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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  Bye bye CR-V. - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kadi D - June 9 - 2:00 am

  I was hesitant about going American but Im so glad I did. At first I test drove the Acura rdx, Ford escape & edge, I looked at the hyundi (but couldnt make myself drive it, just looked to cheap) than. I drove the Chevy. Love at first drive. The car is smooth, quiet & looks are impressive. My biggest complaints on the Honda were road noise & overall feel, it started to feel clunky after awhile, so the Chevy was a welcomed change. It also has features the other cant touch. Like when I saw a fire, I hit onstar & was able to ask them where it was in proximity to my location & my home. The rep was able to get me around all the drama & made me feel much better to know it wasnt my complex

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  Pretty good half ton - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By 4bangerOZZY - June 8 - 7:53 pm

  Pros: this is a very dependable truck. the 5.3L that i have in my Z71 is bulletproof compared to the Prone to head gasket repair 5.7L. The powertrain is a good 4 speed trans with a single stage torque converter, it shifts smooth and in tow/haul mode very strong and fast like you want it. The interior has plenty of room for an extended cab and the ebony leather is a nice luxury touch. For a half ton pickup its a great strong ride thats stiff like you want a pickup but softer than the other halftons for its time. Im definitely sold on the Z71 silverados, my wife wants one for her next vehicle so it looks like shes sold on it too.

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  Hilarious Vehicle - 2017 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Archi Gaebel - June 8 - 10:42 am

  The Sonic Turbo Premier is hilarious to drive (for a day or two) while my ten year old BMW X3 is in the shop for age-related repairs and maintenance. "Hilarious" as in "Its a joke", not its actually fun to drive. First off, my 10 year old Bimmer, worth about half of what you can buy this Chevy Sonic for, still vastly outperforms it and is a ton more fun to drive and feels safer to boot. So much for "Would I ever consider owning this vehicle?". The answer is a resounding NO! Why not? I mean first impressions are of this car are not so bad. The exterior styling is not crazy or terrible. It is not good either. It just is. The Sonic sedan has a very basic, neutral car shape, the kind you get when you ask a toddler to draw a car. It is somewhat narrow and short but tall when compared to our BMW 328i, almost like Chevy took a Malibu and just trimmed off some excess fat on the sides, rear and front. The cabin is not a terrible place for an econo box. It appears roomy enough, has quite a few gadgets, buttons and a touch screen (in this trim level) and the plastics LOOK decent. All of these judgements, however, vanish when you start driving it. While there is plenty of headroom, even for tall people, legroom is cramped, not just in the back but also annoyingly in the driver seat. I am six foot tall and my legs are too long for a comfortable use of the left foot rest or the accelerator and brake pedals when I adjust the seat to allow a normal arm distance to the steering wheel. (Gorillas with really long arms might do better.) Visibility is not great either. Although the windshield is large, the short stubby hood just vanishes from view and it is very difficult to get a feel for where the front of the car starts. Rear visibility and right side visibility is severely compromised by the enormous headrests (which clearly come from a full size truck and take up most of the airspace of this small car). Once you start touching the visually decent plastic trim you realize that it is not the softer, richer material it masquerades as, but very cheap, basic hard plastic straight from a Yugo. But now to the truly hilarious part of driving this car, its performance. I drove it mostly in town with speed limits around 45 miles per hour. At first I thought I was going way too fast until a look at the speedometer informed me that I was actually chugging along about five miles below the speed limit! The car feels strained and bothered when driven at speeds greater than 35 - 40 mph. Still this is not yet the most fun you can have with the Sonic Turbo. Go find an empty stretch of road without speed bumps (like the access road to my works parking lot) and floor it. I did just that, going about 30 mph I floored the accelerator and ... absolutely NOTHING happened for at least a second, then the little beast huffed and puffed and lurched forward at the breakneck speed of 40 mph, I almost died laughing. This lack of performance is unfortunately less laughable when you have to pull out into heavy, fast-moving traffic, then just pray a Rosary (or two) while you wait for any acceleration to quick in ...

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  Wow!! Thats a Malibu - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Ryan - June 7 - 5:00 am

  I cant believe that I bought a Chevy vehicle! I used to own a Camry; however, as long as GM continues to build quality cars like the Malibu I will continue to buy Chevrolets. The styling and handling of this car doesnt compare to anything else I have driven. This car is far superior in all aspects and a great value as well. This car looks and drives like a $40,000 vehicle. I have had several people come up to me to ask me about the car and I love it!

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  Great Car - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Dan - June 5 - 8:06 pm

  The power plant could be more powerful, but Chevy has addressed this in new models. Great build quality, have owed car for 2 years 3 months, not one problem. Very reliable, looks great, drives well, gets a lot of looks. Highly recommend it.

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  HHR? I want one of those! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Pam Borden - June 5 - 7:13 pm

  This car really gets attention- mostly from men. Five times I have been approached and asked questions. People stare at it. It is a beautiful bright blue and looks like a small truck but it is really a very cool station wagon in disguise! Peppy 4 cyl engine gets decent mileage around 26 mpg. It is very comfortable. Roof racks have to be factory installed but running boards can be added by the dealer if desired. It has a neat glove box in the middle of the dashboard that the driver can easily reach. It is full of neat little surprises like maplights that dont shine in the drivers eyes. 5 adults can ride comfortably in the car.

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  Loads of fun to drive - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By aah - June 5 - 5:40 pm

  Ive had my HHR for about a month. I bought the 2LT model with the 2.4L engine. All I can say is the car is loads of fun to drive. I keep finding excuses to just get in the car and go somewhere. Performance-wise, the 2.4L engine is decent if a bit slow on initial acceleration. Handling is actually pretty good with the improved suspension that comes with the 2LT package. Brakes are a bit weak though. Interior room is great. I traded in an 03 Sonata and the HHR has a lot more room in the drivers seat and is much more comfortable to drive. Visibility can be a bit of an issue until you get used to its blind spots.

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  Not for me - 2016 Chevrolet Equinox
  By J - June 5 - 11:21 am

  I want to start by admitting I am a little bias coming from a minivan that offered space and those little things I just assumed where standard on a vehicle. To begin, I bought my Equinox based on different reviews I read and the commericals, very compelling. So I take full responsiblity for not looking closer and asking a few extra questions. Firstly, the gas milesage is horrible. I tried using the "eco" button but that seems to open a valve and even more gas falls out. My minivan is 10 years old and doesnt use as much gas. Secondly, the backseat does not have air vents. In order to cool off or heat up a car, you have to either freeze or burn the front passengers. WHY?? I did not pay attention there were no vents in the back. This and the gas mileage are what bothers me most and I would give the care back tomorrow if I could. Thirdly, storage is non-existent, if you want to grocery shop for a large family, not for you. Fourth, I test drove a 2015 but bought a 2016. Where is my CD player, who moved it. I feel this designed is to force you to pay for Sirrus XFM, I dont want to. Overall, I am not happy. I did not mark it down pass the three stars because I should have done better homework.

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  All Around Very Good Performer - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By James Tiller - June 5 - 3:06 am

  Dont let the snobbish reviewers sway you about the exterior styling. This is not a cookie-cutter car for conformists. It was designed to look different than regular commuter-cars, and i think its features are very distinctive and memorable. Very good performance from FWD 3.8 litre V6. A great engine, great transmission, and great handling/suspension characteristics. If you miss 1960s/early 1970s sporty/luxury 2- door coupes, then this car may be for you. And keep in mind, this car produces more horsepower than any production Monte since 1974, when they still put had the big-block as an option. I recomend this car for those who want to live a little, and still have a sense of practicality!

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  Surprisingly solid so far - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By allosab - June 5 - 2:00 am

  Zippy, sleek, excellent no-frills get from point A to point B kind of car. Its a lot of fun to drive, for sure!