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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  Quality product? - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By second monte family - June 28 - 2:03 pm

  My 2006 Monte has had nothing but problems from day one. Had to replace steering twice and then last month got a recall notice for the same. The dealer has been looking for the problem with the computer since I bought it. What is with that? I love Chevy vehicles but this one is disappointing to say the least.

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  quality control - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By ttcc - June 27 - 12:43 pm

  very poor fit of both front doors an hood. right front door outside door handle was never tightened

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  Good value without the splash - 2016 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Roger Randolph - June 27 - 11:43 am

  Its hard for me to drop down to the 4 cylinder. The pickup is not there.

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  More bang for your buck! - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By zenith191 - June 27 - 4:10 am

  This is the second camaro I have owned. I have also owned a C5 corvette. While the vette handles significantly better the raw seat of the pants accelleration is not too much different than the Camaro once a few after market mods are thrown on. For half the price of the corvette though this car is a steal! If you like to go fast and dont care about creature comforts then this is for you.

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  Ok car for the money - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Jessz71 - June 23 - 2:00 am

  I purchased the car in 1/2003 and have had it for a year. It is a decent looking car, but not that I am nearing 100,000 miles seems like everything is going at once. When you accelerate to 3500 the transmission shifts very hard when it is warm, but when it is cold smooth as a daisy. It is leaking oil from the pan and when you roll the windows up when it is cold the dont roll all the way up. The anti lock light also is on and it seems that the shocks are going. I change oil and do regualar maintenance, but i just dont understand.

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  Sounds good on Paper,but... - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jzr1sy - June 21 - 10:00 am

  Mine is equipped with the Z71 option. Very annoying hesitation while in slow driving (heavy traffic)when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear followed by a hard shudder, then it shifts. Been to the dealer 6 times, tried many things, including replacing the transmission, to no relief. When factory representative drove it, he decided that since this problem is in other vehicles there was nothing he could do about it(New standard?). Shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear the same happens but to a lesser degree.

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  No love affair here! - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By monkeyjaws - June 16 - 10:00 am

  The AC on this car is loud and intermittent...had it fixed once and drove off by the time I got home (9 miles)it was shutting off and on again. The brakes are awful on the interstate, feels like the car is vibrating itself out of alignment. Tires wear quickly too. The upgrades CD system is very nice. The sun roof is wonderful...a fun car to drive...mechanically very reliable.

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  Cheap - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By d_jarrell - June 12 - 10:00 am

  2,400 miles so far and going back to shop for second time. Dealer cant seem to fix alignment. Interior is very cheap. Rear headrests block rearview. XM radio is a joke, dont pay extra for it!

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  Great Car, Disappointing Quality - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By David Cox - June 7 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Chevrolet and first truck. The vehicle has been expensive and troublesome. I really like the car, but dont know that Id buy another, at least not another Chevy.\ Door and seats have needed rebuilding, the brake control systems have required $1600 in repairs in the last 17 months, and the dealer has often needed multiple tries to fix things.

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  Disgusted - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By John Kelly - June 5 - 10:26 am

  I bought this new and drive about 35000 miles a year. First 100000 miles fine. Since then, I have replaced one front wheel bearing, one of the 2 fuel pumps, brakes, the exhaust manifold. It has been a constant, very expensive headache this past year. Paint on the console has worn off. Turning radius is awful. Sell yours before you reach 100000 miles. This vehicle wont help the reputation of American car manufacturers.