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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  I Love My Trax - 2016 Chevrolet Trax
  By dee - October 23 - 3:37 am

  It is a cross between my cruze ltz and my 07 Equinox. The ride is awesome and the gas mileage is awesome. I love the ride, the technology, and the pick up. I would recommend to anyone who wants a smaller suv.

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  Wifes Baby - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Wizard - October 22 - 8:53 pm

  Bought my wife a bright red SS for Valentines Day loaded with everything. She and I both love driving this car. Ample power, roomy, comfortable, and it does turn heads.

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  dont buy if you have car seats . . . - 2016 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Heather Young - October 22 - 11:23 am

  If I had only sat in the back seat of this car before purchasing it I would have passed on it. The placement of the seat belts on the 2nd row captains seats is TERRIBLE. It is nearly impossible to get a car seat in and buckled. Also, the placement of the seat belt make a ride in the 2nd row captains seats uncomfortable for an adult as they are too far inside the seat and they arent flexible. Some engineer designed this without thinking about the usability. I have tried complaining to GM and they dont seem to do anything. I have complained to my service department and the manager is "trying." The service manager told me I am not the only 1 with issues about the 2nd row seats. Seriously, dont buy this car unless and until they fix the issue.

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  2K silverado std cab swb - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jaegerman - October 20 - 10:46 am

  Lighter than a gmc.

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  JUNK BUYER BEWARE - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Senecio - October 19 - 3:00 pm

  To sum it up I have been trying to give it back since 3 days after I bought it. In one year no exaggeration it has been in the shop at least 50 times. Four times LAST week with another appointment set up for next week. This vehicle is poorly made, maintained, assembled and all around junk.

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  Grandma Car - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Matthew - October 19 - 12:40 pm

  This car is okay for packing kids or if you are looking for a SUV alternative, but as far as fun and eye stopping, no way. My friends ask me why I bought such a Grandma car. Well at the time I had no other choice the car I had was way too small and this was all they had. Now I wish everyday I would have kept my old car. I have had the power steering worked on twice. Once it went out while driving on the interstate. A new gas tank for unexplainable dents from the dealer, and when you go over bumps it sounds like the front end is going to fall out of it.

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  Research before you buy one! - 2009 Chevrolet Equinox
  By NanaT - October 19 - 8:48 am

  Stabilitrak Off/Traction Control Off/Service Stabilitrak light coming on. Can not find an issue in the vehicle even after having it taken in 3 times. Apparently this warning means about 1,000 different things could be wrong with the vehicle. I actually made it 21 miles home from leaving the service department this time before it came on. Please, please do your research on this. There are hundreds of complaints on the issue and evidently GM does nothing about it because it is a continuing issue!!

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  Love my 6 HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Bruce Bartley - October 19 - 7:16 am

  Over all Ilove My HHR. But with any new car there are some bugs to be worked out. And yes I bought the extended warranty so all of the bugs can be worked out by my dealer. I feel its a small price to pay. I was one of the first to own the Chevy HHR and since then Ive seen a lot more every day.

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  Very good overall but lacks performance - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Ferrari F1 + 7 - October 19 - 6:33 am

  I love my Equinox, its very good looking and comfortable as well as spacious but I think we can do with a little more horsepower and torque. It looks fast and sporty but looks its all it has in performance. Overall, Im very happy with my SUV.

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  Amazing retro wagon - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By BLKHHR - October 18 - 10:40 am

  I came from a Saturn ION to the Chevy HHR and over-all this vehicle feels much more stable and solid than the Saturn did. The seating position is higher than the ION, much like a mini-ute, but the windshield is smaller and somewhat harder to see out of. I thought I would miss the center- mounted gauges in the ION but the HHR has a small gauge cluster that makes up for that.