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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  I Missed My Old Equinox - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By techygeek82 - December 27 - 9:56 am

  So for the past 3 years Ive been driving a truck, which I went to from a 2008 Equinox. I loved it and missed it all those years. Now that Im back in one, I have to say Chevy came a LONG way in their design. From the older models having a retro feel to the 2012s which have a more modern look. Im back in the vehicle I love.

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  corvette "absolutely the best bang for the buck" - 2000 Chevrolet Corvette
  By rivettes - December 26 - 6:27 pm

  having owned a few corvettes over the years I believe that the c5 vette is the most well rounded of all Ive owned handling & performance are excellent I do prefer the auto trans to the manual as I owned 99 fixed roof with the six speed the manual was very notchy and drive train noise though normal was more pronounced easy convertible operation and overall driving comfort are a few of my favorite features this car is great for long drives,oh also if you do have to change your run flat tires do yourself a favor and buy the Michelin sport as way less noise the the garbage Goodyear eagles that come factory

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  Sonic LT 1.4l Turbo Sedan - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By pljenkins - December 25 - 3:04 pm

  After almost 3 weeks of trying to appropriate a Hyundai Accent SE with a manual transmission, I finally gave up and started looking around at alternatives in the price range. After much research I decided on the Sonic and I am very pleased. The build quality is top notch and the manual transmission is butter smooth and is by far the easiest clutch I have ever driven, and Ive driven many. Road and wind noise is very quiet in spite of the miserly size of the car. The interior is reasonably roomy for this class of car, but its no Continental. Trunk space is excellent. I went with the Sound and Connect package with the bluetooth and it synced up with little complaint with my LG Optimus.

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  1st New Car in 27 Years - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By south59 - December 21 - 8:25 pm

  After waiting 27 years i was able to obtain this beautiful car after carefull Prayer and Consideration the Good Lord Blessed me once again with this Elagant automoble,Praise the Lord indeed its a Godsend this car is!!!Merry Christmas from the Lord our God and Praise his name,Tim.

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  Exceeds Expectations - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By firebirdbandit - December 21 - 10:33 am

  I had extremely high expectations for this car and it has exceeded them. I previously drove a Pontiac Firebird Formula V8 350 LT1 engine and the Volt is way more fun to drive. It is very well built, comfortable and drives awesome. Feels like I went into the future. I am trying to find all kinds of excuses to go driving. The car is also a great value. It seems expensive but when you compare it to the 5 year cost to own, it is below many other popular cars including the Taurus, Camaro and Maxima.

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  Near Omaha, NE? Go see Daniel K at Gregg Young Chevy - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By brianerick - December 20 - 12:10 am

  I just leased my first brand new 2012 Chevy Cruze LT. I have to say it was the best car buying experience I have ever had. Daniel K was polite, helpful and understood that buying a car can be a win win situation. Before I bought he even let me take it during the lunch hour to pick up my wife so she could take a look at it. His boss Paul helped get the deal done and Brandon in financing got the paperwork done fast and correct. The best part of the transaction was that everyone was geniune and honest. Not something you initially think of when you talk about car salesmen and dealerships. I got a great deal on a fantastic car. The reason I know this... My wife wants to trade me cars. :-)

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  The best car in the world - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By chevylover229 - December 19 - 5:00 pm

  I love this car, its perfect everyone should own a Chevy. We got this 09 Tahoe last year and we love it so much it works like a truck so we treat it like one we also own a 04 Tahoe and its just as nice, we even owned a 96 Tahoe... Just as nice.All Tahoe/suburban are just the perfect thing for everyone unless you want something huge or awesome.

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  Fantastic SUV - 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By llauck - December 15 - 4:37 pm

  This is my best SUV that I have ever owned. I have owned a Suburban and two Explorers. My wife said that it is the most comfortable seat and ride she has been in, much better than the Explorers. It just handles much better. And I enjoy sitting higher too. I do think the internal front door components rattle too much when the music is playing, which I will have fixed. The gas mileage is what it is-16-21 mpg. The extras are nice options.

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  16 month 26k review- still VERY happy - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By matheson1977 - December 14 - 3:40 pm

  Car continues to impress me. Well built, dependable, and im getting 35mpg average in my hilly terrain. It still feels like a more expensive car. No regrets trading my lemon 07 Camry for the Cruze. I would without a doubt recomend the Cruze.

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  My Best Buddy - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By clifforddog - December 12 - 10:51 pm

  I bought this trailblazer on august 12, 2006 with 69,802 and now it is 160,000 mlies. Never have major repair. It have not break yet at all I would be very happy to keep it forever and I will never sell