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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  Fun to Drive ! Great to look at! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Amy - September 25 - 7:43 am

  Great car. Easy to handle, nice looking exterior cool features. Only thing I dont like is the plastic on the rear and front bumpers, easy to scratch, must be careful parallel parking, leave a lot of room between cars. Otherwise a great choice. Much better looking and easier to handle than other SUVs in its class.

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  Cavalier Owner Rating - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jcolon - September 25 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is very dependable. I love it. It is also great on fuel. I have had this vehicle for over 4 years now and the only problems I have had were a timing belt problem and a coolant problem. Maintain it and it will maintain you happy.

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  Lumina - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By rick rodriguez - September 25 - 2:00 am

  i like the car alot.

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  #1 - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By jyates - September 25 - 2:00 am

  After looking for about a year at different vehicles, I decided on the Blazer. The Blazer fit everything I wanted into one vehicle. Its ride is subperb, the leather seats are the most comfortable out of any SUV, and all controls are easy to reach and work! The Best Car I have owned by far

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  Most potential for fun for the $ - 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Retired Guy - September 24 - 9:53 pm

  I bought it right when they released the info on the 2016. I wanted a retro style car and the Challenger which I think looks better drives like an ocean liner by comparison. The V6 does well, although lacking the torque of a V8 and requiring higher RPM to get the power down. People who dont own one of these always comment on why have a V6- except this V6 puts down more power than any of the V8 Camaros of the 60s 70s 80s or 90s. Even the big block SS396 was barely a match for the modern V6. When I bought my Camaro, it was really just something to drive to work and I already had a 2015 Impala (which is an awesome car with the same engine). Although I never intended to do it, I ended up taking the car to an autocross instead of my usual race car. It did REALLY well. The car can handle well and when driven hard- it doesnt do too bad. Of course, this meant the commuter started to get changed into something else. I added the 1/LE performance suspension with shocks/struts/springs/sway bars as well as the 1/LE Brembo brakes and a GM performance exhaust by Borla. This car is a beast on the autocross course and the high revving 6 and paddle shifters make it a pleasure. With some bolt-on mods, its nearly the same output as the base V8 but happier at high revs. Now, onto the interior- Great seats, nice gauges although with the HUD, I never really look at the cluster. The MyLink works well, but sometimes switches input when it gets confused. Bluetooth always works. I bypassed the Boston Acoustics amp and run an Alpine with Polk speakers and a Polk sub. The stock system with the Kicker subwoofer option sounded good, but I usually look for more audio performance in any car I own. The lack of HD Radio was a surprise, as other MyLin equipped Chevies have HD Radio... and it sounds WAY better. My biggest complaint on interior is the 4-gauge cluster by the shifter. You cant see much of it. They also marked the bottom of the range with an orange marker that looks just like the orange pointer. Nothing like glancing at the gauges and two of them look as if theres a problem because you cant see the pointer- and it looks as if theres an orange pointer at the minimum/bottom end of the gauge. Ridiculous. Wish I had the change tray instead- as all the same info can be on your color display between the speedo and tach. The "luxury" 2LT should have auto climate control. Seriously, manual controls on the supposed "luxury" model? Ridiculous. The trunk is tiny, a spare tire is an option (this is a lousy trend). The back seat is tiny, but my 10 year old and 7 year old dont mind it at all when we take this car places. All in all, its a fun car. I cant think of what other car I could have purchased with 335 horsepower, paddle shifters, leather and heated seats etc for only $24K. Sticker was $34K, I think, but got a discount through work.

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  Good Car - 12 years later - 1991 Chevrolet Lumina
  By CJStudentUNC - September 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car a month ago to replace my Pontiac Bonneville which was falling apart. I still cannot believe what a great deal I got. I paid $2K for it (+ tax) and its in great mechanical shape. The engine is clean and it runs beautifully. The only problems with it are some minor hail damage and a problem with a joint in the front passenger steering assembly ($150 to fix). I have already driven the car over 1500 miles. It runs great in town and is very comfortable on the highway. The 3.1L engine runs smooth and the gears get as much performance as they can out of its 140hp. I highly recommend this model if you can find one in good condition.

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  The best I ever had - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By lunar - September 24 - 2:00 am

  This truck was the best thing that I have ever bought. Had the V6 with some performance parts with the 5 speed manual. This was a very fast truck.

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  Oregon Prizm - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Eric Mellgren - September 24 - 2:00 am

  A solid, basic car that is both comfortable and fun to drive. Bigger inside than it first appears. Fuel economy is as good as claimed - never less than 32 mpg in town (with a 5- speed) and 36-38 mpg on the road.

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  MAD CAR OF THE YEAR - 1997 Chevrolet Camaro
  By fredyjnrt - September 24 - 2:00 am

  This car is cheap and super strong and has guts.

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  Great SUV/Great Value - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By bwright - September 24 - 2:00 am

  Bought a 2004 Tahoe about 2 weeks ago and am very happy with the purchase. The truck is very roomy and rides like a car.