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:

• 

  Poor Gas performer - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Rick Vann - June 16 - 4:06 pm

  The whole deal of me getting this thing was fuel mileage and the dealership knew it. I traded a loaded 2004 Z-71 pick up 1/2 ton. I said I need more then 18mpg and they showed me this and I had really read a lot on this Equinox and everything is as said but no one had said anything about fuel mileage I went by what the dealer told me and the fuel sticker since I bought mine in july Chevy has since changed the sticker from 19 city to 17 city and from 25 hwy to 23 hwy. I get 17 and when I tow a little four wheeler on a 255 pound trailer I get 12 mpg. Had I known this in advance I would still be in a Z-71. The dealership doesnt try to do anything and I called Chevy and they give me the run around.

• 

  No love affair here! - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By monkeyjaws - June 16 - 10:00 am

  The AC on this car is loud and intermittent...had it fixed once and drove off by the time I got home (9 miles)it was shutting off and on again. The brakes are awful on the interstate, feels like the car is vibrating itself out of alignment. Tires wear quickly too. The upgrades CD system is very nice. The sun roof is wonderful...a fun car to drive...mechanically very reliable.

• 

  my bad truck - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By ward - June 16 - 1:08 am

  not safe, to many problems with electrical, shifting problems from 2wheel to 4wheel,very poor support from dealer or GM to fix the problems!!!!!!!!!!!

• 

  Just Got My HHR as a Compnay Car! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Hughesjay - June 15 - 6:10 am

  So far so good I have had the HHR for just over a week, I also own a TB and an Envoy. I love it -surprised at the power from a 4 cyl. Also like the ride and its not noisy like most small vehicles you get so much for the price I would recommend to all at any age.

• 

  Excellent SUV - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jake - June 14 - 5:03 pm

  I really did some reserach on this class of SUVs and decided on the Nox. I couldnt be happier. Great ride, smooth shifting, great styling. Also, very safe.. with excellent crash ratings on all four sides as well as side curtain airbags. Great for kids, lots of legroom and space for them!

• 

  Best Truck Ive Ever Driven! - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By RegRanger - June 14 - 2:16 am

  Been driving pickups since the mid-70s-this is the best truck Ive ever owned! This is a 2002 that I just bought 7/05 with 56K on it. Rides nice and is very quiet. Lots of conveniences. Getting around 17 mph highway with the 5.3 liter. Rear seats have reasonable amount of leg room and comfort too.

• 

  Equinox- good looking but certain deficits - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Westchester SUV - June 13 - 2:06 pm

  Love the outside look. Inside also pretty but the seats are a little hard. Problem is that I got the top of the line, LT, AWD with leather and heated seats and I feel that I got shafted with some non-amenities. Such are no light in the glove compartment. Terrible smell in car when new; they had to change anti-freeze twice. I heard others have had same problem. Heater dial impossible to reach or know whether it is on. Turn on map light in back and it automatically goes on front and blinds driver. Temperature gauge for outside air goes up 30 degrees when I am in terrible traffic. Too many problems for a nice looking, nice driving perfect size car with a sticker of almost $29,000

• 

  I like the MAXX - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By ADLS - June 12 - 10:00 am

  We have only had our Maxx for a short time now, but enjoy it. We have taken a short 1 hour road trip, and found it really comfortable. We bought the LT 1SA package. Depending on the wife, I hope we keep the car.

• 

  Cheap - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By d_jarrell - June 12 - 10:00 am

  2,400 miles so far and going back to shop for second time. Dealer cant seem to fix alignment. Interior is very cheap. Rear headrests block rearview. XM radio is a joke, dont pay extra for it!

• 

  My First Brand New Car - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By SMoothDrRod - June 12 - 10:00 am

  So for the first time in my life, I actually went out looking for a car, a brand new car. I wanted decent space, comfortable yet competent handling, etc. and I ultimately ended spend 2 months going through all of the local delearships in my area test driving every car in the "Large Sedan" Class. Ultimately it came down to a 2004 Accord V-6, or the 2004 Impala SS. The accord takes forever to downshift (when I press the gas down, I expect the machine to down shift) and the Transmission of the accord was a little less smooth in comparison to the ultra silky performance of the Impalas transmission. In a word overall this vehicle is amazing.