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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  TAHOE FUN - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By HAROLD USRY - January 4 - 2:00 am

  THIS IS THE THIRD TAHOE WE HAVE OWNED. NO MAJOR PROBLEMS. I DID HAVE A VIBRATION IN MY 2001 MODEL, AND IT TOOK THE DEALERSHIP FOREVER TO FIND. THE VEHICLE IS FUN TO DRIVE, VERY RESPONSIVE,VERY COMFORTABLE. ITS ONE OF THE FEWLARGE SUVS THAT OPERATES ON REGULAR GAS. RELIABILITY I BELIEVE IS VERY GOOD, REGARDLESS OF WHAT CONSUMERS REPORT SAYS. IF YOU LISTEN TO THEM, YOU WONT EVER RIDE IN ANYTHING BUT A FOREIGN CAR ANYWAY. I HAVE HAD FRIENDS THAT OWN FOREIGN CARS AND THEY SAY THEY ARE VERY RELIABLE. BUT YOU BETTER STAY AWAY FROM THE PARTS DEPT. AT THE DEALERSHIP.

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  SS silverado - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By bigmint - January 4 - 2:00 am

  Handles great, nice and quiet, will really get up and go

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  Chevy Silverado - Great Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Norm Bertaut - January 4 - 2:00 am

  Extremely satisfied with my truck. The I have receommended both the vehicle and dealership to many of my friends. I cant say I think to highly of Edmunds rating system though as the price you show is quite a bit higher than what was on the sticker.

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  Poorly built truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Sean 2003 - January 4 - 2:00 am

  I have had this truck in the the shop 11 times. All for warranty issues. The service department has been excellant but the dealership has been awful to deal with.I suggest going to another company for a vechicle. Chevy hit there all time low on this one

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  This call will get you looks - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By atomic_rod - January 2 - 10:00 am

  Im really happy with my "Monte"! Ive had many co-workers ask me to take them to lunch just so they could ride in it. Theyve all commented on how roomy the back seat was for it being a 2- door. It has good pickup, rides and handles nicely for a bigger car. I just wish they had put a Vortec engine or a supercharger in the SS model. Over all Im very happy with it.

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  Good enough to buy a second time! - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By 2K2SOMSS - January 2 - 10:00 am

  I had a 98 SS and now I have ordered a 2002 SS. The feeling I get while driving is therapeutic. The raw power is addictive. These cars are made for the enthusiast. No useless gadgets, no soft cushy feeling, and most important you can tell when the engine is running just by the sound! Im gladly giving up the luxury of my 2001 Sierra C3 in trade for an icon of America.

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  So Far So Good - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By WillH - January 2 - 10:00 am

  With almost a year passed the chevy has not had one single problem. Reading some of the other reviews Im either lucky or they were unlucky. The only problem is that the sheet metal seems very thin, ive gotten lots of dents from things that should not have left a mark.

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  I love this car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By ncpjr2 - January 2 - 4:43 am

  I love to drive this car. For a 4 banger it has a lot of get up and go. The car has a nice layout and handles great.

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  2016 review - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By Jim - January 1 - 4:52 pm

  Do not expect a great deal on prices as you will not get it. Do not expect to achieve the electric engine mileage advertised as this mileage was calculated at the 45-50 mph driving and probably on a level road. After charging to a full charge, you probably will see 44 to 48 electric miles available in lieu of the 50+ advertised. The charge time on an empty electric battery is too much time....10 hours or so and for the price of this vehicle, one would think GM would sell the 240 charging setup but they do not. Overall, despite all this, we like the car as most of our driving is within the 50 mile range of home. To date, we have about 700 miles on the car and still a half tank of gas remaining. If you buy, do not forget your electric auto tax rebates as it brings down the price to a more reasonable price.

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  Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By kakroetsch - January 1 - 4:23 am

  This is an extremely smooth riding vehicle. I also enjoy the all wheel drive feature. I dont have to worry about when to use it or not, a computer senses if it is needed and kicks it in automatically.