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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  Excellent car!!! - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By crazymonk2012 - February 5 - 10:50 pm

  All I can say is the car is fantastic. Okay those of you that read this review. If you ever buy an earlier Impala. Buy one with a 3.8 okay. They have the fewest of problems. My big plus with the vehicle is the reliability! I mean problems I have seen on this forum are probably really picky people. Although if you look at it. My 2005 Impala has always been reliable. Never broken down before ever!! I love this car and recommend that if you buy this car. Buy one with a 3.8. If you buy a newer Impala do not buy the 3.9 engine. Get the one with the 3.6 liter. Hope this helps you all.

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  I was involved in a accident that was not my fault, 25 days after I purchased my vehicle - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By mlwoolum - February 5 - 8:48 pm

  I purchased a 2008 chevy impala, I bought the vehicle on December 20, 2011 and on Jan 14 2012 a guy ran a stop sign and I couldnt stop and I t-boned his truck. My son was in the car. We walked away from the accident, the only thing that happened to me was that the dash hit my knee and it is a little banged up. We were traveling at 55 mph when the other vehicle pulled out in front of us. The other guy didnt walk away he was in critical condition, he was taken to the hospital. For the impact that my car took, and we didnt get hurt. I HIGHLY recommend a impala to anyone. Look at the reviews, i have since then purchased another impala, this is probably the only car I will ever purchase.

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  Best SUV Ever!!! - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By mike1997 - February 5 - 8:32 pm

  Truck now has over 250,000 miles and still running strong. Bought it used in 2005 with about 70,000 miles on it. Only repairs have been to the fuel pump and rear AC. The truck sits up high so it makes you feel safe. The power from thr 5.3 liter Vortec engine is amazing.

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  Great car - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dben300 - February 5 - 7:19 pm

  i bought this car in sept of 2011. I drive about 110 miles a day and now have around 13,000 miles on it with NO complaints. I am mainly highway driving getting around 30mpg. Being 66" it is hard to find a comfortable car but this is by far 1 of the most comfortable that I have ever owned.

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  I love it - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By javacruz - February 1 - 8:58 pm

  I am 25 y/o and this is my first new car I test drove the Hyundai accent and ford fiesta and the sonic was the best of both worlds. It has an incredibly smooth ride and quiet ,spacious interior. Not to mention it was the cheapest car of the 3. I would recommend this car to anyone I have gotten about 28 mpg city and have not had it on the highway yet.

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  Best Tahoe ever! - 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By frankm58 - February 1 - 5:17 pm

  After a short test drive we were sold! so we sold our 2005 Tahoe (older body style) for a new one, after owning our older one for 6 years with no problems, we (Wife and myself) decided it was time for a new one since our 2005 was so reliable. We noticed how much quieter and smoother the ride was one the 2011 and noticeable 45 hp increase for better towing. Although the 2011 offers only 3 MPG HWY better we still got our moneys worth and filling the empty space in our garage with a small SUV compared to a full size Tahoe with all its features was well worth the sacrifice especially since we drive it locally anyway. In this price range, there is nothing compared to the Tahoe!

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  Trusty Rusty - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By luckyday - January 30 - 2:05 pm

  I had this car from 2004-2011 and only needed to have routine maintenance done on it....until the end. The clutch blew, had it fixed cheap by a friend, a few months later the exhaust fell off. At that point, I figured it would just nickle and dime me to death so I took it to a salvage yard. In the time that I had the vehicle though, it was a great little car.

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  GREAT VEHICLE - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By yamahaguy05 - January 29 - 3:54 pm

  Best vehicle Ive ever owned

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  Volt = Economical Commuter Entertainment - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By 2012knl - January 28 - 5:44 pm

  Ive owned a 2012 Volt for just over 2 months now and have put 6100 miles on it. I spend a ton of time in the car as I drive approximately 140 miles per day for work. Purchased the car due to the economical benefits and am extremely pleased with many other aspects of the car as well. Ive averaged just over 55 MPG total- which is above my expectations. On the weekends- the car is our family transport. With 2 kids- we are constantly coming and going to school events, sports, plays, dance, ect. During the times were driving around town- we use 0 gas. Costs approx. $1 to charge overnight - thats it. Come home and plug it in. Weve saved aprox. $350/month driving this car! Pays for itself!

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  I Love My Volt - 2012 - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By ampeater - January 26 - 1:17 pm

  This is the best car I have ever owned. It looks good, handles well and is incredibly inexpensive to drive. 6,500 miles and 41 gallons of gas - only because I drove it to FL from MI. 42.5 mpg on the way down using gas. I drive it typically under 30 miles per day and usually have 39-40 miles of battery available when I start in the morning. So unless I need to go more than 40 miles, I dont use any gas. I plug the car into my 110v house system at 8:00 at night and its fully charged in 10 hrs (6 am). The price of the car is too high unless the tax rebate continues, but I plan to keep it as long as I can (8-10 yrs).