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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  2015 Camaro RS - 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Biscuits - December 13 - 4:17 pm

  This car wants to go fast. Handles the road very nicely. I purchased it used with only 1500 miles on it for 20K. The rear side visibility Is pretty bad so you must use your mirrors.

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  Best Silverado yet! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jd - December 13 - 4:10 am

  Recently purchased 1LT Ext Cab. This truck drives like a Cadillac! Great ride, absolutely blows away new Toyota Tundra! Even with small V8 good accelaration, and sounds great. 100K powertrain great selling point, standard OnStar, new black tie audio radio even in 1LT sounds good and great display on stored radio stations! Would highly recommend to anyone!

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  Buy This Car - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Frank - December 12 - 9:03 pm

  This is the best car I have ever owned. I traded in a 2001 Malibu, which I thought was great. This car is light years ahead of the 2001 I had. Unbeliveably, the bigger engine is giving much better mileage than I got on the 2001. The 2001 delivered 26 mpg and so far the 2005 (according to the onboard computer)is giving me 29.7 mpg. That is from day one till now, 1,100 miles later. Ive had the car 6 weeks now and it just keeps getting better and better.

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  Test Drove 2008 - Bought 2007 - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Winston - December 12 - 3:35 pm

  Traded in 2004 Z71 Tahoe. Test drove 2008 LTZ, but with 0% financing and on- lot availability, bought 2007 LS with the few options we really wanted. Really liked both - ride is great, impressive interior room. Mileage is better than the old Tahoe and better than the 15-20 rating (getting about 17 around town and around 21 highway). And, it looks great. It adjusts great for both my 51" wife and my 61" frame. Have already used it to haul 8 lumber, 12 trim, and new oak doors - love the mid-gate. Even my Mother (who has always hated trucks as "the good car") has told my Dad that he could buy an Avalanche to replace their Buick next year.

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  JUVENTUS - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By PETER MAGRO - December 11 - 11:03 pm

  NICE SUV. GREAT TRANSMISSION. PLENTY ON LEG ROOM. GOOD STEREO SYSTEM

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  What a way to build a vehicle ! - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Chip - December 11 - 7:48 pm

  I have had this vehicle since new and only had a couple of problems. The I- Shaft for the steering (GM knows of this problem and repaired it), 2 master cylinders (covered under extended warranty). Drives rock solid, in snow, water, dry pavement. Pulls boat trailer and race trailer with little problem. Bigger motor would have been better choice and a Duramax Diesel would be better.

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  A lot of car for not a lot of money - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jscott1 - December 11 - 4:29 pm

  I came into the Aveo because my full sized truck was guzzling too much gas. I wanted an inexpensive commuter. I ended up with a pretty upscale, (for an Aveo) 4 dr LT and its much more car than I expected. Its smooth on the highway, and comfortable and has many features you wouldnt normally expect to find in this price range like side airbags. The sound system is nice with the MP3 changer and the steering wheel controls are good too. I went to the dealership just looking, but the price was too good to pass up after I saw how much car I could get for the money.

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  Great Little Car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Mike - December 11 - 3:23 pm

  I bought this car for my wife and she loves it. She only lets me drive it on the weekends. Its fun to drive, handles great, and has plenty of pep. The mileage is great and the looks are awesome. We looked at the Cruiser and found it to noisy. The HHR is quiet and more roomy. The things that are standard on the HHR are options on the competition. Good job Chevy.

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  How can you not like this truck? - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Fassler - December 11 - 10:35 am

  This is my first Avalanche LTZ and I love driving this truck!! This thing is loaded, navigation, dvd, back up camera heated seat etc..It does everything you could ask for in a truck/suv. Ride is smooth for its size. Get a lot of compliments from friends and stranger!! For a truck 14 - 15mpg is great. Chevy really stepped up with the new design inside and out. Its luxury style without paying the Cadillac price.

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  Great reliability, fun to drive - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By John Delmonte - December 11 - 6:23 am

  The Cobalt is a winner if you are looking for reliability and low maintenance cost. It runs very quiet and his extremely dependable. The interior back seat is a little small but the room up front good. Large trunk and easy access to the engine compartment make it easy to work on. Very impressed with the overall reliability, low cost of maintenance, low cost for repairs, 20-25 mpg. A basic car with five star value.