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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  2002 Avalanche The Best Vehicle Ever - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By wdjbettyboop - August 17 - 9:16 pm

  I bought my truck new, I now have 316K miles on my truck and I still love it, you would never know this truck has so many miles on it, it still looks and runs like new,of course weve taken good care of it, from what I understand they dont make the Avalanche anymore and I guess I know why because they just keep driving on and on with no problems.

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  Love my Sonic! - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By kellyanne67 - August 15 - 6:41 am

  The only thing that I do not like on this car would be the crappy tires that come from the factory. Even with traction control and just a tiny bit of snow there is no traction. I truly feel that better tires would make this car unstoppable. I have had a few issues with the bluetooth system and my phone. Some phones work better than others but I have not had my dealer check these issues yet. The car is easy to drive, gets around in traffic like a dream, and with the turbo, it can certainly keep up. Gas mileage is great. Im getting around 35mpg on the highway consistently. Ill say so far so good. Ive had the car almost a year and have around 15,500 miles on it.

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  Its all about Value - 2013 Chevrolet Impala
  By carguy198 - August 7 - 8:49 pm

  I bought my 2013 Chevy Impala LT with 16k miles and Ive had the vehicle now for 1 year and put an additional 12k miles on it. I have to say I am very impressed with this vehicle because of the value it offers. You get GMs flagship 3.6L V6 engine with the 6 speed automatic in a full size sedan for under 16k in the current model year. Thats almost 50% off sticker for just 16k miles. For the money, there isnt a better deal on a vehicle out there (believe me, Ive looked). Great daily driver. Not a sports cars, its a full size sedan designed to be comfortable and reliable. MPG numbers are spot on too, 17 City and 31 Highway. Go take a look at one!

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  Surprise purchase - 2015 Chevrolet Traverse
  By ehibma - August 2 - 6:48 pm

  I actually wasnt expecting to purchase this vehicle. I drove a Pathfinder, Highlander, Durango and Ram1500 and studied the Mazda CX-9 and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Pathfinder and Highlander had horribly uncomfortable seats. The Ram was awesome, but ultimately the 8 seats and a better trade in value from my local Chevrolet dealer sealed the lease for me. Honestly, I only considered this as a lease due to reliability concerns with GM. Well see how this goes. The Durango was my favorite, but the Traverse was the best value for the money (Dodge would have been $92/mo more expensive for 39 mos. The 8 passenger actually seats my 6 kids. By far the most comfortable seats of my test vehicles

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  I love this car! - 2015 Chevrolet Traverse
  By larry_p - July 30 - 8:43 pm

  Ive been loving this car since I knew how comfortable it to drive. Easy steering and easy changing of gears.

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  This Car Will Not Die - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By smk92 - July 25 - 7:14 pm

  I bought this car 14 months ago for 1500 dollars. It had 273,000 km on it and the only major thing that had been replaced by that point was the water pump (I know cuz it was my sisters). It now has 312,000 km on it and still running like a charm. I am now replacing the fuel pump because it just went but for a car with 312,000 I cant complain. I love this car to death and I will drive it until it dies. In the last 14 months I have spent maybe 300 dollars on it for minor repairs (sensors etc.)

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  Great Van - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By paulie69 - July 19 - 8:26 am

  I have now owned my no frills van for 5yrs and have 160K miles on it. It has been very reliable and I have had to do no major work to it, just new tires and tie rod ends last year. It still runs like a new car although I now need to replace the ball joints and the ac stopped working this summer. It isnt fancy and has very few power options but it is the most dependable vehicle Ive had and I have always driven imports before. I wish Chevy still made this vehicle.

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  A Lot For The Money - 2014 Chevrolet Traverse
  By qualitycop - July 15 - 4:00 am

  Copy of E-Mail sent Dear UAW 602, I understand that your members are those employed at the Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant that built our new 2014 Chevrolet Traverse LTZ. After logging almost 3500 miles in 7 days with my family on vacation in this vehicle, I feel the need to send you this note and say a very well deserved "GREAT JOB" !!! The engineering, design, fit, finish, build quality of this vehicle are all excellant !!! All systems and features performed perfectly. The ride, handling and comfort superb !!! This by far is the most competant and nicest Chevy Ive ever owned. Even my wife likes it and thats says it all !!! We could not be happier with it !!! Ken R.

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  Amazing car - 2014 Chevrolet Camaro
  By scottr32 - July 9 - 2:54 pm

  Ive had the car for a little over six months now and it still excites me every time i start it up. The handling is incredible and ride quality was well above what I expected. With a sports car you would expect a rough ride, this car feels comparable to a high comfort car.

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  Black 2014 2LS - 2014 Chevrolet Camaro
  By robynrinehart - July 7 - 9:31 am

  Wow! I got a 2011 Hyundai Sonata for my 17th birthday, and on my 18th birthday I upgraded to my Camaro. I never thought I would be able to get my dream car, but the circumstances were in my favor at the time, so I was able to! Outstanding car, even for a LS. I feel excited to drive, and even take the longer way home just to have a bit of fun. I get many compliments, and I have customized her to my liking. I never was a car enthusiast, but this Camaro has me talking about cars every time I open my mouth. Theres a large community of Camaro owners all over the web, and theyre super helpful. Best decision ever to get this car.