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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  Like a Rock - Again - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By filmwritin - August 4 - 9:44 pm

  Chevy is back on top of the light truck market. The 2014 Silverado 1500 truly rocks. While the sheet metal is only a tad different than the 2013, the interior is a quantum leap forward and the power plants truly advanced. I have owned Ford, Dodge, and Toyota pickups, but never a Chevy. Being back in the market, I drove them all. The Chevy sold me first turn of the key. I ended up with a highly optioned Crew Cab Z71 4WD LTZ. The sticker was healthy, but well worth it. Its a thrill every time I get behind the wheel. Ive heard the term "Cowboy Cadillac" before, now I know what it means. Chevys marketing agency needs to revive the old "Like a Rock" ads. They fit this ride.

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  vibration - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mrchevy2014 - August 4 - 3:00 pm

  Love the truck hate the ride. I have had this truck for 3 weeks and it has been back to the dealer 4 times. After the last time the tech road with me and told me what the issue was right from the start and said I needed to call GM. I did and have not heard from dealer yet. If issue does not get fixed Lemon law will be issued. Truck came with 18inc wheels and good year tires. The tech says if GM puts 20inc wheels and some better tires on the ride should be better. After paying 40k for new truck it should ride good enough to take on long trips with the family.

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  Frist all wheel drive and I love it! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jerry FRaserr - August 3 - 4:23 pm

  My wife and took delievery on it about 26 Jan 2005. We love the drive of it, the 5 speed automatic. The mileage is excellent for a new car (20mpg in city) havent been on the road with it as yet. We like the side airbags, the XM radio, and the folding rear seats. And the V6 is like the one I had in the pickup that I traded in on it. Easy to drive, power steering is very good. The ride is super excellent! It does take a little getting used to how to use some of the controls but other than SUPER!

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  Chevy 06 SS - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By TK - August 3 - 12:46 am

  Great car. Black on Black. I get questions and comments about it all the time. It is fun to drive with excellent acceleration when you want it! I get about 20 MPG.

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  Very Nice! - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Josh - August 2 - 8:33 pm

  I bought my 99 Chevy Lumina 2 years ago with 83000 on it. I currently have 127,000 miles on the car and never had any problems. The power of the 3.1L is outstanding, especially with the low end torque. Im currently getting an average of 29-30 mpg on the highway! Great car is all i have to say! Nothing but regular maintaience and it still runs like brand new! this is exactly the reason why I buy GM products. Nice job Chevrolet!

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  2007 Suburban 2WD 100 LT vortex 5.3L fle - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Mweb - August 2 - 5:18 pm

  I was shopping for a new Cadillac, but fell in love with 2007 Suburban. It drives and rides better. My 1992 has 210,000 miles and still does not use a quart oil between changes. So far my new one is great. I average 16 miles in town and thats better than my friends Highlanders 15. For me and my needs our Suburban is great. Its funny all my friends drive small imports, but they aways want me to drive. My taste, guess I am use to my 1992,

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  Awesome car with soul - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By bubbak - August 1 - 9:25 pm

  Was looking for a fun, practical vehicle to pick up after dumping a boring mini van. The HHR is awesome. Old School styling with soul, modern but comfortable interior. Right on the money for a small family. We took delivery of our hhr just a couple of hours before taking a beach trip. It was so cool loading up the vehicle with all of our stuff and seeing it actually fit. Perfect mix of people room vs. cargo room. Quiet, solid ride. Average about 27 miles right now. Tough but still low-pro design. Chevy knocked the cover off the ball with this one.

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  Better Safe Than Sorry - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Scott - August 1 - 7:04 pm

  Figured it time to upgrade from our 1994 Burb w/ 208k miles. Has been a true workhorse and reliable at that. Waited for second year of new model and were completely satisfied with our LTZ, professional reviews spot on. The only option we didnt get was retractable steps. The engineering is solid, materials first rate and quality no longer an issue. As for the mpg, I work in a trauma center (ER) and suffice to say those in larger, late model vehilces with all the latest safety features predictably do much better. When one considers the cargo (family), the mpg becomes, at least of us, a distant secondary concern! Better safe, than sorry.

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  Great car, all the options, smooth ride - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By stuart - August 1 - 2:34 pm

  I bought the LTZ black metallic after lots of research. Had the Escape for 4 years and never got used to the rough ride. RAV4 seemed just as rough on the test drive. Considered the Santa Fe, but it didnt have the cool look and features even though storage is a little better. Agree with others about bad cup holders, no room to access driver side recline lever, and limited storage. My gas mileage is about 17-18 mostly in town driving. Sunroof, fog lights, remote start and XM are fun to have, and the roomy back seat is great for adults. The wasted space btwn front seats is annoying and I wish I had more places to stuff things. My first black car and it has been great in California

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  Needs interior improvement - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By taztoy - August 1 - 9:27 am

  Just put 2000 miles on it over fourth of July weekend. Very comfortable. Plenty of leg room for a tall person and plenty of back seat room for car seats. Great pickup for what it is. When I need to haul something heavy I use my 3/4ton diesel.