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:

• 

  Cobalt Love - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By matt - September 24 - 2:10 pm

  I traded my favorite car I have ever owned, a Chevy Tracker, for a new Cobalt. I was afraid of switching to a small sedan. I love it. It drives great. It is nice to look at. The paint is a deep blue that the sun sometimes reflects off as purple. Getting 31.4 mpg city/driving combined. Perfect big city car. Its a winner of a car if you dont have to have the biggest one on the road.

• 

  CHEVY FAMILY - LOVE IT!!! - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Janis Colby - September 24 - 8:13 am

  This is my 2nd Monte Carlo. I had a 1985 Monte Carlo SS and I loved it. I just got a 2005 on 9/30/05 and I love it. Saw the 2006 body style but didnt like it. I also test drove the new Impala SS and thought the style looked like a Jetta. Not impressed, didnt like look of new dashboard at all, 05 - like my 85 - so went with the Monte LT 05. They are a dependable car and I love the style, performance, and all the features - totally different from the 1985. Also test drove an SS 05 and really not much difference. Seems to apear to be a heavy car, which is great for our weather in the winter. Truly reccomend. Great Job Chevy!! GM A lot better looking than the 02-03 model.

• 

  2500hd - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By bbardoni - September 24 - 5:26 am

  This is my daily driver and I get an avg. 17.0 mpg. I use my truck for towing a 5th wheel camper (33) and while towing I get 12-13mpg @ 65-70mph.

• 

  HHR - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Bonnie Harrison - September 23 - 3:33 pm

  The HHR is the best car I ever owned. Handling is very responsive and the seat are comfortable and interior space is very well apportioned. We are looking forward to many years of comfortable driving.

• 

  2004 Maxx LT - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By PAO - September 22 - 10:00 am

  Great buying experience, went into dealership with my bottomline price including taxes and title, based on Edmunds and KBB sites and dealer had no problems..fully loaded LT with all options off the lot for $24K total price. 1600 miles on the car in two months and no problems...good combination of highway and city driving, very responsive on the interstate, great gas mileage 31 MPG at 70MPH with the AC on

• 

  almost there - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By crusier - September 22 - 10:00 am

  Nice Car. Almost there except for new electrical assist power steering. Taking it back for service again. Fails after period of twitching in steering wheel. Re-start clears for a while. Big interior. I am 62" and have plenty of room thanks to adjustable pedals and seat. Plenty of power with V-6. Nervous about electrical stuff. Time will tell.

• 

  2004 chev. malibu lt 3.5 v6 - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By robert c. krug - September 22 - 10:00 am

  roomy, plenty of power,good handling, good gas mileage,numerous new features like factory installed remote start, very comfortable for driver and passengers and much less costly than camry or accord comparably equipped.

• 

  Happy - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By jerry111 - September 22 - 10:00 am

  I have owned the truck for 3 months and have enjoyed every minute of it.

• 

  My 2004 Tahoe Z71 - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jlrose - September 22 - 10:00 am

  I ordered this truck March 1st, and received it on March 30, 2004. Pretrty good turn around. Was worth the wait to get what I wanted. VERY NICE!

• 

  Rented 4 pickups bought the Silverado - 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jpv - September 22 - 2:37 am

  I was in the market for a new pickup and definitely preferred the Toyota Tundra before driving any of them because I have owned Toyota and Lexus vehicles for the last 20 years. Cant beat the reliability anywhere. Drove the Tundra and liked it but could not average more than 15 mpg, didnt matter that I took a trip to Naples, still 15 mpg. The truck was very nice but that was a problem for me. I rented an F150, not crazy about the looks and the aluminum body, just my opinion, and the Ram, could not get past the rotating knob for a shifter, reminded me of the old push button transmission fad of the old Chrysler and the gas mileage was terrible like the Tundra. Rented a Silverado thinking I have not bought a Chevy in 30 years and to my surprise, I posted 22.9 mpg on the highway, a high of 24.2 and an average of 21.9. I was shocked and amazed at how great it rode and handled. The Apple car play was a bonus and a great addition to the my sync system which sounds surprisingly good. Purchased the crew cab short bed with the all star package and the V8 and so far averaging 22.5 mpg in mixed mostly highway driving. Also, I do not have the Silverado shake I have read about and hope this truck serves me as well as all the Toyota vehicles I bought in the past. Only time will tell but so far, very pleased with the purchase but it has only been the first week