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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  Excellent value, great gas mileage - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By KHC1930 - January 10 - 12:46 am

  Have had car for 3 months, plenty of city and highway driving - seems to be pretty well built. Gas mileage is incredible - even with A/C on - getting about 26 to 28 in the city with an Auto transmission. Car can do 80 MPH on highway with ease, complains a bit passing at that speed, but all in all, a decent ride for the money. Good job Chevy.

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  3rd owner 182k miles - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Tony Bretto - January 9 - 9:39 pm

  I bought this car for 700... These are very good cars, people aint they are bad either dont take care of them right, abuse them or they got a lemon. This Impala is definitely not a lemon... With 182k miles l and rising, the engine runs very good has a nice mean sound to it, I test drove other Impalas they didnt sound like this one.. It has decent pick up, wish they gave the base model little more power slightly heavier than most sedans. Havent had any serious problems yet no check engine lights. Nothing. Ive floored this car about 8 times since i got it, nothing has gone wrong. At 182k miles. So people who see this, MILES DONT ALWAYS MATTER. If u think this car doesnt have enough pickup change youre plugs and wires, oil filter, air filter. Your engine has a lot to do with your performance (of course)

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  Lovin My Cobalt! - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Debbie - January 9 - 4:40 pm

  I got this car less than a week ago and fell in love with it immediately... I recommend the spoiler, it adds a lot to the car, a sporty look. I would reccommend power windows, I always had them and didnt realize how much Id miss them. The ride is great, very smooth and good pick up. The car looks just as good as other more expensive cars on the road. I have a little one to get home to after work is over, but Ive been taking the long way home. I would recommend an extended warranty just in case Chevy has some flaws to work out with a brand new car, but so far no problems, but it is less than a week old.

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  The reasonable mans Cadillac Ext - 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Ross - January 9 - 4:07 pm

  If youre looking for versatility and luxury look no further than the Avalanche LTZ. I couldnt decide between a large SUV or a pickup truck for my farm needs and driving my kid to school. I always liked the look of the newer escalades and the avalanche, and having owned a deville DTS, its easy to get spoiled by interior comforts, like heated and cooled leather seats. The ride is very smooth for a truck, the auto ride suspension takes control of bumps and hills. The Bose stereo sounds great and can be upgraded fairly easily, along with the read flip down DVD. Having a removable cover on the truck bed is key, fitting 6 bales of hay without even taking it off. That plus the midgate option makes this the most versatile truck on the market in my opinion. Why they stopped making them in 2013 is beyond me. If you are lucky enough to find one for a good deal, hold onto it.

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  Nice car with some disappointments - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mz - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I have had my 2011 chevy equinox for 3 weeks, and put 913 miles on it. I love the handling of this car, lot of space. I bought a basic model, but it doesnt look cheap at all. However, the gas millage is not good as GM claim, I only get 17 mpg on city, and its not even close to 22. I havent drive a lot on highway yet, so I am looking forward to see what will be real the highway mileage. This car looks really nice but I am really disappointed about GMÂ’s quality control! I went back to the dealer 3 times for the last 3 weeks. The seat belt was twisted face to a wrong side, front passenger door window trim is not even as the rear door, rear door window has a problem to roll down

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  The Equinox sold itself - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jim - January 8 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I purchase a 2011 FWD LT Equinox a month ago and we are liking the car more and more each day. After 8 years of driving a minivan it was time to move on. We looked at all the Mid sized SUVs and we found ourselves to keep coming back to the Equinox. So many features on the model level we bought. The only disappointing thing was the headliner was missing clips so it was sagging and didnt notice until one of our sons remarked when he was a passenger in the back seat. Dealer fixed but left grease marks on fabric (another story). All in all we love our new Equinox.

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  My first SUV - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Lynn - January 7 - 5:23 am

  I have had this car for 11 months, and have put 20K miles on it. I absolutely love it. It handles well on the highway and on the congested city streets. It has good pick up and handling. I have had no problems at all. With as much as I drive, it is nice that the gas milage is good. My family and friends like that the back seat has plenty of room and moving seats.

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  A very good small SUV - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Ben - January 7 - 1:13 am

  The Equinox has great interior room, confortable seats for long trips, good performance, and a pleasant ride. The fit and finish on our vehicle was very good, no complaints there. The steering seemed a little overpowered at first, but its easy to get used to. Drawbacks are few. Solid back seat headrests and high window on hatchback make backing up to parallel park in a tight space a little difficult.

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  Buy the LTZ - 2016 Chevrolet Impala
  By Chandler - January 5 - 5:56 pm

  Ive read reviews here and it seems all the whiners bought the LS which I never go near a base model of any brand, they are all built to do the bare minimum . I spent the money on the LTZ and couldnt be happier, the V6 has 305 hp which just moves when needed, and the fit and finish is amazing compared to the 2007 impala I traded in. I bought the interior with the black leather and beautiful brown stitching. The rear view camera, lane departure, blind spot warning, and collision alert are all fantastic. I highly recommend this car if you are willing to spend the money.

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  Luxurious Affordability - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Butterfly kisses - January 5 - 10:50 am

  My car is a week old and it is the best car Ive ever owned. For the added bonuses, I definitely got my moneys worth. Ambient lighting (in my fav. color) teal, movable arm rest in front, sporty sun roof, side blinkers, wheel-mounted radio controls...I could go on and on. The ride is oh so comfortable and the reviews I get from all my friends. Hey girl, you bought a Lexus? Is that a new Beamer? Its so sporty, theres no way you could of paid that little. The list goes on. I love my Malibu!