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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  TRNSFMD - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By HC4 - January 11 - 9:00 am

  Had a 67 with a 327 with a powerglide. The 2010 v6 is so much more fun to drive. To my taste, the horizontal lines and exaggerated rear quarter panel make the car -- bold and voluptuous. The V6 wont burn them out like my mothers 85 IROC with a vette motor, but it sticks to the pavement even better and is a blast to drive. This is my daily driver. If Chevy restores the Z28 program, I would be tempted to custom order another for the garage. Good job Chevy.

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  My first truck - Excellent Choice - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By THOMAS - January 11 - 5:41 am

  Went to the dealer and drove a fully loaded 2007 Silverado Classic and also the 2007 Avalanche. No comparison, the ride was extremely smooth and with included and removable lockable cover, ease of conversion to 8 truck bed as well as Active Fuel Management (idles to 4 cylinders on the highway) - it was a no brainer. Would be nice to have more cab storage, but couldnt have gotten a better buy for the money. Getting 18mpg in town and 20 on the highway.

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  A4 Quattro to Cruze 1LT - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By WNBear - January 11 - 2:00 am

  I was looking to trade in my 2006 Audi A4 1.8T 6sp/MT Quattro on something that was economical, fun to drive, sharp looking and comfy. The Audi was getting to be a repair nightmare! The Cruze hits all of those points spot on! While its not an AWD, with the Stabili-Trac and Traction Control, I think Ill be ok in the snow here in Denver. This car gets looks everywhere I go, maybe because its one of only five that have been sold in Denver so far? Silver with Jet Black leather. Im even shocked that I dont miss the 6 speed manual tranny! And I have cup holders, 8 of them! The A4 had a total of ZERO! lol

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  Love my Cruze! - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Latrisha Miller - January 10 - 9:17 pm

  I absolutely love my Cruze. It handled beyond my expectations this past winter.

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  2004 Coupe Auto - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By TIM - January 10 - 7:24 pm

  This is the third Cavalier weve had in the family. It is a great car, economical, comfortable, with all the features I need. You can buy them at a great price, too. So far, like my other Cavaliers, this one has been reliable and has returned a steady 31 MPG driving about 70% highway miles. Too bad Chevy doesnt make them anymore. The Cobalt is a nice car but costs more.

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  2nd review since purchased in 6/07 - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jukebox Ed - January 10 - 2:03 pm

  First review was at 8800 miles; now 19250 miles. Car is excellent. No problems whatsoever. Gas mileage still a lousy 22-23 mpg no matter how driven. Just ordered a 2008 2LT for wife with same 3.9 engine. 2008 has stabilitrak which wasnt available in 07 so that is great news. Overall, the Impala provides excellent value for the money. Reliable, problem-free, great Bose stereo/XM radio. My wifes 2008 Impala will be our 8th Impala since 2000. Love it!

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  Just purchased and in love - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By CruisingJR - January 10 - 9:14 am

  This is just a beautiful SUV. We just purchased and are still in honeymoon phase. It drives smoothly, compared to our full size trucks and seems to have all the bells and whistles that we hoped for. This is beautiful - everyone at work is jealous. Go ahead and do it, upgrade and get the leather interior. Its totally worth it.

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  More Power with a smoother ride - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By J. Kreiner - January 10 - 8:29 am

  I recently purchased a 2004 Suburban to replace my 1999 Tahoe. I really liked my Tahoe however sometimes felt the transmission was lacking performance especially when towing a travel trailer. I expected a slight improvement in performance and comfort but was not prepared for the huge improvement that I felt. The Suburban handles almost as well as my 06 Lucerne around curves and I can really feel the extra kick in the engine and transmission whether Im towing or not. I highly recommend a test drive If you like the late 90s and early 00s Chevy large SUVs you owe it to yourself to see the improvements. It really drives like a car

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  Best Truck ive ever owned! - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By James52 - January 9 - 5:50 pm

  Excellent power and great gas mileage!!! Rides like a car but im yet to find any load it cant handle!

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  Malibu LTZ - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By KM - January 9 - 4:56 pm

  Owned this car for over a year now. I had test driven the LS but the LTZ is a class above. I agreed with Edmunds (bland interior for the LS), but found the LTZ felt totally different. The leather wrapped steering felt much more comfortable, and the rest of interior did not feel cheap. Same with the wheels etc. I never read the manual much, so I keep finding new things in the car. When cleaning I found the audio volume control on the steering on the underside of other audio buttons. Recently I found out I could do tap-shift. I could not figure how to operate the +/- buttons earlier till I put the car in L coming downhill - it was so much fun!