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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  INTIMIDATORS REVIEW - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By detluv313 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Well I bought my car in June of 2000. 1- week later I had to take it back because of the vacuum lines. The fuel system is funny you can only put certain types of gas in it. It took my grandfather and myself 3 days to tune the car up, then to find out a day later the plugs and wires were recalled. other than that and replacing a water pump at 62K the car hasnt been to much of a burden. although I think that if you dont keep up the 3.4 with regular service, it will cost you in the end. also the brakes are weak after i leave out of the car wash.

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  My 2nd Vette - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Carver - August 11 - 2:00 am

  My first Vette (which I still own) is a 1980L82 Coupe. The improvements in the C5 are stunning. I still drive my L82, and frankly it get the most looks and comments, however, the C5 is by far the better engeneered. The heads up display, memory package, active handling, power, and 30 mpg, make it an auto enthusiest purr.

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  2004 Corvette Coupe - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By MagRedVette - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Amazed at the quality, handling, and performance of this vehicle. The stock Goodyear tires are noiser than I expected but provide good handling for a runflat tire. Some cockpit noise through the exhaust in the 1500-2200 rmp range. Best driveability at about 70 mph when you outrun the tire noise. Handling on curves is exceptional. LS1 engines power availability will likely exceed most peoples expectation, even with the stock 350 cubic inch, 350 hp engine. Car has extraordinary balance and feel. Be sure to buy the Magnetic Selective Ride Control. Its not available as an aftermarket item. I didnt and Im still kicking myself. I love this car!!

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  2003 Impala LS - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Katie03 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Over all this is a nice car, drives nice looks nice, has all the bells and horns. The only thing Im a little fustrated with is my breaks keep squeeking and I dont know why... but its a great car!!!

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  My 02 P/U - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By G.A.George - August 11 - 1:13 am

  Hard to get a better pickup than this. I haul a fifth wheel trailer and now have 67000 miles on the truck. My trailer is 37 feet Alpinelite. My only problem with the truck is the turning radius. It takes a country mile to turn it around. I am not happy with the extended service and some of the dealerships in the lower "48".

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  Just a GREAT CAR! - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By paul - August 10 - 10:26 pm

  I bought this car to replace my 1984 Suburban that I used for ski area access. I took the salesman on the infamous Bogus Basin Road that is 16 miles of curves and switchbacks. I told the sales guy to hang on as I wanted to see what this car could do and we were literally blown away by how well this car handled the curves and switchbacks while climbing from 2500 to about the 5,000 level on this road. This car handles like a dream. I like the shifter with the +/- switch that allowed you to manually shift the car if you chose to do this. Best of all I got a super deal with the gms pricing w/$2k rebate and another $2k from my GM mastercard rebate account = 32% below MSRP!

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  Oh yeah!! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Doug Hedges - August 10 - 3:26 pm

  I have had my HHR for about a week now and have put over 500 miles on it. It is great. The ride is smooth and it handles like a charm. The interior is comfortable even for a big guy like me. It has side air bags front and back, which is a great feature.

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  Best car to purchase - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By hblmo115 - August 10 - 4:53 am

  We owned a z24 Cavalier before we purchased this car and I like this car even more than my Cavalier. It is a excellent purchase. I love my Cobalt. Lots of room because we have two children and they dont complain about it like they did the Cavalier.

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  Unreliable engine/transmission - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By Lloyd S. - August 9 - 8:23 am

  Personal and business use. Duramax Diesel. Uncontrollable rpms while towing. Truck shut down to a crawl at freeway speed. Had to be towed to dealer. 7 days later, truck was repaired. Final analysis was a wiring harness failure. Has happened several time to date and will be seeking counsel to rescind my contract for a vehicle that I cannot depend on.

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  Vibrations - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By taps929 - August 8 - 8:46 am

  Highway vibrations pretty bad - been to the dealer 7 times and counting - dealer, techs and reps claim they feel nothing, what I feel is normal for these trucks, yet keep throwing thousands of dollars worth of parts and man hours at it - new shaft - shimmed rear end for shaft angle - tires - going on my 3rd exhaust for whistle/screech noise when coming out of v4 - rental cars fees- field rep came out last time and said he felt nothing yet ordered new shocks all the way around - (if its fine why do they keep fixing nothing??) pinion whine is terrible - radio bad - exhaust drone in v4 @ 40 and 50 mph deafening - all new..... shoulda waited a year or two till they ironed out issues