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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  Good SUV, but not worth $40,000+ - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Angelica15 - September 7 - 8:46 am

  I do like my SUV. The ride is good , but couldve been better for the price. Not as smooth over bumps, but ok. The interior is beautiful, but cheap materials that show smudges easily. I got the leather vinyl interior, and some parts of the interior just gives you that plastic feel. Again its nice but definitely overpriced!

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  Best of the Best - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By John Christian - September 7 - 6:00 am

  My first SS. Handles better than my 1994 Pontiac Firebird, which I truly thought was a great ride. The interest I receive from other cars on the road is very gratifying. Everyrone turns their heads when passing by! I had a Ford GT pull along side of me, and he punched his accelerator, sped ahead of me, I lowered my pedal, and last saw him in my rearview mirror! It is an awesome car, would not consider another one. Too bad that GM is going to discontinue the line after 2008. This car is the car of the future, plus it has great gas saving ability, and all the power you need short of NASCAR!

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  high mileage review - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By snm - September 6 - 7:27 pm

  I now have 220,000 miles on my 1999 cavalier rally sport. It is still a daily driver with no fluid leaks or problems. It has the original exhaust & fuel deliver systems. The 4 speed automatic works perfectly & the car delivers 33 to 35 MPG routinely. The heat & air conditioning systems are also very good. This vehicle will beat the reliability of any toyota or honda. At 300,000 miles I may treat it to a transmission fluid change.

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  GMC (Garbage Makers Corp.) - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By suckysilverado - September 6 - 3:47 pm

  I was very excited to purchase a truck that was suppose to be reliable and tough. True story....within 5 minutes of leaving the lot the gas probe was faulty, the driver side power window regulator cable snapped, and the glove compartment fell right off the dashboard when opened. It was test drove by the way. I called and in typical American dealership fashion, "sorry all sales are final"......I was thinking more of "wow really, well see what we can do since you just spent 1,000s of dollars with us". Its completely turned me off to American cars/trucks in general now because of the terrible service I received. I now have to replace the transmission, only 90K miles on it. JUNKY DONT BUY

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  My Steel Horse - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By cowboy22 - September 6 - 2:23 pm

  This truck has been great, and it runs as strong as they day it was taken off the lot. I will never change my view of Chevy, LIKE A ROCK!!!

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  Used 2013 Volt still feels like the future :-) - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By Luk - September 6 - 1:08 pm

  Can a car be enchanting? This little marvel surely is to me. What can be better than a car that hardly burns any gas? (Smoking was banned in restaurants and bars a while back for humans, now the cars have to stop too!!!) This, and yet still provide a much smoother and more comfortable ride than any gas-based car? Sure, the car has its little quirks, mentioned in many reviews, but to me they seem minor, even charming. The backseats? Of course they are not very roomy, but my children like the bucket-style seats, and their middle console with their cupholders, USB ports (with adapter) and storage compartment. The touch sensitive buttons? Actually, they work really well, and look kind of cool (just dont try to clean them while the car is powered on). Electronics integration with phone, navigation, etc is excellent. I use it with a 240V charger (ClipperCreek ), which is a nice accessory to have for any EV. I am surprised that by now not every car works with an electric motor coupled to a range extender. Its just a much better design than a transmission and provides a much superior driving experience. I bought it used in Feb 2016 and driven 8000 miles, and been to the gas station only twice (last visit in June 2016, over seven months ago!).

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  Too much money for poor quality - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Elizabeth - September 6 - 9:46 am

  I purchased my Equinox in November 2004.After a couple months I took it to have an oil change there they found that the coolant in my my car was contaminated so I took it to the dealer and found that the cooling system had to be replaced,two months later the same problem occured this continued to happen 2 more times, then the cd changer had to be replaced 3 times, then the sunroof started leaking, then the breaks started giving me problems, then the drivers window had to be fixed.I complained to the company and requested a new car and nothing!I told them this car had to be a lemon, they thought giving me free oil changes was enough compensation.I requested replacement and nothing.

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  My favorite car, ever! - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Richard - September 6 - 8:40 am

  This is my fourth "Vette", the first being an73, bright yellow. Great things have happened since then to the auto and to the color. My Millennium Yellow Roadster is all that the other three were and much more. The most astounding was the smooth almost never ending flow of power but just as astounding is the ride. This Vette rides like my Lexus SC400 - too much, you say, I say, try it. What a joy to drive and know that with a flip of a switch you can go from Lexus to all Corvette with the ride and handling you want and need to have even more fun. All the electronic goodies that come with the C6 ony add to the joy and fun of a sports car that is pure fun and entertainment. Love my Vette A lot of people knock the interior and it could use a little help maybe but this is a Corvette, not an Audi, which looks like a circus inside, or some such. Over all, it works for me!

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  It"s built CHEAP - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Cayman LT2(LTZ) - September 6 - 8:29 am

  I find you get alot for your money but Ive had my car only a year and 6 months and already had the left front and the right front axle changed along with a door handle that fell of an interior passenger visor. I also had to have my ac panel changed because of peeling and now Im awaiting a passenger door lock controller and a front right head light. It makes me wonder how much Im going to have to spend after the 2 YEAR warranty if I will have to bear these frequent visits to the garage without even being in an accident and owning a new car. I would suggest a different car. Im think of the new Audi cross over Hyundia. By the way I hate the unsteady cup holders an cheap old fashion ac vents.

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  Cobalt - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Rich D - September 5 - 8:32 pm

  I have owned Toyotas for the past 12 years and I thought I would give an American Car a try. The Cobalt ride is great and the interior noise is super quiet for a small car. I am not impressed with the interior quality but I think the car has nice exterior lines. Gas mileage for city highway is right around 29 MPG... This car can accelerate! If this car is reliable I will continue to buy American. Overall a nice little car!