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 Value for the Money - 2013 Chevrolet Captiva Sport
  By cathy valentine - September 27 - 9:45 pm

  This is an all around great buy in the turbo 4 cylinder version. Handles responsively and interior trim is nicely appointed. I tested all of the crossovers and this rides better than a Rav 4 for a lot less money.

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  My yellow SSR - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By myyellowSSR - September 27 - 8:39 pm

  I love how this truck handles, The power it has, right there when ya need it, Girls do drive trucks. Just love It. What more can I say?

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  Wow - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Ted - September 27 - 10:09 am

  I now have this car almost 2 years with only 1 minor issue. The trunk release from outside the car(by the rear plate)dont work. Besides that no other issues. This car is awesome, with incredible power. Its also very comfortable even on long trips. Im always looking for an excuse to drive because of the fun of this machine.

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  Daily Driving - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By monte_z34 - September 27 - 10:00 am

  Awesome car. Great style and handleing with great burnout/ smoking capabilities. Definetly an incredible vehicle.

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  2009 Sport Equinox - 2009 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Mike - September 27 - 12:27 am

  We looked at a lot of suvs and crossovers. We knew as soon as we drove the Equinox Sport that this was a great vehicle. Great Power and Handling. It can tow my boat, because it has a 3500 lb towing capacity. Has good gas mileage if you do not race around. The warranty is great. Equinox is fun to drive and very versatile.

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  A SSR FOR ME! - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By The Vitter - September 26 - 9:56 pm

  I thought the truck was Bad when it first came out. The GM designers did their work on this one to create a unique ride. I almost bought a red 05 last year, but backed out. I started to look real hard for a clean one. I found one in my own backyard at Chase Chevrolet located in Stockton, Ca. I have driven the big engine and found that the small engine is just fine. I have owned many Chevy muscle cars in my day. Still im my geerage to this day are a stock 71 RS/Z28 350 LT-1 4 spd. A 67 Chevy II Nova with a 427/turbo 400 with 456 cogs. The black SSR i just bought is in pristine condition. I did not buy it for a hot rod, I bought it because it is a classy ride. The Heartbeat rides on

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  Very pleased - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By sbecks - September 26 - 1:13 pm

  Five minutes into a test drive, I was hooked. Took a sharp dog leg corner at a considerable speed, and the HHR held to the road like a magnet. A little slow off the line, but will see if a chip helps. Day of purchase took a 200mi trip. Very pleasant to drive, and very peppy and nimble in traffic. City and hiway. Great fuel economy. Cruise set at 78 most of trip. Avg mpg was 26-27. That was with a little lead foot sport driving in city. Some road noise thru suspension but not unreasonable for size of vehicle. Slight wind noise but, again not unreasonable. I am very impressed with the sure footed feeling on wet roads.

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  Used 2008-5 - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Steve - September 26 - 11:30 am

  Just bought a used Aveo 5 with 5speed. I earlier had bought a new intro Aveo in 2004. I was never quite happy with the mileage. I aso found the shifter really mushy and it really needed an armrest. Those issues are fixed in the 2008. I get 37+ on the highway (70-75mph) and the old one would only get 33 if you babied it at <65mph. The shifter is much improved, it now has an armrest an the handling is much tighter. I gave up A/C to get a cheap purchase price but havent missed A/C so far. I still am concerned about the reported troublesome timing belt but will just plan on 50K replacement. All-in-all I find the Aveo 5 very fine for my needs- inexpensive-fun to drive- efficient.

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  Absolutely no problems - 2005 Chevrolet Venture
  By ric - September 25 - 4:08 pm

  Bought from a rental company with 50 K on it. Have put about 90 K on the vehicle myself. Not a single problem! The most reliable vehicle Ive ever owned.

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  Exceptional Vehicle - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Paul - September 25 - 10:01 am

  Very impressed with this vehicle. Still own a 1998 Malibu and traded in our 2002 Venture. If I could only own 1 vehicle, this would be it. It does it all - it really shines on the highway. Good riding height and has a substantial presence on the road which helps with the big truck traffic. Around town is is very nimble and my average fuel economy is 20.1 at the moment which I think is pretty good for a 4700 pound 281 HP vehicle. The exterior styling is really one of the coolest crossovers made. I get a lot of comments about it and it makes most other vehicles look like antiques. Overall, very pleased with this purchase and hope to keep it for a long long time.