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 our Max! - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Paulmary - May 16 - 6:46 pm

  We had a Volkswagen Jetta, but with two boys over 6 feet, there was no leg room! Lots in the Max, I like sunroof and heated seats.

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  Chevrolet at its most excellent - 1998 Chevrolet Camaro
  By NateMitch - May 16 - 12:22 pm

  Excellent car. Very fun. When I purcased mine I had to change the fuel pump and the gas mileage after that was 24-30 cty-highwy. The car is awesome. You can tell with mine that there was little to no maintinance done to it, but it still is a very excellent car. All of the bugs were worked out in 1 1/2 months. It turned out to be an awesome car. Very fun to drive and reliable.

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  great - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By bbblllccc - May 16 - 2:00 am

  its a great car

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  awesom - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By bran - May 16 - 2:00 am

  The car is great...I would recommend it to anyone that likes a fun car but still need practicality

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  America at its best-wave your flag - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By cragman1 - May 16 - 1:03 am

  I suppose every car has a "target market". Im not sure if they had me, a 52 yr old family guy who grew up in the 60s in mind, but Chevy won me over with this puppy. I had a lease coming to an end on a 2006 Saturn Ion (which I found to be "acceptable" like some reviews including the editors note) , so with the incentives offered by GM - it was off to the internet and the pavement. First off, this is a nice car for the money. Saturn dosent make a poor mans starter model car anymore so the divorce is final there. Chevy still makes a bang for the buck car here. And it kind of looks like a "little Vette" Drives great. Comfortable. Stylish.

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  Great Car For Price - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By vince - May 15 - 4:26 am

  I have had my SS for a few months . Mileage is better than I thought it would be, to bad they require 90+ octane so price of fuel makes the gap up from mileage. Inside, I love the space over Mustangs, and performance is better than a 4.6 with an auto. I would only own the Supercharged SS after having this one.

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  What a Thrill! - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By SSR from NC - May 14 - 4:09 pm

  Purchased a 2004 SSR because I wanted a roadster. Was all set to get a used Mercedes SL500, when I saw this. Im tall, 65, and the Mercedes was the only roadster with enough headroom etc for me. The SSR has 40" of headroom! Kinda tight interior quarters but overall far more fun, style, and room for cargo etc than the benz plus no hardtop/softop but a retractable steel hardtop, the ultimate! Build quality surprized me as to how good it was and it is a blast to drive. Being a Benz driver I was also surprized at all the luxury goodies this SSR had, heated seats, lumbar, Bose high radio/CD, power everything etc. Outrageous styling, fun, and some practicality to for a roadster, Im hooked!

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  4th Chevy, 2nd Impala - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Will - May 14 - 2:06 pm

  What a great car! The ride, handling, interior comfort and design are far superior to my 01 Impala! Acceleration and braking are wonderful, and it has a much stiffer suspesion. Not a sports car, but this car is comfortable, fun to drive, and looks sporty yet elegant. A terrific family car that honors the drivers instincts. Right out of the dealership I am getting 34 MPG on the hightway with AC running! And it takes "Flex Fuel" to boot!- I am very satisfied with this vehicle. Chevy has a real hit here.

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  Best vehicle built - 1994 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Olson_2009 - May 12 - 7:40 pm

  These vehicles are awesome. I have no troubles in mud or snow, everyone calls me when they get stuck to pull them out. My Suburban has enough weight to get get traction better than any truck. The only drawback is gas mileage. You can haul many people around.

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  I Love It - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By SRAF - May 12 - 4:54 pm

  Ive had this car for 2 months and have had zero problems. This is my 4th Vette and I thought I loved my 25th anniversary C5 - but this one is superior in every way. Interior styling is a vast improvement. They finally included a decent stereo and power top. Im a big guy so getting out is a little difficult - but Ill live with it. Plenty of head/leg room.