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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  My Colorado - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Wells - August 9 - 6:45 pm

  I enjoy driving my Colorado very much. I used to have a Ranger. It handles real good and has pretty good gas mileage, which we need here in Southern California. I like the feel of a midsize car, but the looks of a truck.

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  First Car - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kaitlyn - August 9 - 6:38 pm

  Alright, so my first car was a little more expensive than what most teens got at my school. However, it was definitely worth the investment compared to the "junkers" my friends bought. Ive only had one thing go wrong with my little Cavalier, and that was due to a poor mechanic. Not only that, but my little car was able to plow its way down the road on snowy Michigan roads that had sometimes a foot of snow.

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  BRAKES OF HELL - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By T. Rogers - August 9 - 8:02 am

  I purchased this 2008 HHR LS Wagon 4dr car used on February 15, 2016 on Presidents Day Mon. As far as RELIABILITY - Wednesday, I was at the repair shop to let them know when you first get in it to drive to work in the morning...it will not accelerate properly. At lunch time it does the same thing. But as you get going it doesnt do it again for the rest of the day. When I got to the service/repair shop they had me sit in the lobby, then they came and got me and asked me to ride along with the mechanic so I can tell them what Im talking about. It never did it again in the presence. Of course the next day it did it again. As far as PERFORMANCE/SAFETY - On Saturday February 27, 2016...I got into a 3-car accident, I was the third car. the car in front of me instantly stopped I SLAMMED on my brakes in which I had PLENTY enough time to stop, but the BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. Im telling you my daughter had a 2006 Chevy Blazer and those brakes stop on a dime. Other than the safety...the car looks amazing. The electronics, sound system, interior, style, everything is great as far as that.

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  I love my new Avalanche - 2006 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Robyn - August 8 - 6:31 pm

  I knew the second I started the engine and pulled away from the dealership that this was the truck for me. It is so stylish and eyecatching. Big, beautiful and red. It is so quiet and comfortable I can not say enough nice things about it, only one negative, it seems so wide and hard to parrellel park. I can not wait to take it out on a long haul with my horses attached and finally feel some comfort with style.

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  Good Car - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By oceansunset79 - August 8 - 5:35 pm

  I bought this car for only $2,600 at a reputable local dealership. Its not new, the check engine light is on, but it runs/drives good. However, it seems to be getting poor gas mileage, and I still have to figure out why (has gone through almost 1/2 a tank of gas while only having gone 130 miles). I do mostly highway driving so this was quite surprising as I was expecting the rated 30 MPG city/40 MPG hwy as it has the 4-speed auto. I was impressed with the near-perfect reliability rating from consumer reports for this year/model. The only problem Ive had besides fuel economy is that when the A/C is running the engine sometimes idles erratically, not sure why.

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  Like it .. Love it - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By CheriSki - August 8 - 1:25 pm

  I like this Tahoe, but am going to make some changes. it needs bigger rims and tires, a DVD system, and the glass needs to be darker. Once that is done, I will go from Like it to Love it. It drives great, can fit 3 full size car seats in the back and the AC is freezing.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Higgie - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Great acceleration for 5500 pounds, very comfortable front seats when equipped with the LT package. Low road noise levels and great sound system

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  Bad Tech or Good Luck? - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Alz - August 6 - 9:45 pm

  Owned 30 days and have serious issues already. NOTE: its used and the problems may not be GMs fault. Day 6:Service Engine Soon light comes on. Friday,day 7, dealer says bad O2 sensor/1 plug, I asked why not all six sparks?" Theyre not bad". OK, Ill replace them myself. 445pm:Left & drove approx 2mi.in traffic,SES on again! Went back, 5pm,service gone. Spoke to Sales Mgr about the 1 plug replaced and why not all six?,"Hell fix, take truck home" O.K.Took to VT, 800mi w/SES light on, perfect ride, no problems. Monday:dropped off. Tuesday: "Your trucks ready,another O2 was bad, wire harness was crimped,and replaced a PCM" I know thats the computer!Waranteed ,Day 29:oil leak/loose oil filter hose! Uhg!

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  5 1/2 yrs with a Chevy Blazer - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By steve - August 6 - 12:42 pm

  This car has performed well and has been a solid purchase since late 1999. I recommend it for family car with 4 or less people.

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  Loved it so much Im buying another one. - 1991 Chevrolet Astro
  By Bart Heer - August 6 - 2:27 am

  The van was very reliable, had pleanty of power for required task, and was very versatile (could carry 8 people or 3/4 ton of bagged concrete). The turning radius was fabulous for a van. Only drawback was that the paint degraded very quickly.