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:

• 

  I WILL NEVER BUY A GM AGIAN!!! - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Very Disapointed - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought this car with 5k on it. Had problems with starting. Had to take to dealer 3 times. Replaced breaks at 20k rotors and pads. At 40k Transmition started shifting really hard. Engine light keeps comming on. I have done my best to take care of this car. I though maybe I was the only one having problems untill I found this web site. Used to be a GM guy Now I switched to Ford. Traded in the Chevy and got a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer. Hope this will be a better car. I will never buy GM agian.

• 

  what a joke..... - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Nismo 400R - January 21 - 10:00 am

  this is the most pathetic car i have ever driven in my life. problems.... Well where should i start. ABS system dos not work. brakes are soft. Engine gauges continuosly on. traction control sys. does not work. window on pass side does not work. car leaks on pass side (not from window.) From firewall or some where in there. carpet is soaked and probably is rusted out in floor board. if you buy a monte carlo i give you great sympathy. i hate this car and will never buy one again. maybe it is defective but i hate this car. if you are over 6ft tall like me you are screwed. this car has the quality of a honda civic

• 

  I Cant Believe They Stopped Production - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By sabshga - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Getting a new job that would have me driving 90 miles a day, I wanted something fun and handsome. I test drove every car from $21 to $35K. What can I say, convertible, 5.7 litre, V8, 310 HP with leather and a 500 watt stereo for $30K with 0% financing for 60 months. How can you drive an A4, a 325, (shiver) an X-type or a Mustang when you can drive this. Hit the gas and your head hits the back of the seat. I love this car.

• 

  I like it! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Mrpush - January 21 - 10:00 am

  This truck is great, period. If youre not sure if you might like it, go drive a club cab truck with an itty bitty bed and cramped rear seats, or a mini van and then go look at one of these. No doubt if you can afford it, youll buy it. This truck has it all. Roomy, comfortable, and an 8 bed! Driving it with my ripped jeans on, no shirt, and a load of building materials I feel like a rough N tough carpenter. Put on my tie and head to work, I feel like Im driving in a caddy. I have never had a car or truck I have enjoyed so much, REALLY!

• 

  One of the best cars to own - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jacob Hughes - January 21 - 12:56 am

  I have owned the car for a while now, and find that is a fun little car to drive. I am loving the gas mileage that the car gets. The purchasing of the car was fairly simple, and the dealership gave me the best price around. I have had one minor problem, but the dealership took care of the problem. I have not had any problems from the car since. I think that it is a totally reliable car. I would reccommend a car like this to anyone who wants good gas mileage and a car that is fun to drive.

• 

  Fun In Your Fifties - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Dick - January 21 - 12:40 am

  I have never been happier with a new vehicle. I cant believe the looks I get just driving around town. Summit White with pinstriping. Chrome package with all the upgrades on the inside. Just plain fun to drive. Economical as well as reliable. My Border Collie loves the back storage area. Shes made it her home when were out and about. Handles with unexpected precision and quickness. Just a joy to drive. Ill never go back to Jeeps again!

• 

  Low gas mileage - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Butch - January 20 - 8:46 pm

  The last 6 vehicles we have purchased has been new, and almost all of them have had close to acurate gas mileage claims when purchased, however the 2007 Tahoe that we have is no where close. With an advertised 21mpg, we are experiencing 13.5mpg highway after 4000 miles. Our dealer is side steping every question we have and trying to stall us, telling us we will not see the 20mpg range until the vehicle has 15000+ miles on it. We purchased the Tahoe because we were only getting 12.5mpg in our Hummer H2, and wanted a better gas mileage vehicle. We feel that we have been mislead.

• 

  GM Finally Has Beaten The Imports - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By JimOfOakCreek - January 20 - 1:00 pm

  I recently bought an 2010 Equinox LS. I drove every import SUV/Crossover you can think of. None had the room, the gas mileage, the quiet interior or the styling of the 2010 Equinox. The RAV4 was too cramped in the drives seat. The CR-V is slightly more roomy but not nearly as good as the 2010 Nox. Neither was as quiet. The standard features and quality of materials are excellent on the Nox. Test drive one before you buy something else. The mileage is for real, 22.3MPG city and 31.8MPG highway.

• 

  FWD Trax 2017 - 2017 Chevrolet Trax
  By C .Harris - January 20 - 3:19 am

  I think its bullied in reviews, I bought a 2017 Trax new $22000. Marked down to $17000. I have clutchless manual shift /automatic trans, with android auto i get maps nav, no need for on star, voice command on everything, phone system is great, seats are comphy, driver seat raises higher, traction is awesome and FWD is tremendous in all weather, dont need AND, which makes my overall average mpg at 70mph around 37, 14 gal tank only takes $30. To fill and I average 420 miles to a tank,( thats Enid Oklahoma to Dallas tx) one tank. Only bad things I have to say is the LS has no cruise and rear vis. Is tight, but night time his. With standard headlights is awesome, and you sit above dash , the transmission that gets dogged is really quite good, its not designed to be punched, normal take off is great and turbo kicks in well, it is comparable in takeoff to my Honda sport bike, quick and steady, I left the stoplight in perfect time with a 2017 camero

• 

  Silverado Crew Cab LTZ 4x4 - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Andrew - January 18 - 5:40 pm

  Truck has been good to me. Only problems have been a battery replacement which was a GM recall and my tonneau cover created some paint problems on the bed rails. I recommend buying some plastic bed rails or taking the cover off regularly to make sure water is not getting trapped. Over very satisfied with the truck.