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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  Favorite Hand-Me-Down - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By luke - May 3 - 11:55 pm

  Got my license and wasnt looking forward to driving "the beast". After about 3 weeks, it grew on me. Its been the greatest truck ever! Gas stinks, but its got a 42 gal tank, fill it on Sunday, drive for miles.Took it mudding (2WD) and it did just fine. A slight pain in the snow, but once you get used to it, sandbags arent even needed. Performance is solid, but I could use 15-20 more horses and lb-ft each. Having front and mid bench is awesome, and having the back open is even better. Rides great on long trips so well Ive gone to pick up friends 150 miles away at school just to drive it long distance. Overall Id glad I was given it, and have no plans to get rid of it anytime soon, even with 160k on it!

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  2002 Chevrolet Tahoe - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Cindy - May 3 - 2:41 pm

  This 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe is the third Tahoe I have owned and the sixth SUV I have owned. Prior to purchasing my first SUV which was a Chevy two door Blazer I drove sports cars. I will never own another car, the Tahoe is the best, most reliable vehicle I have ever owned and I have owned a total of sixteen cars in my life.

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  Love this truck - 1994 Chevrolet S-10
  By dude - May 2 - 10:30 pm

  This is the first truck me and my dad has owned. In my opinion this is the best little truck ever. It is very dependable and has a little zip to it. It has a TBI 4.3 V6. It is a 1994 and has held up very well. It is very rusty and is pretty much a work truck. It hauls very well but the only complaint is that the rear is too light, so in the winter is handles very poorly without weight in the bed. And when it comes time to change a starter in it, the manual says to remove the exhaust to get it out, or remove the motor.

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  Who Needs a Mini Cooper??? - 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV
  By adamjsanchez - May 2 - 9:20 pm

  After looking around at EVs for a second car (my commuter) we settled on either the LEAF or the Spark EV. Because the Spark EV retails for $5k less than the LEAF we ended up at the Chevy dealer in town. With the Federal incentive and our trade-in we got a lease for less than we spend on gas each month for my 07 Civic we traded in. What really sold me on the Spark was how much fun it is to drive. We got rid of our FJ because of rising gas costs and got a Prius, which is economical, but blah to drive. No oomph, no giddy-up. The Spark blew my mind in terms of what it can do. It flies. No transmission changes and instant torque mean this thing can go. Its the most fun vehicle weve owned.

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  Awesome Car!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By DMarchant - May 2 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned. I love my car. If I could change one thing about my car is that I wish I had bought the SS model

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  Best Car I Have or Will Ever Own - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Miss Q - May 2 - 4:43 am

  This car is my baby! I have had only one problem in 4.5 years which is a problem I have heard is very common in GM cars with this engine and that is the intake gasket. They really need to recall it and fix it. Other than that, no problems whatsoever and I have almost 90,000 on mine. I love it and will drive it until it literally falls apart. Then, Ill retire it and buy another!

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  2000 Convertible O Fun - 2000 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Pooh - May 1 - 4:37 pm

  I own the 2000 Millennium Yellow Six-Speed Vette. It is a great vehicle. Has a few problems that GM ignored at first but later fixed such as the locked steering wheel but, for the most part it is a great car.

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  Honestly enjoy it! - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Heather - April 29 - 11:43 pm

  Bought our Impala (base model) after I was hit and my 1992 Pontiac Bonneville was totaled. Ride is wonderful. Plenty of room for our family of 5 and can seat 6. I have had toruble with my turning signals ot working properly. Weve had the multi-function switch replaced twice and its now acting up again. Oddly enough, I can some times get the signal to work if I put hazard lights on while the switch is in place for turning. Playing around with it usually can get the signal going again. I wish we had bought the LS model. Our daughter is soon to be driving and she has picked out a 2000 Impala in the LS model. The ride is that good that she passed up the little Mitsubishi Eclipse! Impressive.

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  Great Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By JB - April 29 - 3:20 pm

  By far the best truck I drove. I have a 5600lb boat and I dont even know its behind me most of the time. Great room inside and more standard features than Dodge or Ford. I LOVE my truck

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  Chevy Equinox- Curb Appeal? - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Betsy - April 29 - 7:53 am

  This is the first SUV that I have owned. I went from a Cadillac Fleetwood, which I have been driving for the last 21 years, to this car. Although this car does not have the same ride as the Caddy, it has a smooth ride. I opted not to take the OnStar, because I felt I did not need this feature. While I miss the little things, such as climate control, passenger power seats, power antenna, soundproofing, I love the roomy interior, leather seats, panoramic windows, and gas mileage. I love sitting higher, and the seats are contoured, and comfortable. I have a moonroof. It handles much better than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Liberty that I use for work.