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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  Happy so far... - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Derek - October 21 - 12:38 pm

  We recently purchased a 2008 Chevy TrailBlazer 1LT... our first American built car after a trio of Nissans.We are very happy with our purchase so far. Excellent ride,expected fuel mileage 15city/21hwy,excellent space for each passenger,a real surprise. We were not set on a TrailBlazer but after our purchase we would not hesitate to purchase a newer more updated version if it was produced.

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  HHR-Happy Hot Rod - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Karen - October 21 - 8:30 am

  It has a good smooth, quiet ride with very little road noise compared to others I had driven. I have gotten as high as 33 miles per gal. on the highway. I would recommend this car to any new car buyers. It is a very classy car.

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  2015 Camaro LS is breathtaking - 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Kelly - October 21 - 2:49 am

  Before buying the third Camaro owned on my lifetime, I did extensive research on the 2015. I knew I wanted a V6 due to gas mileage which has so much power, who really needs an 8 cylinder? I wanted a stick shift and a unique color. I found an LS at my local dealership in Rock Red which is a high metallic that changes color depending on the lighting. Stunning. The body style is the most eye catching muscle car out there. I still find myself staring at her when I walk away. When I pass other Camaros in the same body style I always rubberneck to watch them. My dad bought a new Stang and it is nowhere near as gorgeous. The Camaros wide back end and big hips, the window shape, the angled front end and mean stare, curves and angles on all the right places. Ive also owned a Stang but the Camaro takes the cake. I am glad I got in before the new shape came out with 2016, I am not as fond of the changes. Not only did the new Camaro get five out of five stars for safety but its like sitting on a tank. As far as visibility, I am 55" and I did jack up my seat to be able to judge the length of the hood better but in maneuvering and backing up, I have no problems whatsoever. Use the windows and mirrors. I can see people around me easily. Yes the back end is high but you can still see enough with windows and mirrors and using caution. My car happens to be fine in the snow with the all season tires plus some sand bags in the back. Better than the Stang! Love all the features that come with the base model. I have gotten so many compliments on the car, it is stunningly beautiful. Spacious inside except for back seat but my dog goes back there. Fast. Love the slightly raise hood. Love the simple duck tail spoiler. I looked at the new Stang, the Challenger and the Camaro and the choice was easy. You either are a Camaro person or you arent. If you are, get the car. Youll absolutely fall deep in love as I have.

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  The best SUV/Truck ever built! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By scherf.com - October 21 - 1:20 am

  The Avalanche is truly a masterpiece. I drove with 75 mph on the Interstate through a snow storm with snow drifts and ice, etc. and this baby didnt slip once and it was just a dream to be the King of the Road. It is spacious inside and it drives like a big luxury cruiser. The styling is just awesome--it turns heads everywhere, literally. Its a little expensive but compared to other SUVs in its class it is one of the best values on the market.

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  Inexpensive van for mom of four - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By mom of 4 - October 20 - 9:00 pm

  Overall a good van. No frills at all. Just good reliable transportation. Ours was purchased used with 12,000 miles on it. Price was super great so we could afford it.

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  Decent truck - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By Travis - October 20 - 7:26 pm

  Ive owned this truck since 2004 (I bought it with 120K miles) and Ive put about 50K miles on it. Recently Ive been using it to do a 400 mile round trip each week: its comfy for the long ride, its been reliable, and I regularly get between 22 and 25 mpg on these long trips. Ive had no major problems with it. About 10K miles ago, the fuel gauge stopped giving an accurate reading (it drops rapidly and then hovers above empty). And simple maintenance is all but impossible because everything is packed-in tightly. Granted Im not mechanically inclined... Installing a custom stereo was a pain-- the dash is hard to remove. Id love to get a new car, but this thing just wont seem to die.

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  Bum Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Rachel Carter - October 20 - 6:16 pm

  I loved my car from the moment I bought it but shortly after the problems started. It would start about 50% of the time and I had it in the shop several times before it was discovered that the fuel pump system had faulty parts. Recently the wiring system has become faulty and is blowing fuses to the point that my car literally dies! The trade in value is horrible and the gas mileage is nothing to brag about.

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  Average, not all its touted! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By John - October 20 - 8:15 am

  Bought this car when it first came out, there were only 3 on the lot to choose from. Gas mileage is no where close to the commercials. Too small, if you have children, stay away from this car. one car seat and thats about it for the back seat. one stroller in the trunk and no more for the trunk. have been to shop on numerous occasions for brake issues, was sat down by the shop manager and told, "thats just how it is, sorry." Cannot wait til lease ends to get rid of it! will not buy a GM again, first and last experience!

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  Disappointment - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Bruce - October 19 - 7:55 pm

  Our purchase of a new Chevy Yukon has been a major disappointment to me. My wife enjoys the size and ride but we have owned Suburbans for the past 20 years. The fuel mileage has been the biggest disappointment with mileage no better than 14mpg whether highway or in town. Our old Suburban got 17 - 18 on the road. Performance is also not what was expected. The engine has died in the middle of a turn and there seems to be a small miss when slowing for a turn and then accelerating. Unexpectedly thee is NO storage under the seats or anywhere. All in all, for the money, I think a Lexus, BMW, or MB may have been a better idea.

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  Good Purchase - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Nick Gibson - October 19 - 6:26 pm

  This truck has performed great in the 65,000 miles that I have owned it. I have had to replace two things on this truck so far (excluding brakes, filters, etc.). At 36,000 miles, the rear universal joint went out, but this was most likely due to the fact that I drive on the interstate 80% of the time and run over 90mph nearly all the time, just below the cutoff point on the engine. At 72,000 miles the fuel pump went out. This also may be attributed to my habits, as I usually let the fuel light come on and stay on a while before re-fueling. Ive been told this is extremely hard on the fuel pump because it sucks in air. Other than that, no problems.