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:

• 

  The one that wont Die - 1991 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Big B - December 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car about 5 1/2 months ago.It had 116,000 miles on it.But when i bought it i knew that i wouldnt have to replace anything any time soon. I myself have not had to do one minor or major repair on this boat.It is the most reliable car i have ever driven. (Just make sure you buy it from an old person, they like those cars)

• 

  The Best - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By George III - December 23 - 2:00 am

  Has been a perfect vehicle for me on road, off road, in town or cross country. Mountain snow, desert heat, it doesnt matter.

• 

  Very Inpressed - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Chris Vlastaris - December 22 - 2:30 pm

  After a long absence from the Impala, my first love in 1963, followed by Buicks & Pontiacs, I came back to it this year. And I am here to stay till the end. She is as pleasant as ever. As big as ever. As warm and safe as ever. I love everything about her. Big. Roomy. Safe. Impressive. Beautiful. And does not drink as much gasoline as others her size. And another plus, she has the lowest insurance cost out of all North American cars, after her big sister, the LT model. Folks, believe me, I should know. I am an Auto Insurance Agent

• 

  Im on my 2nd one, wonderful cars. - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By J. Montague - December 22 - 7:37 am

  I have owned 2 of these cars, I bought a 2005 brand new it had 7 mi on it. It lasted until 2015 when the transmission went out at 215K miles. Now that Im retired and not commuting 60 miles a day I decided to buy another one. I now on a 2004 Base with the sports appearance package that had 72,000 mIles (now 77,820) from the original owners. These cars are very reliable, all I did in the 05 was oil changes, tune ups, fuel filters, pretty much preventative maintenence. The only issue with these cars that I have is the transmissions. Around 75,000 miles it begins to slip gears (not skip) all it needs is the solenoids need replaced. I did it on the 2005 and Im planning on doing it on my current 2004 here soon along with a flush, filter change, and fill. I get excellent mileage I can get 22-25mpg with mixed driving and on the recent 500 mile round trip I took to Milwaukee with 100% highway driving with the cruise on 65 I got 30.4 mpg. The ride is wonderful, my wife has a 2013 Nissan Sentra and I cant stand it, it may get wonderful gas mileage, but the ride is harsh and its very small for my long legs I cant get a good seat adjustment. I assume take the Impala. You can buy these for cheap with around 150K miles for about $2500.00, these are definetly worth the money and are almost bullet proof except for the transmission & lower intake gaskets. If you want a nice reliable car that does decent on gas and is minimal on repairs if maintained, then look for one of these, if they were decently taken care of, you can have a wonderful car for a decent price. Even my 2005 wasnt badly priced when it was brand new (around $21,500)

• 

  Mostly Happy, just food for thought! - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Ted Brinson - December 22 - 3:03 am

  After paying almost $30,000 I’ve found several things GM failed to address. Eat belts are hard to fasten in the front seat because of the center console so close. There is not a home link available for this vehicle (garage door opener). Nice power seat for the driver, but not available for the passenger. There are a lot of blind spots, rear camera is useful, but hard takes a lot of getting use to. Seat headrest are in the way of vision to the side for a short person. (wife) After 2,271 miles I found the car rides good, good gas mileage, little road noise Mechanically, the vehicle is great. It seems solid and quite.

• 

  great truck - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By hotrodrigue - December 22 - 2:00 am

  One guy in this review wrote that everything went out by 100k miles. Hes either lost his mind or got chevy mixed up with his ford. Maybe a lemon, who knows, but this truck and engine has got me through a lot without many probs. Besided spark plugs and wires, the engine is perfect. Ive had probs with my rear end only because I lifted the truck and put 31" tires on it. I had to put a geared down rear end and change my clutch at 120k miles which is amazing for pulling the big inboard outboard boat and turning those big tires. I have 125k miles on this truck and cant complain. I hope my next Chevy treats me as good as this one did........Great Truck.

• 

  Dont buy chevy - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Darrell - December 21 - 10:41 pm

  Bought brand new in 2008. Still have in 2016 only 29k miles on it, garage kept and lots of problems. A/C quit working already, lift gate wont open unless you use screw driver to unlatch it. Turn signal will not self cancel, mpg not as good as claimed. Almost have to lay in passenger seat to see traffic light. Sun visor wont stay in place. Will never buy a Chevrolet again!

• 

  What you need.....a good basic truck! - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Coach K - December 21 - 10:20 pm

  I bought this truck used with 41K miles on it. I was looking for a small truck but at the price and what shape it was in I could not pass it up. I bought this when the gas spiked up so I got it for $7,000. The V6 is a little under powered but gets you moving. I commute 30 miles everyday to work and I have gotten it to average 20, not bad. I have had zero problems with it. I would say if you need a truck for weekend work and want something comfortable, easy to drive, then a basic 1500 is what you should look for.

• 

  My Chevrolet Truck S-10 - 1991 Chevrolet S-10
  By Joe Sarazen - December 20 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle used. It served me for four years, but now I would like to turn it in for a new model.

• 

  Yes, better than my 01 Camaro SS - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Quicksilver - December 20 - 2:00 am

  Its a serious image enhancement. Dont buy this car if you dont like attention---its a chemical reaction to public exposure.