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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  A Great Car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By new owner - May 22 - 2:33 pm

  I love this car! Have had it for 3 months and drive it 90 miles back and forth to work every day. The retro styling is really cool. I have the chrome package which adds a nice touch as well. It is fun to drive and I average about 30 miles per gallon. I dont mind the window buttons on the center console as I havent had power windows before, so I am not used to them being on the door. At first the roof light that shines on the center console bothered me, but I got used to it pretty quickly.

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  RIP combustion engine - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By Alex - May 22 - 1:48 pm

  I switched from BMW 328 to this car and never looked back! The concept of a plug-in hybrid car is absolutely a great idea. And Volt 2016 is an excellent implementation of this car category. When it runs on EV mode (for about 40+ miles), you get a fantastic feeling of speed and serenity. When it switches to hybrid, it drives just like ordinary car. My last gasoline fill-up was 1500 miles earlier. I use ordinary 110/120 outlet to charge it. Since my commute does not deplete the battery completely, I get a full overnight charge. But if the battery is completely empty, it takes about 10+ hours to charge on 110/120 volts outlet. I have a higher level trip so the car comes with all sort of electronics. All around sensors and backup camera work perfect. The acceleration is pretty good (but not at Tesla level), however it does give you a good sensation of high electric engine torque. Coming from BMW, this was one of the important selling points for me. I don’t have quality problem so far. I cannot judge this aspect of the car yet. But I assume since the combustion engine rarely kicks in, at least in the engine department, it should be trouble free. My wish list for improving the car includes rear window wipers, better visibility through A pillar (a major design oversight) and electric seat adjustment.

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  Not exactly what I expected it to be. - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By onesix - May 21 - 12:32 pm

  I bought my truck slightly used in the summer of 09 with 22K on the dash. I have 86K now. Last summer at 65K my transmission went out on me. And my only indicator was that at highway speeds the RPMs would jump up about 1500 and back down speratically for about a week before it locked up on me on the service road of a busy freeway. Had to drive it in reverse half a mile to a gas station to park it. Also, there have been electrical issues with the drivers side lock not locking when I press the remote and window switches not working. Oh, and Im on my 2nd battery already. Cant figure that one out. Stabilitrak disengages at times. Looking to get out of it already.

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  Best Truck Yet - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Roy - May 20 - 7:23 am

  I have owned both Dodge and Ford trucks and they just do not compare with the ride, Quality, and dependability of the Chevy. It has more romm then the competiton and the 1500 performs like a 2500. My last chevy had 275,000 miles on it. I think this truck is far better than any other truck I have ever owned.

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  no complaints so far - 2017 Chevrolet Trax
  By bonkersbwh57 - May 20 - 3:47 am

  This is small SUV, it is pretty good for what it is. The power is adequate and not an issue on the highway like others have suggested.

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  Excellent commuter car upto 40 miles oneway - 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV
  By disbeliever - May 19 - 10:16 am

  Im using this for 2 weeks now, to commute 20.13 miles each way. After driving 30 miles on freeway at 65-70 mph and then another 10 miles on expressways and 35-40 mph roads, Im left with nearly 60 miles of range! The range is way better than the 82 miles they show. Im only charging at my work, as it is free and more convenient. The car is updated with technology (as almost all new sub compacts are now-a-days), and comes with some leather + cloth combo seats. Includes tilt, cruise, on-star , hands free calling, and other amenities seen only in premium cars few years back. It is a pity GM doesnt advertize this car at all. Bought this after seriously considering Leaf and Volt.

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  Best Car Ive Owned - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kevin - May 18 - 10:33 am

  I had to buy a new vehicle after an accident. I did a lot of research and I had narrowed it down to the Imapla and a Camry. I drove an 07 Impala and decided that was the car (I bought an 06 to get the price break). The LTZ has the 3.9L engine. It is very powerful, even in a car the size of the Impala. The seats are just great. The leather is soft and comforatble. The interior styling is very clean and refreshing. The trunk is huge! I really think GM has gotten much better. They think of little things that you just dont find in other cars like the delayed door locking allowing you to open another door after pushing the lock button. Very nice!

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  great if you find a good one update part 2 - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Blewis - May 17 - 10:23 pm

  should have just got a motor for my old one this on good till the under hood fuse box gos bad then kills your battery yea that was fun for longer drives the seats dont have much foam could be worse not a fan of the oil burning 5.3 do some research mine will burn all its oil between changes a lot kind of freaky got a 97 with 350,000 miles it burns less oil cant beat that old 350

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  Fantastic car for the money! - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By lexan1965 - May 15 - 10:00 am

  The wife and I went into the local Chevy dealership to test drive a new cruze. We ended up buying the one we test drove. This car is quiet, little road noise, little engine noise. The acoustic package (standard) on the cruze if fantastic, makes your drive very quiet. The turbo lag people have talked about in other reviews is only noticeable when or if you have to stomp the gas pedal down then hold on! "peppy" engine on this car. Im 6-4" and 255 lbs. and I have no issues fitting in this vehicle. Same interior dimensions as the Malibu except 2" less legroom in the rear seats. I would recommend to anyone considering a new, smaller car to give this car a test drive.

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  Great SUV - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Sue - May 15 - 10:00 am

  We bought the Equinox just over a week ago after trading in our 2006 Equinox. The upgrades from the older model are great! I love everything about this SUV, from the upgraded interior to the updated exterior. This thing looks sleek, rides nice and is great on gas. I love the XM radio and onstar system. We are looking forward to adding another one to our driveway! I wouldnt buy anything else!