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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  Solid, safe and large SUV - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By kv - April 29 - 11:25 pm

  This has been a solid vehicle. Weve pulled a 28 foot RV, which does pull pretty tough up some modest hills. Gas mileage pulling the RV is about 7 MPG. Without the RV, it seems to range from 12 to 16 MPG depending on temp and driving habits. Lots of interior room and we love the storage in the back behind the 3rd seat. The dash lights for the hot/cold have been out since we got it. The fan speed no longer works - its always on full blast. The engine has been solid and we have had good luck with it. There are still a lot of these on the road, a true testament to their durability.

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  Hate to get rid of the Astro - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By hauler - April 29 - 10:16 pm

  Time to get a new vehicle for towing. After looking for a long time GM Tahoe/Yukon was only vehicle that could satisfy my fully loaded Astro replacement. PIck Tahoe for better looks. Nice smooth ride, but feel the jolts over potholes. Maybe because of 20inch wheels. Avg 20 mpg from NY to Va. Tranny and rear end was thumping when starting to descend on downhill and letting go of gas. Dealer reprogram tranny module. Seems to fix problem. Door molding began slight peeling. Dealer replace - like new. Otherwise really enjoy ride. I like my Garmin GPS better than GM GPS. Will use to tow boat on regular basis from NY to FL. Overall, good SUV for people who need towing. Gets same mpg as my Astro.

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  Going strong at 85k mi. - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Dave - April 29 - 7:04 pm

  Bought this Tahoe new 4 1/2 years ago and it has been the best vehicle I have ever owned.

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  RATTLE BOX - 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
  By ronald lakatos - April 29 - 5:49 pm

  Miles per gallon were better then epa estimates. My Malibu has way to many rattles and interior vibrations for a new car. Dealer made half of a attempt to fix then. car left me stranded for 2 hours with check engine programming issue with auto stop start technology. The Bose speaker sound system is not all that good.

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  Amazing first car for teenagers! - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Shay - April 29 - 5:27 pm

  My dad purchased this car for me as my very first car. I was thrilled. We have had it for 4 years and honestly have had no problems! I have a 4cyl so although its not fast, it has NEVER broken down on me. I cannot find a flaw in it. We have put over 100k miles on it and it still looks and drives as if it was brand new. I definitely recommend this car for anyone looking to make a very good investment. My boyfriend lives an hour away and I have been driving it there and back every weekend for 2 years. It has never given me any kind of problems!

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  Excellent Truck! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Paulboy - April 29 - 1:23 pm

  Love my truck! Used to have a car but driven right my truck gets the same mileage! I get about 20.5 mpg on highway, set the cruise at 65 and itll stay in 4 cyl mode all day long! Z71 supension and tires are a must! Ive been off roading a bunch of times and Ive never even been close to getting stuck! Great looking truck except for those scratches now!

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  Not Impressed - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Craig - April 29 - 12:46 pm

  Engine is peppy but very noisy. AWD is noisy when cornering. Windshield design traps lots of debris in the wiper area and creates big blind spots on both sides. Snow and ice accumulate in the wiper area and is very hard to remove in the morning if parked outside. Integral unadjustable headrests are tilted too far forward for a 6 person making it necessary to recline the seat way back to remove your chin from your chest. Rattles from dashboard, gearshift and front suspension area. Terrible drivers view to the rear and sides. -Backing up is a real chore. Cloth upholstery stains far too easily and doesnt clean up well. Parking brake cant be used if console cupholders are open.

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  So far so good... - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By JimP - April 29 - 10:00 am

  In July 03 I purchased a 2003 5 speed, 2 door. I have slightly over 300 miles on it so I cant say much about reliability. Seems like a decent car for $8840 (time will tell). Im certainly convinced that the $14K sticker price is just another marketing scam. You would be a fool to pay that much for any car like this. You know thay made profit on what I paid! I hate the marked up sticker prices and the facade that the rebates are real. Insults my intelligence.

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  Happy to be Safe - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Just a Mom - April 29 - 10:00 am

  We went from a small foreign SUV to this. It is a new world! We love it! We may be driving our kids college education but it is worth the money. The leather seats are terrific and the ride is unbeatable. Most of all, we just feel as though our family is safe rising in it.

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  Chevrolet Suburban - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By jttiii - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Having ownned this vehicle since the end of April and accumulating 4K miles, I find it to be quite comfortable and secure. Front and rear seats are quite comfortable and ride is very good for the size of the vehicle. I am hoping for fuel mileage to improve as my highway driving is around 16 mpg and city driving at 10 mpg. I might add that I am ever mindful traffic and road conditions with unplanned starts and stops kept to a mimimum. Overall, very pleased with this Suburban in the LT pkg. Hopefully I will continue to be satisfied with it.