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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  HHR Review - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Phil - May 23 - 2:47 pm

  Ive driven this car for over 3 months now. I love it! Just what I wanted. The only two setbacks I see is that it really is small for a five passenger car. And man I wish this was a 4x4. Other than that I love it.

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  Really Nice SUV - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Brandy - May 23 - 1:39 pm

  I really love my TrailBlazer. It is a very comfortable vehicle. Have had it 3 1/2 years. Only problems have been clearcoat peeling on rims(warranty fixed), temp control sensor (warranty fixed), and front wiper motor. The front windshield wiper issue was a recall that should have been fixed by the dealership, but a friend of ours (a GM mechanic) looked it up and found out they took the cheap route and didnt replace the whole thing. The only issue I have now is gas mileage. It is average for a SUV, but may have to trade off since I have a long commute. The computer says I average 17.8. At highway speeds (55-70), I have seen instant economy of 19-30 though. Have to readjust outside mirrors rarely.

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  Wonderful! - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By april - May 23 - 9:50 am

  I love my car. Its the same color as the one pictured. The car looks so classy and expensive but yet its so affordable, I only payed $8.900 for mine and its great. I love the interior its so comfortable and it has so much space! The trunk is also huge and holds just about anything I need. The only negative is that I was told it had a V6 in it, when in fact it has a 4cyl but it gets really good gas mileage, and thats more important being that gas prices are outrageous. I think with this car the only thing to be careful of is choosing the right exterior color, a lot of colors make it look a little cheap.

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  Awsome - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kyle - May 23 - 8:00 am

  I love this car, its fun to drive, gets good mpgs: 21/32. Its huge and this car is a tank. Has been through a lot, got hit from a someone who blew a stop sign going 35 and my car only had 6400 worth of damage the other car lost badly. Its fun to drive. Im 18 so I like the gas pedal. You can take turns fast and when you put the pedal to the floor it goes right away. Only complaint is that the abs light keeps on coming on, and I wish it had more hp. Also its my summer work car and it holds 1500 lbs in the trunk with no problems. I will only buy a GM. I wish that they would actually put real bumpers on sedans instead of plastic tho. Metal is harder to dent, but with plastic you can pop it right out

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  Great Car - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Angelo - May 23 - 3:10 am

  I own a 2002 Impala LS and I just bought this one. What a great car! The ride is smooth and quiet. It handles just great and the features included makes it a great value. Good job Chevy! Drive one, you wil agree.

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  2002 Chev Silverado - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By gavin carrigan - May 22 - 1:48 pm

  Love EVERYTHING about this vehicle and miss it dearly. Totaled on 3-31-2016 because some people dont pay attention/drive and text. Would love to have this vehicle back. Much nicer than my 2007 version. 02 totaled out still valued at $9500 from adjuster. Total shame too because she had atleast another 100k left in her. Shame.

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  Great Gas Mileage for a car of this size - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By jim - May 22 - 11:40 am

  This car is fun to drive and very quiet and gets great gas mileage. Very large trunk, outstanding brakes. A very good car for the money. A lot of useful options for little money

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  Still Going at 180k - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Lark - May 22 - 10:21 am

  I am a happy owner. We bought it new in late 02 and have driven 180k miles. Engine is still running strong. We have had a tranny rebuild at about 160k due to a stripped sunshell. We also had to replace the alternator at 130k and occasionally the left brakelight burns out (easy to replace and I have replaced about 8 times in life of the vehicle), all else has been regular maintenance. As long as it keeps running stong, I plan to keep it until 250k.

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  Solid, well-built truck - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Danl - May 22 - 3:03 am

  Shopped Ford, Dodge, but Chevy was the best value. This thing will pull your house down. The 4auto shifts smoothly and solidly. The motor growls with plenty of low-end torque. Tons of room in the back for kids, etc. Gas mileage around 14..better than Ford or Dodge. Great work truck.

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  trailblazer - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By rjb1311 - May 21 - 10:00 am

  goodWe appreciate opinions from all of our users. However, in an effort to provide site visitors with the most valuable consumer insight and information, it is a requirement that you own this vehicle in order to write a review. We have found that actual ownership experience is the best yardstick for providing genuine quality feedback about a vehicle beyond a test drive