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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  Happy to be Chevy Truck Driver! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Tom - September 8 - 3:56 am

  I was first looking at Tundra, but the dealer wanted too much. After several weeks of researching, I am happy to have Blue Granite Silverado. Color looks great. It was my first time to buy full pickup truck. Only have this truck for several weeks and now running at 2000 miles. Good view of driving. Glad to have running board, even Im pretty big, my knees going bad. Turn ratio needs to be better. Good power for a 4.8 engine. Impressed to see driving under 2000 rpm at 70 - 75 mph. Need to improve hauling weight. Weight is limited to 4800 lbs. Dashboard layout is great. Nice to have seat built for 6 people. I like the idea of raising the backseats to make room for Home Depot stuffs.

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  little white ice cream truck - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By SikesPros - September 7 - 6:12 pm

  drives excellent,tires keep going low,nice quiet smooth ride...easy handling..nice stock stereo,cmfo seats,adjustable armrest.

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  A Drivers Car - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By sr001 - September 7 - 10:07 am

  Car is engaging, it communicates through the steering wheel, suspension and exhaust sound. It does not attract attention, the interior does not communicate (steering wheel blocks freeway speeds and generally no useful notification system, trust onStar). Step on the throttle and it accelerates very quickly, no bad boy behavior, just the rush. On curves, following instinct only, the posted speed limit is generally exceeded (significantly). As a passenger, it is a Chevy Cobalt. Its not a great family car, except that everyone in the family wants to drive it.

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  Best of the Best - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By John Christian - September 7 - 6:00 am

  My first SS. Handles better than my 1994 Pontiac Firebird, which I truly thought was a great ride. The interest I receive from other cars on the road is very gratifying. Everyrone turns their heads when passing by! I had a Ford GT pull along side of me, and he punched his accelerator, sped ahead of me, I lowered my pedal, and last saw him in my rearview mirror! It is an awesome car, would not consider another one. Too bad that GM is going to discontinue the line after 2008. This car is the car of the future, plus it has great gas saving ability, and all the power you need short of NASCAR!

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  My Steel Horse - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By cowboy22 - September 6 - 2:23 pm

  This truck has been great, and it runs as strong as they day it was taken off the lot. I will never change my view of Chevy, LIKE A ROCK!!!

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  Used 2013 Volt still feels like the future :-) - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By Luk - September 6 - 1:08 pm

  Can a car be enchanting? This little marvel surely is to me. What can be better than a car that hardly burns any gas? (Smoking was banned in restaurants and bars a while back for humans, now the cars have to stop too!!!) This, and yet still provide a much smoother and more comfortable ride than any gas-based car? Sure, the car has its little quirks, mentioned in many reviews, but to me they seem minor, even charming. The backseats? Of course they are not very roomy, but my children like the bucket-style seats, and their middle console with their cupholders, USB ports (with adapter) and storage compartment. The touch sensitive buttons? Actually, they work really well, and look kind of cool (just dont try to clean them while the car is powered on). Electronics integration with phone, navigation, etc is excellent. I use it with a 240V charger (ClipperCreek ), which is a nice accessory to have for any EV. I am surprised that by now not every car works with an electric motor coupled to a range extender. Its just a much better design than a transmission and provides a much superior driving experience. I bought it used in Feb 2016 and driven 8000 miles, and been to the gas station only twice (last visit in June 2016, over seven months ago!).

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  My favorite car, ever! - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Richard - September 6 - 8:40 am

  This is my fourth "Vette", the first being an73, bright yellow. Great things have happened since then to the auto and to the color. My Millennium Yellow Roadster is all that the other three were and much more. The most astounding was the smooth almost never ending flow of power but just as astounding is the ride. This Vette rides like my Lexus SC400 - too much, you say, I say, try it. What a joy to drive and know that with a flip of a switch you can go from Lexus to all Corvette with the ride and handling you want and need to have even more fun. All the electronic goodies that come with the C6 ony add to the joy and fun of a sports car that is pure fun and entertainment. Love my Vette A lot of people knock the interior and it could use a little help maybe but this is a Corvette, not an Audi, which looks like a circus inside, or some such. Over all, it works for me!

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  Trailblazer a great value - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jeff - September 5 - 7:53 pm

  The Trailblazer has more HP than any SUV in its class. The ride is extremly smooth. I think the interior is very user freindly.

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  Best car I ever owned - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By libra26 - September 5 - 7:12 pm

  This was the most reliable car I ever had in my life. I never had to put anything major into this car in the 6 yrs I owned it. Absolutely the best and I loved it. I wish they still made the cavalier. I owned 2. I tried to get another used one but they were hard to find. Im sorry I didnt keep it until it had major problems. I only got rid of it because I was scared of the mileage 110,000 and it needed a new coolant system put in it. I missed having air conditioning too. I didnt want to put any money into it. I was afraid having an 11 yrs old car was risky. I got great mileage. I never not once had it not start for me in 6 yrs. Thats pretty amazing.

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  Not perfect, but awfully close - 2016 Chevrolet SS
  By LS260395 - September 5 - 4:15 pm

  The Chevy SS (Holden Commodore down under) is an amazing car. It can go to the track for some hot laps then stop by the grocery store on the way home. Its a very well integrated package of performance, luxury and utility/usefulness. The controls are firm, but they feel just right for this big car and it drives smaller than it actually is. The 415hp LS3 V8 is a gem, but its thirsty as a daily driver, so far about 17 mpg. This car has less than year of production remaining as 2017 is the "last call". If you want a new one, better act quickly! Update! 10,115 miles now and the Chevy SS continues to impress. Problems have been limited to 2 screws in the tires, one of which was not repairable. Fuel economy continues to improve, a few tanks have been 19.0-19.5 mpg. The radio reception for non-satellite stations is not the best, had the dealer re-set the system, which did seem to help a little. The MRC drive settings (Tour-Sport-Perf) and the dual mode exhaust give this car multiple personalities. Each is unique and well sorted. Very few people know this car and its nearly "invisible" in the daily commute, which is exactly the way I prefer. One time you will get some attention is at the gas station after a fill-up. When re-starting the car, the next guy next to you looks over and thinks......."that sure doesnt sound like a Malibu?" Update- 18,900 mi. One year in and still pleased with the SS. It drives as well now as it did when new and the fuel economy has been steady between 18.5-19.5mpg (70% hwy). The OE Bridgestone RE050A tires have been better than expected. They have great grip and have lasted longer than I figured? They only have a 140 tread wear so to make it to 20K is not bad. I plan on keeping this car for the long term, but will likely get a small 35-40 mpg. daily driver to try and keep some of the commuter miles off this car.