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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  best ever vette! - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By gymdoc - October 2 - 2:00 am

  this is my third vette, and its the best ever. after about 25000 miles Im still trying to get used to the handling mainly at high speeds. I have the performance packageand it still feels soft at cornering or high speed turns (100+mph). My review: best bang for the buck, u live once, go get one before u die!

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  Repairs Ouch - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By FIRE1 - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Love my Z. Unbelievable to repair. Poor engine compartment design. Everything is so difficult to get at. To replace altenator you have to drop front axle. Timing chain was a $1000 touch. In order to replace battery you have to remove bolted support and washer reservior before accessing battery, Not enough room for battery blanket. Goes like the wind but has a rattly and tinny sound to the muffler as opposed to throaty rumble which would match its look. Despite all, I love it and would not trade it.

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  1995 Metallic Red Coupe - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By brettsvette - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Bought used with 42,000 miles on car. Regular coupe with A/T and limited options for 1995. Besides normal items like tires, battery, brakes we have replaced nothing other than power window motor on driver side at approx 54000 miles. The LT1 has been very reliable and has had no problems.

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  fire somebody !! - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By doug kach - October 1 - 2:00 am

  i bought 35th. ann. what a shame to put something special on the market, and make it so cheap, no thermo in the mirror, no cruise light in dash, no power ant.bad tunes and speakers. and more, who ever was put in charge of this potentual classic car should be unemployed. what a way to screw up a perfect chance to make something special

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  Generally a pleasant, likable car - 2017 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Paul C - September 30 - 12:05 pm

  Ride comfort and quietness is good - road noise is noticably better suppressed on coarse road surfaces than comparable Asian models like the Camry and Sonata. Interior looks and feels fairly rich with a fair amount of soft touch surfaces and nice looking and feeling cloth inserts. Seats are reasonably comfortable but seat bottoms could use more padding to reduce pressure points on longer trips. Overall this 2017 Malibu is competitive with its Asian competiton except, of course, on the thorny issue of long term mechanical component reliability and durability which also reduces Malibus resale value.

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  MONEY WELL SPENT! - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By MR.G - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I NEEDED A THIRD CAR,AS A SPARE AND HELP LOWER FUEL COST FOR IN CITY DRIVING,THAT WAS EASY TO PARK.I DID RESEARCH AND STARTED LOOKING FOR THIS CAR.PAID $13500.WITH 34000 MILES.3.99% INTEREST RATE.IF YOU HAVE THE TIME YOU CAN SAVE THOUSANDS.BUT YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

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  Performance and value - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By JohansenRJ - September 29 - 5:40 pm

  Great value and comfortable car. Smooth and powerful. Great exhaust note too. Not a soulless Japanese import, this vehicle has character. Cant get the V8 performance, OnStar, or fun factor on a Camry or Accord. The downside is the fuel economy (the ratings are a joke, 16 city, 24 highway is more realistic)

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  Dont buy first year - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By KRH - September 29 - 10:00 am

  I ordered this truck new and purchased it based on the new GM design however the build quality is poor and I have already replaced the transmission and ABS system, had brake problems part of my dash lights are out. The dealer service stunk where I purchased the truck. I service ever 3000 miles since this truck is driven all over the Southeast. Sent GM letter about problems never heard back from them.

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  Do not buy! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By chevy_3948 - September 29 - 6:40 am

  I bought the car June 30 2006, I was so excited to get it, I traded my 2006 VW Jetta 2.5 for it. The day I bought it, it went in to the shop for the first time with me found out later it had been in the shop previous to me buying it. It has had probably almost $10,000 in work done to it. It has had and O2 sensor, PCM, 6 radios, HVAC controls, 3 valve cover gaskets, pass. window switch, Supercharger, tranny, clutch, drivers side drive axle, interior trim pieces from peeling, exterior temp sensor, rear bowtie, the rims are corroding and Im sure there is more I lost track though.

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  owner - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By overhill - September 28 - 10:10 am

  good truck but box cover leaks and fades in the sun