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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  Excellent Choice - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By JGMalisky - July 21 - 2:00 am

  This is the best all around vehicle I have ever owned. I have had regular cabs, extended cabs, blazers and Mercedes Benz cars. By far this is the best vehicle I have ever owned. You can take it hunting, fishing, camping and then the the public theater.

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  Not impressed - 2016 Chevrolet Impala
  By Paul Wernich - July 20 - 11:29 am

  Car looked great on the lot and it was a certified pre-owned with a good warranty and only 8,000 miles for almost 15k below the new car cost. Thats where the "wow" wore off. The Impala rides too harsh and unsettled for the flagship of the Chevy lineup and twin to the Buick lacrosse and Caddy XTS. Getting in and out literally bruises my hip because the seat belt has a hard piece sticking out at the side of the seat. I keep turning the radio off and every time I get back in the car its on again. The a/c automatically lowers everytime you make or receive a phone call, even if its 100 degrees outside. The autostop function is a nuisance because the car bucks and jumps at every stop light/stop sign and I doubt its really saving that much fuel. Some of the interior bits are cheapy/flimsy. I have the upgraded LT and it has fabric/plastic seats, the Chysler 300 costs the same and gives you real leather and a V6 that gets about the same mpgs as Impalas 4 cylinder??? I think I made a mistake. The Impala also sits way to low, I keep scraping up the front end. Im just not impressed.

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  Its an American car!! - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jason Smith - July 20 - 8:53 am

  GMC has redeemed themselves with this outstanding truck! It drives like a dream while maintaining its toughness and style. I love the interior display. Very high quality materials. Buttons are easy to reach. It looks more like a German interior design. The leather seats are very confortable. The ergonomics are very user friendly. If you want to complain about the gas, maybe youre buying a car you cant afford. Ive had the truck for two weeks now and heads turn left and right when I drive this beauty. Some people think is an Escalate or a Range Rover, people just love how good it looks.

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  Chevy needs to improve blazers - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Laredmun - July 20 - 2:00 am

  i bought this 95 blazer LT with 123K ive only had to fix the brakes on it and replace two rotors the engine seems to lack power. the MPG is 16-17 ouch that hurts but other than that my blazer has performed well now it has 138K

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  THE SS - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By reefblue42 - July 20 - 2:00 am

  It is a great car - BUY ONE IF YOU CAN!!!

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  Great White - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By gasserl - July 20 - 2:00 am

  The Avalanche has performed as advertised for us. We use it for our vacations hauling or travel trailer all over the state. The Avalance has handled our needs more than any other car or truck we have owned to date.

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  Finally Got It - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Merlin - July 20 - 2:00 am

  I first saw this truck at the Detroit auto show 3 years ago. I knew right then I had to have it. The versatility and comfort for long trips has sold me. It will haul 6 people or just 3 people and our kayaks and all our gear.

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  Boyhood dream a reality - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By pdmclu - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Superb build quality, awesome power, great styling. This is the best automobile I have ever owned.

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  Boyhood dream a reality - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By PDM - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Superb build quality, awesome power, great styling. This is the best automobile I have ever owned.

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  My Second Caprice and still love them - 1995 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Attila - July 19 - 2:00 am

  I also owned a 93 caprice with a 305 and just downright love the additional power of the LT1 V8. The dash is a lot better although I would prefer an analog spedometer and a tach. The new larger side mirrors were a great improvment. If you get a hold of a police model, it has great handling for the size of vehiclewhile still holding a bunch of people and cargo. This 2 ton vehicle is capable of embarrasing most import owners while your Lt1 equiped versions can beat many mustang gts as weall as the much hyped about Mercury Marauder.