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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  A Lemon Disguised As A Car!! - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By BigP81 - August 20 - 11:48 pm

  Purchased w/ 111K, now has 122K. The ignition switch needs replacing (ignition cylinder/theft system issue), theres a major electric short/issue with ground(using foglights blows fuse for Sunroof). The Heating/Cooling does what it wants, AC doesnt stay on, nor does the Circulate Air feature. Antifreeze needs to be refilled about every 1.5mos (dealership found no leak). The vehicles has major braking issues in the rain...Need I go on? I bought this car by hearing of its reliability...well approx 7mos & 11K later, I admit that I bought a lemon disguised as a car! Im quite turned off by GM this is the 4th GM Ive owned with Electrical issues.

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  I love my 2003 blazer - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By mountainchick - August 20 - 7:00 pm

  Wow I was really shocked at some of the comments Ive seen on here. First off I really believe that the way a truck works depends on how you drive it and maintain it! I am not saying that the people arent taking care of it but the owners beforehand didnt. As for the worst gas milage I did agree untill I changed my fuel pump omg It saved me a lot of money and I didnt even change it because it was broke! If you drive like an idiot and go 55mph from stop sign to stop sign you will waste so much gas in anything. I go out the mountain every weekend and I have and always will buy Chevys! The one and only thing I hate is changing the spark plugs because it is soooo tight in there!

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  First ownership of a GM Vehicle - 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Harry - August 20 - 4:32 pm

  I have purchased a 2016 1LT with the Convenience and Technology package on 1/2016. So far this car is great. Very smooth and has better power output than my previous car (that has a 2.0L N/A 4 banger). The seats are very comfortable and sink in when you sit in it. The lumbar support is great and visibility is very sleek. Im retiring from my rice burner days for something very quite and easy cruiser for everyday tasks. I personally call it the quarter life crisis car.

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  Refined, Comfortable, Powerful, Thirsty - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By PaulC - August 20 - 12:33 pm

  This is my second large SUV, having traded a first-gen Ford Expedition for my Tahoe LT 4x4. Where the Tahoe trumps the Expedition is overall refinement, offering a smoother, more supple ride, better sound isolation, and incrementally better handling. The 1950s Chris-Craft bass exhaust burble is entertaining but never obtrusive, and hints at the burly, but refined nature of whats under the hood. The instrument panel and switchgear appears to be a lift from a late-model Audi, which is just fine by me. Negatives: Too heavy for its size, and a 26-gallon tank is just too small, particularly if you plan to tow with this vehicle. The Expedition had a 30- gallon tank, which was just right.

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  A Long Overdue Change - 2009 Chevrolet Colorado
  By FLYONS - August 20 - 12:08 pm

  I just purchased the Colorado a few weeks ago after driving a 1995 Nissan XE pickup for 14 years. I was reluctant to give up the Nissan because it had been a very reliable and solid vehicle but I was able to give it a good home with a family member. I am enjoying the ride, styling, comfort of my new Colorado. I like the fact that it appears to be a scaled down version of the Silverado. I have the 4 cylinder engine with the automatic transmission and it has good power and adequate acceleration. The gas mileage is pretty much what I obtained with the Nissan about 22 mpg. Overall I like the vehicle and have received numerous compliments about it.

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  No More GM`S - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By No More GM`S - August 20 - 11:39 am

  Bought the car new. 3000 miles ac compressor froze. 2 steering racks replaced before 55,000 miles. Manifold gasket let go at 60,000 miles. Speedometer sometimes will not work9 (no safety issue here). Now the transmission will occassionally slip when taking off.

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  JUNK - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kyle - August 19 - 4:46 pm

  04 impala LS/3.8L/90k miles. CClunking in steering wheel, ABS/traction control lights coming on at random, ABS pump coming on at random, cruise control malfunction, loud whining when I turn. I replaced all rotors and brakes, replaced struts, new tires replaced front wheel hubs, alternator, "greased intermediate steering shaft" and aligned wheels. Car still has a slight shake when I drive, still getting the ABS/TC light, ABS pump still engages AND still a light occaisional clunk in the steering column. even went back myself with a multi meter to check each hub individually to see if a sensor failed and check for bad wiring. Checked out OK. I found the problem. All substandard components.

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  The car dreams are made of - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Patrick - August 19 - 1:36 pm

  The new Impala is on its way to outselling the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. It already has sells of 171K so far this year for the sedan alone compared to 178K for the Honda Accord sedan and coupe and 218K for the Toyota Camry sedan and coupe. The Impala is a very comfortable riding car that gives me all of the power I need when I need it.

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  Great & Dependable - 1990 Chevrolet Celebrity
  By Chevy Lover - August 19 - 12:30 pm

  This is the second Celebrity Eurosport wagon that I owned. I purchased it used with 109,000 miles and now at 120,000 miles, still runs and drives excellent. Starts up in any weather and it very dependable. Great for the family. We have driven with eight comfortably. A great car all-around

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  Not Impressed at all!!! - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Lindsay - August 19 - 12:27 pm

  I bought the car when i was pregnant. The headrest is a vision blocker when trying to look in the blind spots(the tiny windows in the back) The seats are now as hard as bleachers think its causing my back problems. The plastic dash board and steering wheel are So hard to clean. Not to mention that the trim around the shifter is a huge chrome piece that of course the sun hits and blinds you while you are driving. This could cause an accident. Bought brand new in 07 still havent reached the gas mileage that its supposed to be getting and i do a lot of highway driving, when bought it got 16MPGs, now only at 18.3MPGs. HHMM! Sound system?? WHAT HAPPENED!!!