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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  So many problems - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By James - March 5 - 10:20 pm

  I got the car new in June of 2006 from a dealer my father works at. I love this car. It is my second Monte Carlo, but I have to be honest this new one has had a lot of problems. The car throws out black smoke out of the exhaust (the dealers cant figure out why even after 4 visits) The driver seat stopped working and the A/C unit only works half of the time. A replacement unit has been on order for a month. This is my 4th new Chevy and I have never had one with the list of problems this one has had. I would recommend the car if it all the problems were fixed, but until then, wait for the 2007 so hopefully the problems will be solved

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  Streetable Track Car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Brian - March 5 - 7:24 pm

  One of the best cars Ive owned. I use it as my daily driver and weekend racer. I get 30 mpg on the freeway and 25 in town. I avg. about 27 mpg combined. Stock it has great power, track ready suspension, nice clean shifting gear box, good stereo- almost good enough to blow out the windows,comfy Recaro race buckets. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sporty but gas friendly car or for road racing/ autocross. I also recommend upgrading it to the GMPP stage 2 kit for increased power.

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  Good LUCK slowing this rig down! - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By 5700Power - March 5 - 6:59 pm

  Wow, Outside of routine maintenance and a fuel pump, I have NEVER been stranded and have never had an ounce of trouble. Tows with authority, Cruises the highway with ease and is more comfortable than just about anything out there! Electronics are top notch, Mileage is FAR better than I expected... 21 on a long highway trip. 15 pulling a 5,000 lb boat. (NOTE Only gets 6-7 in town) Ten years old and showing no signs of slowing at 140,000 miles. This truck has a place in my garage forever. Leather shows no wear, no rust (even under the doors) just a bullet proof monster that does ANYTHING you ask. Bought it at 40k and now has 140... I bet i can get 350,000+

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  Headliner peeling off - 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Stephen Mullett - March 5 - 6:26 pm

  I purchased 2017 Silverado and the headliner is coming off at the rear of the cab and there is a Constant rattle in the cab . Poor quality for a 2 month old vehicle.

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  Good car until later in life - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Sam - March 5 - 10:19 am

  Bought this brand new in Dec 2001. Overall it was an excellent car. Our family fit well in it and the car was largely free of problems until recently. About a month ago we found out it had the dreaded intake manifold leak possibly due to the orange Dexcool coolant. It was expensive to fix, and there was no guarantee against it happening again, let alone other engine damage. We traded on a Honda. If hadnt developed the Dexcool problem, wed still have it today.

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  Fast n Fun - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Old Chevy Man - March 5 - 9:20 am

  Since the 60s, I have had muscle cars, none of which were very adequate for daily driving. So, I always had a 2nd car. Well those days are over. This Monte SS drives like a sports car, is a muscle car when you want it to be, and calm as a pussycat when unprovoked. Why would they discontinue such a great car?

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  Comfort and Reliable - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Lynne - March 5 - 2:00 am

  So far so good with the choice of this Monte Carlo! Love the look and style! I personally had alittle trouble Estimating my front end room for a few weeks parking...but that came the more I drove it. Handled very well in our First Snow of the year...and is very floaty when your driving on long trips. Plenty of front seat room also.

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  Fine with me - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By GLDruss - March 5 - 2:00 am

  My 2003 Monte Carlo LS in Superior Blue Metallic is a people-stopper with its beautiful exterior lines. The interior could have used more style, but its comfortable enough. So far, I love the car. Some review called it a "flashback," but not in a positive way. I like it because it is a flash back to when cars had style and personality instead of all looking alike.

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  love the avalanche - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By jetdr - March 5 - 2:00 am

  love the avalanche, had a jeep grand cherokee and wasnt big enough to haul large items. this will do that and tow my boat with no problem

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  Pure Excellence - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By John1571a - March 5 - 2:00 am

  This is an awesoem car for anything. Got change for a $?