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:

• 

  What a car! - 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
  By pasadena - May 8 - 5:42 pm

  My first vet. Always wanted a vet so I went with the z06. This car has the numbers like the 911 turbo but z06 wont drain your savings account. The car has so much power and the handling is just solid!

• 

  Do not Buy! vibration is horrible - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ernie - May 8 - 5:02 pm

  GM wont admit they have a problem. Truck vibrates at high speeds so much it even impairs my vision. GM has no fix for this problem. DO NOT BUY!

• 

  New Owner Experience - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By timrlarson - May 8 - 12:35 pm

  After reading all the horror stories about this vehicle and its brothers I bought one anyway because I love the body style and the ease of entry for passengers, and I was able to talk the dealer into $500 for an additional 4 year 48,000mi bumper to bumper warranty. I will be back to report on my ownership experiences as they occur, but I want to start by saying I have just driven about 600 miles from Portland to Sacramento and averaged 24.7mpg @65mph average with about 200# passenger. The driving was a breeze and the support of the drivers seat was excellent. No tired back or legs, arrived fresh and happy. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

• 

  fast and fun to drive - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By superss99 - May 8 - 7:24 am

  I also own a 1994z28 great cars with awesome power numbers for both motors lt1 & ls1 dont let the mustang hype fool you. Any of these motors in stock form will rock a stock 4.6 3v or stock 4.62v. I also had a 2005 gt ls1 and lt1 still beat it. Ford has to use a super charger all in all I would stick with a camaro for performance and ride

• 

  This is why I always end up with a GM - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By CanadaEh? - May 8 - 3:13 am

  Ive owned since June 2006. I drive approx 40,000km a year in an almost equal mix of city/highway and average about 8.1L/100KM or 28.9MPG which is fantastic. On the highway, cruise set to 110km/hr I get about 34MPG and consistently over 840km to a tank. The most Ive seen is 890. My car is the top level 2LT with all available options except OnStar. The 2.4L is really smooth, dont feel any vibration at idle or at traffic lights. It has a great MP3 player with Pioneer sound thats loud and clear, and is so technologically advanced. The driver info center is all configurable and programmable to your language and tastes. Remote start is great! So are the very warm heated seats.

• 

  Great Car for the Money - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ryan - May 8 - 1:56 am

  Ive had my Impala LT for nearly one year and am very happy with it - 36k miles. Its been 100 percent reliable, solid feeling, and gets about 28-32 on the highway (once got 34mpg on a tank driving 65 on flat open highway). This is a great car if youre looking for an American vehicle thats well built, has a great drive train, and can be driven long distances with good comfort. My last Chevy (1998) went more than 170k trouble free....hopping to get the same or more out of this one. So far, so good.

• 

  Love our Aveo - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Butler Hendrix - May 8 - 1:30 am

  Best car dollar for dollar I have everhad. A real value package, ours has automatic transmission and is getting 38 mpg hwy and 32 mpg city Thats fantastic without paying all those extra dollars for a hybrid.

• 

  Love my van. - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Lisa - May 7 - 6:51 pm

  It was a rental van.It"s fully loaded and so nice to drive.I drive alot for work and bought it just as a work van to haul things or to take groups to different meetings.

• 

  Big Improvement Over Old Tahoe - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Ed May - May 6 - 1:23 pm

  I recently traded in a 1999 Chevy Tahoe LT for a new 2009 LTZ model. The much reduced pricing and 0% interest made this an easy decision. I am very happy with the new model and the significant improvement in ride quality and technical advances over the previous model I owned. The miles per gallon has improved by about 15% over the old model, 16 mpg is achieved now with a 50/50 mix of highway and city driving. The bluetooth cell option automatically turns down the radio and ventilation noises to permit an easy conversation. It is easy to store telephone numbers and make cell calls over bluetooth.

• 

  Nursemobile - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Carol Howell - May 6 - 11:46 am

  I drive about 125 miles a day when I am working. I appreciate the pickup when driving on the freeway. I have experienced some transmission "jerk" on a quick acceleration - ie. getting on the freeway/passing on a double lane road. Satellite radio is a must for me as well as the heated seats.