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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  2003 Suburban - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Joebas - May 12 - 10:00 am

  I have only had this suv for one whole week, and I like it very much at this point. The most amazing thing to me is how smooth the ride is for such a lare truck. I also like the sharp, and sweet look of this truck.

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  Suburban - dont go there - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By jwagnerfamliy - May 12 - 10:00 am

  Our Suburban has been a relibility nightmare. It ALWAYS breaks down on family vacations, most recently in the middle of the Mohave desert. For such an expensive vehicle Id expect better quality. My advice is never buy any GM product especially Suburban. Im dumping my Suburban and buying a Toyota Sequoia.

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  Silverodoes are the best - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bo Hoelscher - May 12 - 10:00 am

  This truck is the best I have ever drivin or bought. The chevy trucks are the most reliable over dodge, ford, or any other brand. Chevy is number one.

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  Cloth Seats Stink but Great Truck - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By DWW - May 12 - 12:56 am

  Have had this pickup over a year now and has been flawless! The fuel mileage is great with the 5.3 and the engine goes like scat. Have gotten over 20mpg several times on trips. Do wish the AFM would stay in the V-4 mode longer,it kicks out way too easy.The cloth seats are another matter. Everything sticks to them like flypaper. If I had known this I would have gotten leather.

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  Unsatisified - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By heavy - May 11 - 7:33 am

  My 2007 Silverado Z71 4x4 has a good ride. it pulls a little to left, has wind noise in upper drivers side door seal, and is getting 14.7 mpg on the highway. I have the 5.3 iron block with the fuel saving 4/8 cyl 8 cyl. on demand. Was told if any aftermarket parts were installed to help mpg it would void the powertrain warranty. Break in point was between 3-5000 miles. Also when braking hard you have to use force to manuver around an object to overcome computer.

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  Losing the Battle against Europe - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By wookiee - May 11 - 5:06 am

  This car was marketed to me as a European design with European type quality. After owning several German cars and being quite satified, I was a bit hesitant buying a Chevy. However, I got a GM discount & solid rebates which sweetened the deal considerably. I pulled the trigger on the Malibu and now have buyers remorse. I should have went with my gut. The car is subpar when compared to its foreign peers. Average quality at best. Ive had the car in 3 times for brake problems. The dealer finally replaced all four assemblies. Bottom Line: the car is ok if you get a discounted deal.

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  Silverado cloth interior stinks - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By ms - May 9 - 4:00 pm

  Having 19 pickups since 1989 as a sales rep on the road, my new 2009 silverado with cloth stinks< I am in and out a lot, one hour out and one hour in the cold north plains states. Ive had leather, cloth heated seats and tons of miles in both. This new 09 cloth is terrible for stains, lint. You must use a lint roller every week to keep it even half presentable. 3300 miles on this one look worse than my last Chevy with 170,000 miles! 6 chevys in the family and this will be my last if they dont admit they have a problem, which they have but only come up with a self admitted $2400 cloth replacement kit that will do the same thing.

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  Get what you want - 2016 Chevrolet Impala
  By Bob Rieber - May 8 - 6:46 pm

  Not everythings included be sure you get what you want- the car floats across the highway the ride is very smooth- getting in and out of the drivers seat could be very difficult for people taller than 6-foot

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  2006 Chevy Malibu Maxx SS - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Nate P - May 8 - 12:36 pm

  This is a great vehicle, but has some engineering flaws. You cannot get heated seats in this car at all, even though you can get heated cloth in LT trim, nor an autodimming mirror. Also, due to the fixed rear glass and sunshades, there are some minor rattles. The exterior of this vehicle has sharp lines, and I love the factory remote starter. The wheels are a nice compliment to the car, but should have been offered with a polished or chrome finish. The dual exhaust adds a sporty look AND a nice sound to this car. Mechanically, 240 hp from the 3.9 V6 is sufficient. From time to time, though, I notice some knocking coming from the engine bay. You can only choose from 4 colors.

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  Colarado in Pennsylvania - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By ronctom - May 8 - 11:23 am

  The five cylinder engine is very peppy going up the steep mountain roads, even when fully loaded. The gas mileage is excellent for a pick up truck. The transmission is smooth.