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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  Great vehicle, cant get past a few item - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By rysamem - July 15 - 4:26 am

  Overall I like the vehicle. Drives nice, great mileage, many features. Bluetooth, OnStar, backup camera, USB make traveling much more enjoyable. Only 600 miles but I average about 29 on the highway.

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  Very poor quality - 2016 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Ron Smith - July 15 - 1:30 am

  The quality and attention to detail is deplorable the dash board and door panels are totally out of allignment and of different thickness 11mm on driver side and 4 mm on passenger side the vehicle looks as if it had a very poor repair after an accident to the front end

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  Chevy struck gold - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By wonderwhatznext - July 14 - 10:00 am

  I have had no problems at all with the vehicle and would buy another one in a heartbeat. It comes as no surprise to me that it has been a sales success. I am often dissapointed with Consumers Reports biasses torwards Japanese automakers, as I test drove a Camry and an Accord and still was more impressed by my Impala.

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  fantastic truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By chevowner - July 14 - 10:00 am

  Very solid, the more weight towing the better the ride.Great visibility.16mpg on hwy,15city after 5000miles. Very comfortable front seat. Manual 4X with automatic, only way to go.

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  Best truck ever... - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By kleinrider - July 14 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely love the truck, when first purchased, had a small squeak on passenger side rear door, but it went away. Truck is now very quiet inside. The 5.3 V-8 has plenty of power to do anything you will want to, short of pulling a house off of its foundation. (Have to try that some time...hmmm) Very smooth ride, slightly unstable in a rolling bumpy turn, but otherwise perfect. I test drove the Dodge and Ford and they just could not compare with the Chevys features, (heated seats, curb view assist mirrors, dual climate control, XM radio, OnStar, etc, etc. I love this truck.

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  07 Silverado - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By J. Tilson - July 13 - 7:06 pm

  Outstanding styling and a 4.8L V8 that is more than capable of getting the job done at the construction site. Even the lifelong Ford guys at my company have nothing bad to say about the truck, except the sloping bed.

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  Chevy hits homerun - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Larry T - July 13 - 2:56 pm

  We bought this as a second car to give our daughter for graduation, we drive it every day. It gets great gas mileage and is fun to drive too.

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  ROUGH RIDE WITH LOTS OF POWER - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Dave - July 12 - 11:23 am

  This truck rides so rough and is worthless for a long trip that would take more than 2hrs....Overall it has all the power anyone could ask for the 4WD performs great. Its a typical Chevy though, lots of rattles, and typical poor workmanship for chevy in the cabin. Ill buy a Ford next time! Oh and I almost forgot to mention TERRIBLE gas mileage. I get 10mpg on average! It kills my pocketbook for $1.90/gallon when I fill up.

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  This is a terrific mid-sized car! - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By MKD - July 11 - 11:36 am

  IÂ’ve owned my Maxx for two months and love it. I had to replace my 270,000 mi. BMW 318is commuter car and needed great gas mileage and four doors. I looked at Vibes and Mazda 3 wagons but liked the Maxx better. This car has exceeded my expectations! It has comfortable seats with lots of leg room, sun roofs front and back and the rear seat audio controls and headphones keep the kids busy and happy. The hatch area holds all our stuff. It is a fun car to drive. I like the power steering. Average mileage is 26/33 city/highway. Some donÂ’t like the looks of the car but I do. This is a real winner! GM should build it with the new Malibu styling. Now that would be fantastic!

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  not perfect but close - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By john and jane - July 11 - 10:00 am

  Thoroughly researched similar cars. Felt the Buick LeSabre to be the closest in comparison. Impala much more stylish and youthful. Options incuded in price of the LS is remarkable!! Great value,very happy with choice!!