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:

• 

  Hell of a first car - 1997 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Metlhed1386 - March 15 - 2:00 am

  This is my first car and Im lovin it. Not only does it look good but it goes good too. Theres nothin like cruising with T-tops

• 

  Fell out of love - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Patricia Tipton - March 14 - 1:51 pm

  Real problems with emission controls and related DEF issues. Less than 38500 miles and have had 10 service events relating to these issues. Last three were out of warranty and cost me around $1500. Oil changes and DEF top offs run between $90 -100.

• 

  Geart little car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By superk12303 - March 14 - 10:00 am

  I have had the vech about a month now and it is great would tell anyone who asked me about it and was interested in a small car to look at it

• 

  Good choice for its class - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By efdake - March 14 - 10:00 am

  Keep in mind that I am upgrading from a 89 Ford Ranger XLT 5 speed manual standard cab with 4 cyls. With that being said, I looked at the Nissan Titan, Toyota Tundra, GMC Canyon and the Chevy Colorado. Ruled out the Titan and Tundra for gas mileage and size. I was impressed when I drove the Canyon and went to the Chevy dealership to do the 24 hour test drive as the Colorado was available. I ended up purchasing the Colorado. Found one with the features and options I wanted. After driving this machine for a week-and-a-half I am very impressed. Good ride, smooth and easy to drive. IÂ’m glad I chose this vehicle. See my favorite feature list.

• 

  Nice Ride - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By ByteWitch - March 14 - 10:00 am

  After looking at and test driving every SUV out there, my number one selection was the 2002 Trail Blazer. This was right within my price range, has lots of buttons and extra features, and is one smooooooth ride!

• 

  GREAT BUY!!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By DAVID CORTES - March 14 - 10:00 am

  BIG CAR BUT FUN TO DRIVE...

• 

  kkicks ass - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jrodrigj - March 14 - 10:00 am

  awesome SUV, i would reccomend this suv to anyone. it is very nice

• 

  Safety Hazard - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By DH - March 14 - 10:00 am

  My truck is just ok. Nothing spectacular. However, the most serious problem with this vehicle is that there is an air-conditioner solid tube that is routed directly over the distributer, cap and rotor. Every six to ten months, the continuous water dripping onto the distributer corrodes the internal electronics and the vehicle is subject to unexpected stalling without the possibility of restarting. This vehicle is very dangerous, yet Chevrolet refuses to admit this design flaw to date. I have a lemon law case file in progress and notifying local news sources in an effort to save other people from this neglegence.

• 

  chevys - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By wildmechanic69 - March 14 - 10:00 am

  the truck will pull but has hesitation off idle and when going down the road in passing gear @80 it sounds like lifters rattleing,holds weight pretty good though,if i had it to do over agin i wouldnt buy this over rated over priced vehicle again

• 

  Disappointed - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Marlene - March 14 - 4:46 am

  Having owned the 2000 Impala I was excited about the new body style of the 2006. While I enjoy the comfort of the car and the drive performance, I have experienced nothing but problems with the ABS/Traction Control System. I have been back and forth to the dealership at least five times and they have replaced the electronic braking module and the rear wheel harness attempting to remedy the problem. To no avail the problem is still occuring intermittently. I love my car, but I hate the problems that I am experiencing. Looks like I will have to trade it in sooner rather than later. Looks like GM is going to lose a valuable customer.