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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  Beautiful car - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By reddz24 - March 18 - 2:00 am

  Even though I havent owned this vehicle very long, I think its a great little sporty compact! Its got plenty of juice for a 4 banger and its great mileage. And theres tons of aftermarket parts for it! I just put a cold air intake in, engine sounds soo deep and nice!!!

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  07 Cobalt - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By poochie - March 17 - 6:00 pm

  I really enjoy my Cobalt so far but have only owned it for 1 week and havent had a chance to take it on a long trip. I have only been getting around 20 miles per gallon in town which is a big disappointment to me because I was told this vehicle would get around 25 miles per gallon for in town driving.

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  I Enjoy my Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Janice Gosselin - March 17 - 9:06 am

  Only have 5,000 miles on this vehicle to date but I enjoy driving it. I was disappointed with gas mileage; highway driving is only giving me 20-21 miles per gallon.

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  z34 lumi - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By bwawuz02 - March 17 - 2:00 am

  great car, fun to drive. should be mechanically inclined, because labor fees are a pain. preventative maintenance is a must.

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  Second Suburban - 1994 Chevrolet Suburban
  By furncliff - March 17 - 2:00 am

  This 94 is a big improvement over my 87. Much better ride and control. Quieter. More comfortable. Huge interior, power to pull a trailer.Bought used and couldnt choose a color but very happy with silver metalic, since it keeps the interior much cooler in southern summers.

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  Good overall car. - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Carfreak189 - March 17 - 2:00 am

  We got our Malibu in March 2000, now at 60,00 miles it has not had one problem what so ever. The brakes went at that was it. The tires got replaced at 50,000. The v6 acceration is stunningly good for a 170 horsepower sedan. The space is just right, and for the most part it is comfortable. One problem the interior materials are VERY cheap. So many things have gone wrong with the interior. The door lock base broe, the emergency brake pedal cover fell off. The holder so ou wont burn yourself with the seatbelt broke. Also, the speakers blew out, and I put a better set in. All in all chevy did a good job a car with minor flaws.

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  Clunking?? Need advice! Please - 2013 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Red1117 - March 16 - 10:49 pm

  Hi. I have a 2013 traverse lt1 fwd. And wen I roll slow or 20. Or 30mph. Or more. If I let off the gas then hit it... It will clunk? NOTICEABLY.. THE DEALER SAID IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE TRUCK. HE SAID HE DROVE THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL AS MINE AND HE SAYS HE HAS A 2016 AND THEY DO THE SAME THING?? THERS IS NO DAMN WAY.. CAN ANYONE HELP ME HERE ? PLEASE??

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  Great car for the price - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By pmlinn - March 16 - 2:00 am

  Purchased the car in 1996 because I need a work car. Bought new and have had little or no real problems with the car. After 97500 miles, the brakes did need done and that was it. Cant complain one bit. A fine GM product.

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  Manifold Gasket Problem - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By FJ - March 16 - 2:00 am

  Great ride, excellent features both interior and exterior, but under the hood a nightmare. Nice to hear I am not the only one who experienced an intake manifold gasket problem. Dealer just happened to find, yeah right, the manifold gasket was leaking when I brought the van in for recall on sliding door latch. Van had just over 47,000 miles at the time of repair, which is much too early for this failure. Very expensive to repair, but found an authorized service shop that replaced the gasket more economically than dealerhip. GM will not reimburse for repairs, I think is justified for a poor design. .

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  Blazer - ZR2 - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By blazZR2 - March 16 - 2:00 am

  This was a great car, although - there was a problem with the door on the passenger side - as I found in my last Chevy vehicle where the door seems to split from the frame and the window rattles.. which is very annoying. Otherwise, it has been a great car.