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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  clean - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Brooksi - November 27 - 10:00 am

  I love it I only had 1 problem and that was the front end but they fixed it and now it is fine

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  First Impressions - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Paul B. - November 27 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned this beautiful vehicle for one week. On the first day the Ride control failed. My appointment for repair is 8 days later. Cant say Im impressed with service. It is not a good impression to have a defect after one day of ownership. That said. The car has everything. Really love the features. I would not purchase another car without onstar and XM radio. I hope this vehicle is as reliable as people say.

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  Must read before you buy - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By IMMENSUS - November 27 - 10:00 am

  If you are planning to by a Tahoe or GMC, must have Z71 pack. It is costly (over 5K), but value is unbeatable - basicaly Z71 gets you all. From XM radio and on-board computer to towing package and awsome trim. Sticker runs at about 44-45K, but dealers usually will take 5-6k below, which brings it to under 38K

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  Trim / Molding Windows and Differential - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Roy - November 26 - 10:42 pm

  I guess I can start by saying this car is my mid-life crisis car, anyway the car performs everytime time I put my foot into. It fires like a bullet, no complaints for power, but there are some other problems so beware. My vehicle has had molding on the driver & passengers side replace twice for peeling. Front windshield crack and replaced due to body stress as descibe in my documentation. Rear differential went out grining noise when backing up or going around curves. Dealer wants to add rear differential TSB-additive waste of time. My passenger door has a continous rattle in the center of the panel with very little volume on speakers. GM fix is adding foam to interior of door, doesnt work.

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  TrailBlazer Fan - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By TrailblazerFan - November 26 - 9:53 am

  Drive the rest. The TrailBlazer is comfortable, powerful, roomy, handles fairly well, tows a lot, has all the gadgets. This is my second and I wasnt prepared to spend $5-10 grand more for a car with slightly better handling. These cars are bulletproof and in 06-08 all the kinks have been worked out of this proven truckster. Rides smooth. Drive one and see for yourself. 100K trans and for around a grand get a 100K bumper-bumper and you are good to go. Buy American, save a family!

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  2009 Chevy Malibu - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kim - November 26 - 1:10 am

  Aside from a few minor complaints about the interior finishings (they seem a little cheap) this is an awesome little car! Its fun to drive and delivers more than enough horsepower. Its also very quiet and comfortable. Add to that affordable and good mileage. I highly recommend this car.

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  Hard to Kill - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brien - November 24 - 11:23 pm

  Bought in 04 w/56000 miles. By November 08, car has 152,000 miles. Maintainence is key to a happy car. Oil changed every 3500 miles on the dot. Driven cross country and in flatlands, got 30+mpg. 25 in higher elevations. All milestone recommended services performed. Intake manifold gasket replaced after reading about class action lawsuit. (Dexcool decision). Waiting on my claim check. Changing seats to leather this week as old seats wore out. Windshield to go after winter due to "sandblasting" on highway. Cant see on sunny days. Car has passed all NY State Emission Inspections legitametly. What a surprise. Looking keep til it hits 200,000 miles or dies. Whichever comes first

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  My favorite car ever - 2016 Chevrolet SS
  By rob batey - November 24 - 8:13 pm

  I would change a few things about this car. First the cup holder can interfere with shifting with even a modestly tall cup. Next, since Im over 55 it sits a bit too low to the ground for me. That makes it hard to get out of the car at times, but the programmable seats can cure this a bit. Finally, the A-frame pillar occasionally obstructs the drivers view. Ive almost had 2 collisions due to this factor. Otherwise, its been my favorite car of all time. Its a real joy to drive. Great mix of power and its somewhat luxurious. Its a real shame that 2017 is the last year for this great ride. Oh well, at least Ill have mine for as long as I want. I still get fired up at that exhaust note when I crank her up.

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  2008 Malibu LT-2 6 cylinder - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By GBlekas - November 24 - 7:11 pm

  I bought this car over the Camry, Accord and Sonata because it moved better than the Camry, was more comfortable than the Accord and because I believe Chevrolet is more reliable than Hyundai. I am most impressed with how quiet this car is. Tire/road noise is less than Honda. This car comes standard with many options and the GM 6 cylinder engine is a very reliable engine making this car an excellent choice for a mid sized family car.

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  Great vehicle - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By D and D - November 24 - 1:32 pm

  We purchased our Suburban used and we have nothing but wonderful things to say about this SUV other than the gas mileage. It is so solid and we feel very safe driving it. We have the 8.1 liter, no problems hauling. It is one tough vehicle.