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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  Love my 2008 LTZ Malibu - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Cbrus - July 4 - 3:16 pm

  We purchased this car in late 2007 after considering the Altima and Camry for several months. We just fell in love with the styling of this car and value for the money. Once we test drove it there was no turning back. We have the V6 LTZ - which Id say is the only way to go with this car -- and so many features are standard. This car handles like a dream and we get so many compliments on the looks. In my town we are still part of the very few who have this car and it seems to turn heads wherever we go.

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  Wind / Road Noise - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Tom Swanson - July 4 - 5:30 am

  My car gets 20 mpg in town driving and 30 mpg highway. I have had it 6 months. It accelerates quickly enough to get on freeways safely. The heated seats need to be re-designed so more of the seating surface gets warm. The only complaint I have is about wind & road noise, especially at highway speeds, the noise sounds like a window is not completely shut, especially on passenger side, between the front & rear door. This appears to be the result of a design flaw. There is only one rubber seal around the front doors, & if there were two, like on the rear doors, I think the problem would not exist.

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  Its all relative - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By benalbright - July 3 - 10:43 pm

  This has been a great vehicle. Ive driven over 82,000 miles with no significant problems. Very dependable, powerful, and efficient. The swiss army knife of vehicles, it can do just about anything (except make tight turns). I plan to have this vehicle well past 200,000 miles. The only problems Ive had were abnormal front tire wear early on and a blown front speaker (warranty item). Starts up quickly, even in 0F weather. Im still on my original set of brakes, with plenty of material to go.

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  Disappointed - 2017 Chevrolet Impala
  By Charles young - July 3 - 5:40 pm

  I purchased the 2017 Impala lt.I had test driven three other Impalas.The ride was very good.The one that I have is worst riding car that I have ever had.I does not smooth out bumps on streets or highways.I find myself bracing for bumps.All the reviews that read ( including Edmunds ) talked about how smooth the ride was.That is not the case for the one that I have.I am very very disappointed.

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  Dont waste your time on buying one - 2014 Chevrolet Equinox
  By John Miller - July 3 - 12:20 am

  I had problems with the motor almost as soon as I bought it. Check engine light came on and multiple trips to the dealership failed to correct the problem. In the 4 years I owned it, maybe a total of a collective year the check engine light wasnt on.

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  Wanted a GMC but the Chev will do nicely - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By RagDoll - July 1 - 10:10 pm

  I was actually looking for the new Sierra but it was too late in the year to find the things I wanted in stock at a dealer. So off to Chevy I went. I searched lots on Sundays and the internet during the week and after an exhaustive search of about 400-500 trucks, I found one that was very close to the exact truck I wanted with the options I wanted. GMC and Chev actually have a bit different look this year and I prefer GMC...that being said, I wanted the Flex-Fuel, a sunroof, LTZ, Z-71, and either Gray or Black...with the power rear slider up in the air because you lose the defogger if you get that option and in Minnesota, the rear defog gets a lot of use. I have about 3500 miles on my truck.

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  New Owner - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Terry Henderson - June 30 - 10:30 pm

  I find this SUV to be very comfortable and fun to drive. It handles better then any SUV that I have driven. I like the body style. It is sleek and orginal. It has a lot of leg room. I like the back seat that moves back and forth. I like the sound system, it has alot of power. All in all, it is the best SUV out there

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  Great car with a few problems - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Chevyforlife - June 30 - 9:13 pm

  Have owned car for 3 months, very stylish outside. Have LT1 version, interior seats are very nice though a bit uncomfortable especially for your lower back. No carpet in the back seats, basically a big floor mat latched down. I get 20.2 MPG. My biggest problem with the car is the location of the oil filter. I have changed oil on dozens of vehicles (new and old) but never had to change the filter from the top of the engine. There is not enough room to place a filter wrench on the filter, it took 3 hrs for 3 men to unloose the initial high torqued filter by hand. When the filter was loosened it went all over other components located underneath the filter. Otherwise a great car and roomy.

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  Fun To Drive - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By JOE - June 30 - 12:23 pm

  Still new but lots of fun to drive! Quiet interior sound.

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  Love My Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By joepilot - June 30 - 6:33 am

  It rides nice with a quiet ride. Replaced the EGR Valve and front struts under warranty. Im disappointed with dealership performance, but not with the vehicle. Lots of storage with rear seats folded down and forward. Same storage as a standard trunk with seats back. Lots of rear seat leg room. Good acceleration. Gets 19-22 mpg depending on how you drive it. Gets 24.5mpg on the highway, or if ridiculously babied. Traction control and anti-lock brakes work great in Michigan.