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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  SOOO Fast! - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bertrand - May 23 - 2:00 am

  I have driven many cars before recently buying my Z06 - AMG C32, Lexus SC430, BMWs and others - but nothing under $70K can compare to the performance of the Z06 - 0-60 in 3.9, 1/4 mile in low 12s, 1G lat. pull - one cannot truly understand the power of this car on full boil without trying it for themselves - simply obliterates anything out there.

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  Best value for a single person - 2016 Chevrolet Spark
  By David - May 22 - 7:51 pm

  The most economical automobile I could find. -- Dealer was very accommodating -- gave me top dollar for my beat-up trade-in and ate the MV fees. Car is easy to maneuver & to park, holds the road well in the rain. Small size helps avoid accidents -- when I swerved to avoid a deer I missed the guard rail by an inch; would have scraped it in a wider car. Rear storage is small, but perfect for grocery bags -- they cant fall over. Cruise control and blue tooth are very convenient features. Front passenger seat is quite comfortable. Rear not so much, but I rarely if ever have more than one passenger. Fuel economy less than advertised, but still decent. MUCH less expensive than competitors Yaris, Fit, Mini & Fiat.

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  Great Car - 1996 Chevrolet Corsica
  By kev1387 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is perfect for the beginner or anyone. This car is very reliable and is still holding up and going stron g at 104,000 miles.

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  Love my S10 - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By BugMan - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Bought it for commercial pest control vehicle, used around town and regularly haul 800 pounds and it handles the load no problem. Zero factory defects and more than I expected. The four cylinder engine isnt a hot rod, but it gets the job done. Very comfortable seats and the ride is fantastic, more like a car than truck. Very good Interstate road vehicle and nimble around town. Air Conditioner works fantastic. I dont understand the reviews saying it looks cheap inside, it looks good to me. I drove all the small trucks and got the best deal on the Chevy plus I liked it more. I drove other brands for 40 years and this is my first Chevy truck. Guarantee it wont be my last. I love it.

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  Fun Car - 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Bri - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Very satisfying car to own. Love the looks, sound and performance. Takes some getting used to at first, its not a weak car that you can just floor in 1st & second gear. You can get sideways in a hurry (which is fun) especially if the pavement is cold or wet. You have to learn to roll into the throttle if traction is suspect. I use it as a daily driver in Michigan even in winter. I throw some winter tires on for the 3 snowy months and it does better than our front drive minivan.

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  this car is great - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Big John - May 22 - 2:00 am

  i love my camaro

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  Brakes Suck - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By WW - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Great drive train but the brakes suck. Entirely too small for the vehicle. 65000 on the vehicle and I am ready to install the 4th set of rotors and pads. Dealerships don the halo and claim no defect in the vehicle. Talk to ex Chevy dealership personnel and you get a different story,the brakes suck because theyre too small for the truck.

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  Great Truck! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Dave123 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  It is a monster... Just what I wanted... The flexibility with the ride and comfort... Lots of fun...

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  Dont buy this truck without a diesel - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Robert - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Truck constantly hunts for gears while going up a hill. I notified dealer immediately and they told me to let it break in. Notified GM and they said speak to the dealer. Dealer transmission guy plugged truck into computer and took it on a test drive and was able to experience the same issue. GM says that the vehicle is operating as designed! I guess the Toyotas were operating as designed too when the accelerators stuck and killed people! Poor design. GM needs to fix this. Do not buy this truck with a gas engine!

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  Very impressed - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cruzer - May 22 - 2:00 am

  I just traded my Jeep Wrangler for this Chevy Cruze and I thought I would never go back to a chevrolet again but when I drove this car and found out what the gas mileage was I was impressed. Only time will tell just how reliable it is but the quality of the car far outweighs the competitors so far. It doesnt even feel like im driving an economy car. Great job GM!