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:

• 

  Do not buy! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By JMoore - April 21 - 5:30 pm

  I am so disappointed with this car. This was my first "brand new" car and its just awful. The road noise is horrible, check engine light came on a week after owning. The seats are horrible. I have the basic LS gray and they hold every spec of dirt possible. So I now have to use seat covers. The radio guages have lost all of their paint. So I can no longer see what channel I am turning to 1-5 etc. The doors are cloth and also get dirty very easily. The paint is scratching off the inside of the car near the door handles and such. My muffler is already completely rusted and the bumpers and molding are black and very faded. I have only owned for 10 months and would strongly advise against this! I will never buy a car from Chevy again. Even though this is the LS edition so its not top of the line, for the price I paid I deserved better lasting material.

• 

  Way to go Chevy!!! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Randyb - April 21 - 1:43 am

  Can hardly believe it, but Chevy definitely got it right this time. The HHR is by one of the hottest and should become one of the most customized vehicles out there. Just got my Sport Red Metallic 2LT with all the bells and whistles and I am very happy with this car. The one thing I did though was to replace the rear speakers with a better aftermarket Memphis 6.5 speaker. Much better response and sound than the factory. Waiting to see what gas mileage will be. First tank about 26.5. Second tank 29.8 with about the same roads covered. Everyone who has seen this car so far has said what a cool look and way better than the PT Cruiser. It has a much bolder stance and a beautiful retro look!!!

• 

  Cant believe this is a Malibu - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jjomallie83 - April 21 - 12:46 am

  I owned a 2001 Chevy Malibu before this, got it used & absolutely hated it. Did some research into buying a Nissan Altima or Honda accord & every major review had exceptional things to say about the redesigned Mailbu. I fought the urge to check it out for months before I really compared it & stacked it up against the others. The interior & exterior design is amazing. Friends have said they cant believe theyre in a Chevy, its extremely luxurious inside the LT2 model. Ride is smooth, extremely quiet interior, HUGE trunk & fold down back seats. Comes with tons of standard options not seen on other vehicles like Auto start, etc. I am EXTREMELY happy with this car, cant believe its a MALIBU!

• 

  HHR satisfied - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By gene cook - April 19 - 11:46 pm

  We purchased our HHR on sight after 1st seeing it on the lot. The style & head room inside, and fuel mileage were our 1st reasons to buy. The interior is well designed. We are getting 24mpg driving in town. Recommend a rubber mat in rear to keep cargo from sliding in rear cargo area. Handling on road is very good.We have not had the option to take a long trip yet but will do so soon.

• 

  Retirement Vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Canham - April 19 - 11:30 am

  Most enjoyable vehicle I have ever owned

• 

  the new Chevy Cobalt - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By nolan - April 18 - 7:26 pm

  I bought my new Cobalt this summer and was impressed with the comfort while driving and its easy handling. It has a very smooth ride and great acceleration. Also the trunk space is huge. It is a great car!

• 

  My Favorite Car so Far !!! - 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Mermaid - April 17 - 11:52 pm

  I have bought Chevrolets most of my life. This is my favorite. It is classy looking and I have gotten many compliments. It fits into my budget and is great on gas. I hope to buy another car very similar in the future. I love the phone number feature and Bluetooth. I really do not like many distractions while I am driving, but these make driving my car fun. The only feature I would change is how it handles on ice. I did not buy snow tires and in my opinion this car does need them.

• 

  Chevy Impala - 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jean-rive - April 17 - 7:57 pm

• 

  Rocket! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By cowman - April 17 - 10:30 am

  if you are considering this SS....buy it...buy it...love the car, nice rumble at all times. is sneaky fast you will definetly have watch the speedometer, 80 mph comes on quickly, my wife even likes it. Fuel economy with my lead foot to 60 every time,he he he, very acceptable 18 or so, DOD is not even noticeable, there should be a warning sticker that says "2 hands on the wheel" mash the gas, 2 hands or hit the ditch.....some call it torque steer, I call it too much engine on good tires.

• 

  One Great Truck - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By BBlueAV - April 17 - 10:00 am

  We needed a truck and a sedan. Looked at extended cab pickups; however, there was not enough room. Looked at some club cab pickups....they were ok. Then, the Avalanche. What a wonderful concept. The wife was not crazy about the cladded version; however, one look at the WBH (without body hardware) and we were hooked. Drives great, Smooth. Quiet. Nice full-time 4wd system. And, when you need the room, just take out the window, put the mid-gate down, and your off. Best vehicle Ive ever owned!