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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  Love the XFE - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jeff - October 13 - 4:53 pm

  Ive had my Yellow XFE coupe for about 4 months and 10,000 miles. I commute about 120 miles per day and average 38.5 and 39.1 MPG...you have to love that! The car is very comfortable and has great pickup when its time to hit the on ramps. I was about to buy a civic, but saved myself 6 grand and get better mileage. I expect it will be a great car for years.

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  DONT DO IT!!! - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By BAD Deal! - October 13 - 11:26 am

  This van is a piece of junk!! I got this after owning a 7 year old pontiac van that I never had a problem with. This Venture has already had tons of problems!! I have had to replace the headlights 6 times, both of the front blinkers blow out, the window doesnt roll up, the real windshield wiper doesnt work, now there is something wrong with the transmission. Not to mention the fact that it only had 80,000 miles on it when I got it and about every 3 weeks in between oil changes you have to add a quart of oil. Oh yeah, and the drivers seat handle broke off as well as the hatch handle. I am not hard on my vehicles and have never owned something this junky! Not worth it!!

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  Chevy forgot what a SS is! - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Sier256 - October 12 - 9:37 pm

  Powerful engine but 305hp keeps it below competitors, FWD kills the fun, 16mpg, interior quality is really bad my radio or my exhaust makes rattles inside the car really annoying and embarrassing. Single exhaust with dual tips very deceiving You cant even modify it to a true exhaust. Due to the side mounted manifold mount and the single pipes dug in to underbody. The fun went out fast never buying a chevy SS ever they ruined impala SS. The only good thing its the comfort ride and size. If u looking for a performance sedan look at legacy gt or charger rt better or same mpg better speed and size and a hole lot better quality by far and most of all fun to drive!

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  great first experience - 2017 Chevrolet Traverse
  By car buying - October 12 - 5:17 pm

  I never drove a SUV before, it was very easy to adapt quickly. I liked sitting higher than in a car. It is easy to get in and out of. Planning on having this vehicle for many years and taking a lot of exciting, relaxing trips in it.

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  Sexy Red Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Noel - October 12 - 4:40 pm

  Vehicle really looks sharp. The ride is very smooth and quiet. Handling and acceleration are very good. Lots of legroom in rear when seat is all the way back. Sound system (premium sound with 6 disc CD changer) is terrific.

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  Runs amazingly at over 200k miles now - 1994 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Lisa - October 12 - 1:07 pm

  So far had my trans rebuilt a few years ago which failed at 18 mo. (warranty was only 1 year), then had a NEW rebuilt trans installed and has been fine for 2 + years. Clear coat peeling off in various areas, although the custom paint job still looks great overall. I use mine to haul a haul an aluminum 2-horse trailer (added hitch/brake controller) and so far so good as I only do limited hauling. Have 217k miles now. Engine seems just as strong as it was when I bought it at 3 years old. Great truck despite 13 mpg gas mileage.

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  Still lacking milage and room - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Clint - October 12 - 11:25 am

  I love to support my American Cars but when I got a job traveling the east coast I opted to buy a Honda Accord. Recently our company forced us to use rental cars and we are stuck with this malibu. After driving around 500-680miles on a tank of gas to going to 400-475miles I was less than impressed. Im 64" and this car is less roomy than my Accord.I feel extremely cramped while im sitting here typing this headed to florida from North Carolina (co-worker driving 1st shift). The car looks nice and runs well. Interior not so pretty but its a rental so Ill suffice. The radio is lacking features also. Steering is much sloppier than the accord. It does have a smooth ride too.

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  Created acount to post this.. - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By mpatricio - October 12 - 11:19 am

  This car my grandparents bought brand new. Was given to my mom and then to me. It currently has 229,000km now on it. Needs transmission work for afew years now. There is a knock in the car whenever you turn right, costs 500 bucks to fix. This car has 5 recalls on it atm.. for power steering which the steering cut out on me on the busy highway as I was merging. This car has had nothing but problems over the past 2-3 years. Changed the alternator like 5 times in 2 years. Constant little isuses, enver buying a gm after the 68 and counting recalls ALONE in 2014 for chevy.

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  Great Truckl - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Scott Campbell - October 12 - 7:13 am

  This is a great truck! It has, what seems like, unlimited power, pretty good gas mileage and outstanding creature comforts. The interior of the truck makes long drives easy; I wish I had this truck in college, it would have made the road trips even more exciting.

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  Good not Great - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By HondaFan - October 11 - 11:17 pm

  A very acceptable form of transportation. I went from a Malibu to the Impala missing the outside temp gauge, rear folding seats in the Impala LS vs the Malibu LS. No telescoping steering. MPG is good for the size of the vehicle. Handling is terrific in straight line :-). Overall a decent car for the price. Check the NHTSA website for recalls and technical service bulletins this car is riddled with them, most are minor but worth considering if you are going to buy one. This is a company supplied car for me so I dont get much say in brand choice. Honda and Toyota have nothing to fear however.