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:

• 

  Cute and eyecatching, easy to drive... - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By HHRFan - August 17 - 9:01 am

  My 2008 HHR LS is an eye catcher in "orange". Black interior is neat, stays clean looking longer than lighter colors. All controls super easy to use, air, radio, windows, etc.. Fuel economy not as good as advertised but okay. The 2.2 engine is fine around the city but you have to stomp the gas pedal when pulling on to the highway, that is a disappointment, would have liked the larger engine, we learn from our mistakes. Large, easy open tailgate, storage area a big plus, so easy to load and unload. Cabin is pretty quiet, as is the engine..so far...we live in hope. All in all, I do like the vehicle, would recommend for the price, but go to GOOD dealer, dont get ripped off as I did!

• 

  Not your Mini van any more - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Jeff - August 17 - 8:18 am

  My family and I (3 kids) needed something that could fit our needs but we do not like Mini-vans. This traverse is IT! It looks like a crossover, handles like a SUV but has the features of a minivan. The room and captains chairs are great for the younder kids, the oldest loves having the rear seat to herself. My wife and I have room in front and it is a safe handling vehicle as well. Very good work went into this vehicle to meet the needs of the family of today.

• 

  Our Impala gets 28 mpg - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jayne - August 17 - 8:17 am

  I was afraid of buying another American car. Last Pontiac gave us loads of trouble. We bought the 2006 Impala sedan new and have been pleasantly surprised. Thus far, it has been as reliable as the Honda Accord I drove in the past. I dont understand why they are giving this car such low fuel mileage ratings. Our car has the V6 engine and is 4- door sedan. We average 28 mpg. Recently someone backed out of parking lot same time as me and our bumpers hit. It just scratched a little paint on my bumper. All things considered, I would buy another American car, especially the Impala.

• 

  Bills Full Monte SS - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Bill - August 17 - 4:26 am

  Purchased this car for trips and cruising. Front heated seats are excellent for long runs. Never feel fatigued or cramped after all day drives. Receive plenty of good comments on the cars looks and Torch Red paint with the graphite interior. You either like the styling or not, no in betweens. The ladies love this car.

• 

  Excellent ride - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Walt - August 16 - 9:44 pm

  Despite the real rating, we manage about 25 mpg on our Venture. It now has 184,000 miles and probably thanks to regular servicing it has never offered any serious problems. Little things like brake linings and light bulbs are to be expected, and the only complaint I have is that one headlight has condensed water inside it! Comfort is wonderful, size and space is fantastic, it looks like new and it is totally and absolutely dependable.

• 

  Best Chevy truck yet! - 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mikmurphy - August 16 - 9:42 pm

  I typically buy a new truck every 10 years; this 2011 replaced a 2000 Silverado. The new one sits taller, and is a bit bigger overall. It has more power, and feels more capable. First fill-up yielded 15.3 MPG, in a mix of city, highway, and ranch use. The LT truck has a long bed, Z71 package, 5.3 V8, 18" wheels, built-in trailering; in short just about everything I need to haul ranch stuff around. I did add the Ranch Hand replacement front end, lighted headache rack, and new tool box. Its ready to work, and ready to play.

• 

  10 Day rental - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ray - August 16 - 12:42 pm

  Nice car - good power with nice interior overall. Head rests were to far forward and the chrome around the gear selector sometimes reflected sun in my eyes. I did hear a slight squeak near the windshield on the drivers side.

• 

  Greatest EVER!!!! sad to sell it.... - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Greatest EVER!!!! - August 16 - 11:20 am

  I Bought brand new,I just love how it seems to have a button for your every comfort need. The only thing in over five years was it stated making clicking sounds when in park or drive,drove it for about 4000 miles before I got it checked out,it was the starter going out. But it never fail me! I would buy again this SUV Wonderful vehicle. I am only selling do to the fact my kids are gone in collage,and I dont need this large SUV anymore. :(

• 

  06 HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By JENNIFER - August 16 - 11:06 am

  This has been a pretty good vehicle so far. Just had some electrical problems. The design of the rear doors is not very good. Road grime keeps the paint peeled off back there. Rides and handles very good. Fuel mileage is acceptable. Not a replacement for the minivan, if you have a few kids. Especially small children that require a child seat. One seat takes all the space. With the folding seats, you can haul quite a bit of cargo.

• 

  Not the quality I was expecting - 2014 Chevrolet Equinox
  By AA - August 16 - 6:41 am

  I had this car for a year and, unfortunately, it was just a headache. The Bluetooth either didnt stay synched with my iPhone or the sound was crackling when I tried to listen to music that way. I didnt have this problem with my previous car or the one I got after this. The car felt jerky at low speeds, but two dealers said this was normal and that Chevy makes them that way (no other car I have ever had drove like that). I have to assume theres something wrong with the transmission. The final straw, however, was when the car died in the left lane of the highway with less than 20k miles on it. The car was repaired under warranty and I notified the manufacturer. When my husband got a 2015 Ford Escape, I found that the comfort and level of technology seemed light years ahead of what I had in my car. Needless to say, with each passing day, I became more disappointed in this car and eventually traded it in for a historically foreign manufacturer. I have very little good to say about the car, except that there was adequate leg room and the trunk held a lot.