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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  I love my Chevy - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Nick K. - December 3 - 8:06 pm

  i bought my Chevy in May 05 with 125,600 miles on it. It now has 140,000 on it. Let me just start by saying that this is an awesome truck, and I get compliments on it all the time. It might not sound like it after you read this, but it is very reliable. One thing I would say needs to be taken care of is the fuel sending unit. It was done at 110,000 and then I had to do it again at 135,000... not cool. The part alone is $400. One day #1 on my A/C fan stopped working, next day, #2 stopped. so its Off, or 3, which is too much, such a pain. Power steering pump went the same day as fuel pump #2, at 135K.

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  one hell of a car - 1994 Chevrolet Lumina
  By silverbullet - December 3 - 6:39 pm

  I have had my lumina for about four 5 years and i really am going to miss it i bought it with 85000mi and will haft to part with it with about 170000mi due to a problem with the transmission, good gas mileage and good car with minimal maintenance.

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  coolest car ever - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cavi lover - December 3 - 4:14 pm

  Traded 03 cavi. For a another 03 cavi cause I wanted the sport pkg and manual tran. Car handles great. Fun driving it around with Windows down moonroof open and radio cranked up. I can go 3 to 4 weeks on a single tank of gas. I took it on a 14 hr road trip to Texas this past summer and that was fun. Has been reliable since only a few minor fixer uppers. Cluster wouldnt work when it got over 90 degrees and the car was sitting out in sun. Easy fix I just replaced it. And one of my wires on abs broke off front tire. Thats it.

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  Still the Best Fullsize On the Road - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jerhico31189 - December 3 - 1:32 pm

  It drives me nuts to see you guys messing with the ratings on a good SUV because of something like fuel economy. You dont like getting 15 MPG,THEN DRIVE A CIVIC!!! It does everything a big SUV is made to do. Great in the winter and rain, tows anything and its got great cargo room. Totally satisfied!

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  BADbalt! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By BADbalt! - December 3 - 8:54 am

  When I bought the car the battery had to be charged b/c it was dead from sitting on the lot.SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY SIGN!7 days later I was stranded with a dead battery.2 months later brakes & rators had to be replaced. Now for the real problem...EVERYTIME it rains I have water sitting in my floorboard.3 yrs later and A LOT of parts replaced they still dont know where its coming from. I get in my car on 12/2/09 back up and hit the brakes and a waterfall comes rushing down from my roof onto me, my dash and filled my cup holders. Even though this is pre-existing GM wont help! But they want me to buy another car??? SERIOUSLY! I am so upside down with my wonderful GM product I have to hang onto it!

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  First Chevy - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By GreenandGold - December 3 - 5:06 am

  We recently purchased the Tahoe LTZ. I must say that we were drawn to the Tahoe by the new styling and estimated fuel economy. The Tahoe is a very comfortable and quite ride and the LTZ has all kinds of bells and whistles. I just hope that after the 3yr warranty is up that all the electronic bells and whistles dont start to malfunction. The fuel economy is a little misleading. Were getting 12- 13mpg around the city and 15-16mpg on the highway. Other than that, we are very pleased with our first Chevy purchase.

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  Tahoe Breakhoe - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Tahoe Crap - December 2 - 11:02 pm

  Where do I start? I got mine 11-24-1998 and if I wasnt a very mechanical guy I wouldve gone mad by now. It would be a great vehicle if it wasnt breaking all the time. The list of things that broke are: Fuel-pump at 40K, Intake manifold gaskets 2X, Transmission at 80K, Front rotors continually warp- inadequately-braked vehicle, Water pump, Radiator, Interior plastic parts galore-Sun visor vanity mirrors R/L, Right side electric mirror, Alternator 3X, Rear cargo door strap, Rear speaker, Paint on hood and top shot, Dog tracking problem, Grill plastic parts are all breaking, Wiper pulse board. I am a bit remiss to not remember everything. If I ever sell it, it will have everything corrected.

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  Cheaper Honda LX SUV - 2017 Chevrolet Trax
  By Ron Leonard - December 2 - 2:58 pm

  If poky acceleration is ok, this car will delight with handling & hiway drives. On I-5 for 2 hours , it was fine both uphill & down in traffic at high speed. The rebates brought my cost down the mid teen level, and it has AWD as well. Manueverability is terrific, and parking in city is easy. Apple carplay and backup camera are both excellent. Seating is adequate, not plush, an area for improvement. Cold weather start & comfort is good. Havent tested AWD yet. Ive owned car for 7 months with low mileage experience; 34 miles r/t total 2-3 times per week plus local driving. Small trunk but fine for groceries or suitcase...with rear seat down can accept bike. Im satisfied with my purchase. Would love to have added heated seat, more seat support, heated side mirrors, cruise control. FYI, I drive this pokey vehicle in a spirited way... employing its manueverabilty more than the acceleration...and Im sure the mileage could be much better.

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  Door Frustration - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By MomOf4 - December 2 - 9:42 am

  I loved this van when we purchased it. We had two kids and were expecting another so we needed a bigger vehicle. Now we have had it in the shop 6 times for the passenger sliding door not closing, door alarms going off while driving with the doors shut, and the horn starts blowing for no reason when it is just sitting in the parking lot til either the fuse or the horn itself shorts. Im dealing with GM now cause the dealership wants to charge me $400 just to do diagnostics on a known problem with this model van. Hopefully they can help.

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  Fun!! - 2014 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Cm - December 2 - 9:10 am