thick stripes running from to back as well as chroming out the front and rear chevrolet logo (over the default gold. A sound system is my only future plan for this vehicle as it turns heads no matter where it goes. I just want to drive it!

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  Good for the long haul - 1996 Chevrolet Astro
  By Sherry B. - October 11 - 2:00 am

  Excellent for the duration...my 2nd Astro, and better than the 1st 87 model. Gas mileage is about 18/gal city, but is a great family vehicle. Has lasted well.

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  if you have money to spend - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By maggie1 - October 11 - 2:00 am

  first 1200 (1996)miles blew a transmission seal, then air conditioner wouldnt work while 105 in Nevada. Costly tows (reimbursed) due to warranty many times in the garage due to transmission problems, replaced transmission in 2002 and the extended warrantly goes back to the original date of purchase not the date we had implemented. will not buy another GM blazer type vehicle, especially this kind. I have talked to many other owners and yes they too have had tranny problems.

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  why the Mustang won - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By slickmick - October 11 - 2:00 am

  1.) use a quart of oil in 1200 miles 2.) "SES" lights weekly 3.) holes in the carpet after 1 year 4.) stereo sounds like it was in the river 5.) count the blind spots!!! 6.) dont forget "skip shift"!! The consumer has voted the Camaro out. Duh huh GM! Or are we the real ididots for buying this junk?

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  The best vehicle of all - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By lees - October 11 - 2:00 am

  Im on my 3rd 4WD Suburban. I love the security of its size and weight (can withstand quite an impact with little or no injury to passengers), its high seating (so I can see traffic ahead) its reliability, its adaptability, and all the creature comforts. I have absolutely no trouble maneuvering it into parking spaces or in traffic (it just takes a little practice at the outset). I have driven smaller cars (compact to luxury) and never felt as safe or secure as in my Suburban.

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  This ones a dud - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jenny Carlson - October 10 - 10:38 pm

  Only 17k miles on this truck after 2 years of ownership. At this point Im even hearing from service people that this year 2014 Double Cabs are trouble. The paint job is the cheapest Ive ever seen and started chipping the first week. The dash came loose and had to be "tightened". Now I have a horrible smell coming from the HVAC vents. TURN RADIUS is awful. Didnt realize how bad until I rented a truck (happened to be Ram - same class as my truck size) and it was like night and day. No problem turning, u-turning, parking, etc in the Ram. Hate all those things in my Chevy. (Im a repeat Chevy owner and never had such low quality) Im actually worried about the value of my vehicle down the road when all the problems become public knowledge and its branded a bad year to buy. The responsiveness is like driving a 50s or 60s vehicle instead of 2014. Sluggish. In addition, Chevy has moved to a new fabric for their interiors. As a result the interior is not nearly as comfortable as older models. They say the new fabric is easier to clean. Well I have found the opposite to be true. Having a dog that I like to take with me, has been a nightmare. The fabric attracts the hair and actually gets stuck in the weave of the material. I have to take a rubber brush as hard as I can to "comb" the hair out of the seat material, while I have a vacuum in the other hand to try and grab the hair as soon as its even partially free from the material. Previous seat fabrics were never a problem to clean and vacuum hair. Service reps actually had the nerve to tell me I just needed to change the setting on my AC/Heat to exterior air before turning off and getting out of the vehicle. That somehow the way I use my HVAC is causing the problem! Every concern I have bought up to service is dismissed immediately as something I must be doing wrong. And that was from the Service department manager! In addition when the dealer "fixed" the dash, they managed to put a dent in the door of my truck. While its now scheduled to be fixed and they took ownership, seems to me maybe they need to look within for who is doing something wrong as relates to these trucks. I have 2 positives for this truck: 1. The stay in place floor mats. 2. The 4-door double cab as an in-between to the crew cab. I have now contact Chevrolet corporate. So far Im being put off in a noncommittal lets get dealer to address issues… Really? Dont really think a dealer can fix an inferior product with design flaws.

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  Good Buy - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ryan - October 10 - 9:20 am

  Wanted a dependable work or play truck and got exactly what I was looking for. Purchased a 2008 (4.3 / Auto) with LS package (chrome bumpers and wheels), locking rear, keyless, carpet, cruise and A/C for around $13,500 (Original sticker $20,850). I couldnt find a used truck with those features for that kind of price. Getting mileage as promised (17-18 combined) Everything in the engine compartment is easy to access. Very pleased with the truck.