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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  Not for big butts - 2016 Chevrolet Equinox
  By rallysport - July 1 - 3:59 am

  seats are for smaller people if your a big guy or gal , seats tend to me more narrow.

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  Cute - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Denise - June 30 - 5:00 pm

  My driving experience with the Chevy Cobalt is that it does drive smooth and it has some speed. The brakes are good. All it takes is a tap on the brakes. The heating system is good. I burn less heat and oil. The windows fog up easily.

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  Awesome - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Gary Van Gundy - June 29 - 9:43 pm

  This is the fourth Corvette I have owned (1961-1990-1999) -the C6 is by far the best one.

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  2005 chevy 2500HD - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By robbie64 - June 29 - 7:21 pm

  I love the truck,have 75000 miles . pull a 35 ft 5TH wheel camper, have only one problem the brakes seem to let go just as you come to a stop.Does not read any codes.

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  Chevrolet Sonic is a great car. - 2015 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Lorraine Crews - June 29 - 3:07 am

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  Chevys Better Idea - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By BlackAV - June 29 - 2:00 am

  GM/Chevrolet produced a nice "two in one" vehicle with the Avalanche/Esclade EXT (although the AV is probably the better bang for the buck). Smooth ride and drives smaller than it looks. Steering is a bit loose, but doesnt pitch badly on turns. Brake pedal is spongy, but still stops well. People who complain about the mileage should buy a smaller 6 cylinder vehicle. Toyota Tundra doesnt do much better with less room. Acceleration is decent, but not overpowering. Ive changed the exhaust to duals and it helps. Easy to change. Fun to drive and gets a lot of looks.

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  Another American Built Lemon - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Lee - June 28 - 5:53 pm

  After driving foreign built vehicles for the last 18 years, I came across this car at $3000 below blue book and bought it. Had I bothered to check that this garbage can had depreciated $15000 in 3 years, I would have passed. But alas, I didnt, and now I have the pleasure of fixing all the KNOWN GM design problems in the steering column, brake rotors, steering rack, and struts. I have had 1960 era cars with better steering and suspension systems. Of course because GMC is an American company, it is based on greed and not customer care; they refuse to fix/recall any of these problems because not enough people have died in the car. I look forward to the day when I can unload this lemon!

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  Excellent job by GM - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By xray19050 - June 27 - 7:40 pm

  The best new car I ever purchased. GM has put their best effort into this Chevrolet and it shows! A 1000 mile trip to North Carolina was a pleasure. The XM Radio is a good travelling companion. Excellent mileage about 28.5 per gallon,and plenty of admiring looks from other people on the interstate!

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  Cool Riding SS - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By yamadoggie - June 27 - 10:30 am

  This car still has me amazed with the amount of power that it puts out. I havent been pinned to the seat of a car in a very long time. However the down side the gas mileage isnt no where near its claims. Ive notice that if I breathe on the gas pedal that it has a direct effect to the gas hand on the gas gauge. The temptation of not using all of that power is almost too much!

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  Nice truck - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Chet - June 26 - 8:56 pm

  I can say this is the best truck I have ever had. The ride is good, the 4X4 works great, good fuel economy. I love the truck. GM did a good job on this one.