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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  We love our new Vette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Marvin Rush - April 4 - 4:33 am

  One test drive is all it took to fall for this car. It is a major head turner where ever we go. Driving cross country at 80 mph we even got excellent mileage (26.3 mpg). The overall refinement of the car is also quite astounding. Heads up display, navigation system, Bose sound system, heated seats, leather interior...the list goes on and on. The engine makes 400 horsepower and with traction control, you can accelerate hard on an onramp but since the tires dont squeal you dont attract undue attention. The Active Handling is also unbelievable. You can enter a turn at double the posted speed and even in the rain the car wont spin.

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  Camero comeback - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By miguel russell - April 3 - 7:36 pm

  The CameroÂ’s comeback in this new sleek design made me first think of a concept car that is not to far off from a car that can be mass produced. The Camero has a large, stocky body which seems to slant the car forward. Similar to the new chargers, the CameroÂ’s rear end is bulky as long as the front end. The wide stance that the camero gives you in front and in back leaves for a lot of room to fill in the front grill area, intelligently though, the designers made the grill narrow but long. The interior has all the controls surrounding the driver. The gauges at the shift right beneath the radio give this car the uniqueness it deserves. The old school speedometer adds new touch to an old car.

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  Very Well Done Chevy~ - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Ohio Man - April 3 - 10:00 am

  This is the first US car maker made compact sedan that I can truly say is better than their Japanese and Korean rivals. It has the interior styling, fit and finish that were typically found only in foreign cars in the past. I truly recommend this car for anyone who is in the market for a compact sedan. Go and look at the foreign cars and compare. You will be very surprised at the quality of the vehicle as well as the price.

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  Equinox Newbie - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By kelsan1 - April 3 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Equinox for about 2 weeks now and the only problems I can find are transmission rough shifting on downshifts occasionally and the power steering is to darn quick on the draw; you have to really be careful when you first start driving it until you learn the quirks of using electric steering. I traded a crew cab pickup in on this SUV and an very satisfied with the new vehicle. Optioned up pretty well but I would like to have a seat memory selection for driver as well as universal garage door opener but that was not a deal breaker. We will see how well this holds up long term.

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  Great Truck Overall - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By labguy - April 2 - 6:23 pm

  I have towed and hauled heavily with this truck and have had no major problems. The only problems I have had is the driver side window motor needed to be replaced after about 4 years and the fuel gauge dances around due to a bad sending unit which I have not replaced. Gas mileage is average for a truck this size. Id have to say that I amd very satisfied with the truck overall. It has so far been very reliable. Just replaced the original tires at 77,000 miles. I havent notice any noise or squeaks in the interior as some have noted. Did have a squeaky powersteering belt but that has been fixed.

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  My Car - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By John Smyth - April 2 - 11:26 am

  Seats arent very comfortable. No center armrest. Its very strange driving a vehicle with no center armrest, and no power mirrors or windows. Power windows should be standard, its a real pain in the neck and also dangerous trying to adjust the mirrors.

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  Here goes another one! - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kathy B - April 2 - 7:00 am

  This is my 3rd Impala and I really love what they have done with this one. The exterior is much sleeker and interior is more luxurious than before. The ride is about the same but the handling is a little better than my 03 was. Im liking the OnStar so far and the XM is great...standard now on all models. Honda, Nissan, or Toyota do not offer any such thing for around $22,000 which is what I paid for my LS. It has enough goodies for me to enjoy and has turned a few heads some saying they cant believe it is a Chevy. I used to buy only foreign cars but that was when Gm had some catching up to do. Thanks GM for getting this one right!

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  2007 Monte Carlo SS 5.3 Liter - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Rexter - April 1 - 11:16 pm

  I have owned three of these Monte Carlos; A 2000 V-6, a 2003 V-6, and now the 5.3L V-8. The V-8 is an interstate cruiser with its long wheel base, drivers seat with lumbar adjustments, power and handling - a real joy on a long trip. The mileage running in 4 cylinder mode is impressive. In teh flat lands of Florida on cruise control i achieved 31 mpg!! Pretty amazing out of a 300+ HP V-8. I have added a performance chip from Jet and a K&N cold air intake. I have not had it dyno tested since those mods, but with hightest gas, the results are noticeable - guess 15 to 20 HP. This machine fits my bill and I am very happy with it. I have not seen another like it in Red Jewel paint and bra

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  Replaced transmission at 38,000 miles - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Joel - April 1 - 11:40 am

  I bought this car in Oct 05. At 38,000 miles the transmission had to be replaced due to what was called a catastrophic failure. I didnt have the extended warranty, but after a call to the BBB and several calls to GM, they agreed to reimburse me for the repairs. At 47,000 the rack and pinion steering broke and needed to be replaced. I am in the military and have the car with me overseas in Guam and am at the mercy of the only certified GM dealer on the island. The car looks great but the repair costs are outrageous. I have not been able to get the tire pressure monitors fixed for over a year now.

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  A Tahoe in Colorado - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Gretchen Bunnell - April 1 - 9:53 am

  We bought this vehicle with the belief that it would be a solid vehicle that would meet the rigors of driving in the Colorado high country. It has far surpassed our expectations -- in comfort, in gas mileage (18.5 MPH during mountain driving), and in compelling add-ons. The only negative is the non-flat 3rd seat area.