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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  Nice Ride X - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Xavier - June 8 - 10:16 pm

  I bought this car because I needed a bigger car than the Mirage I had prior. The HHR is soo much fun to drive and soo quiet that unless youre using cruise control you could get into trouble. The whole retro look puts the PT Cruiser to shame and is much roomier. The MPG are still low but I hope they will eventually rise to the occasion after the break in period. Overall great car for either the single party animal or a family. If youre looking for a quiet ride and lots of room then the HHR is the way to go.

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  Nothing else compared for the money - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By jmariner - June 8 - 8:43 pm

  With 6000km behind me, I can say that Im very pleased with my purchase. The powertrain is superb and interior space provides comfort thats completely devoid of tacky gimics common to the Japanese competition. Handling is very good for a FWD car, but the ride is stiff. The brakes will send your dentures through the windsheid and the gearbox has an "American" feel to it. Longish throw but having solid, positive engagements. Its really nice actually and it feels strong. To my eye, the body styling is beutiful in its simplicity despite the wing. GM did not "cheap-out" with this platform. Tested at the Nurburgring, it shows.

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  The Good The Bad And The Ugly - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Motor mind - June 8 - 2:00 am

  As far as being dependable, the only major problem we have had is the intake manifold gasket leaked antifreeze into the oil. The car likes to rust on Bottom of the back doors and the rear quarter over the wheel well. The engine has a lot of piston slap when it is cold, when it warms up it goes away. This is extremely annoying to me. The engine doesn’t run as smooth as it should with the AC on. It does have good acceleration. The radio sounds good. The anti lock brake malfunction light comes on all the time. I have had the front end aliened many times, but the tires still don’t last very long. I would recommend putting 70 series tires instead of 75.

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  Great car - 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
  By randzz - June 7 - 2:40 pm

  My stingray just turned 10,000 miles and I have enjoyed every mile. The car is beautiful and great fun to drive. It is a head turner. The navigation and media center are simple to operate and very efficient. The car is fast and handles great. It also holds 2 sets of golf clubs. What more could you ask for.

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  Perfect blend of practicality and value - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By hoss - June 7 - 1:56 pm

  I bought this dark red program car as an ex-rental with ~10,000 miles on it in December 07. A certified used LT 2007 for $16,000. Great savings off of new and I dont particularly like the looks of the 2008. I love it so much more than the other cars I test drove (new foreign sub- compacts). Quality is on par and you get so much more for your money. Styling is great; mpg decent for V6 power; comfort; utilitarian design; safety features.

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  good little car - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By jesschrista - June 7 - 2:00 am

  i got this car when i was in high school, because it was cheap. i drove it all through college, and i love it. i drove the heck out of it, and treated it like crap, and it never let me down. i pushed oil changes to the limit, drove it fast, and drove over 100 miles a day for more than a year like that, and it never died. i love that car.

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  First car (kinda) - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By RoNuS - June 6 - 2:00 am

  Well, this is my 2nd car and im 18 years old. My first car was a 1980 Ford Fairmont, so I obviously love my Cavalier a lot more than my piece of crap Fairmont. Although it may not have the power of many cars out on the road, the 4-speed automatic w/ overdrive makes it quite zippy.

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  3 Astros and Counting - 2002 Chevrolet Astro
  By Moms on her 3rd - June 6 - 2:00 am

  Well, I am on my third Astro Van. I literally cried we I was told I had to give the 1st one up at 100,000. Then the second one at 107,000 miles. Today in our throw-away world its nice to know there are somethings still dependable. I carry alot of children around and the ruggedness of this vehicle is unbelieveable. My only suggestion would be for Chevy to ask mothers what changes they would make. The rear windows opening is a very good point.Other than that I hope they keep making this model.

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  95 Lumina - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By dpiisvp - June 5 - 2:00 am

  Good overall sedan. Rides like a bigger, smoother car. Not fancy, but good performer. I like it.

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  WAS a good car - 1990 Chevrolet Lumina
  By CharlieK18 - June 5 - 2:00 am

  My grandparents bought this vehicle in February of 90 with 183 miles on it. As my first vehicle for the past 3 years, I hot rodded it quite a bit. But ofcourse it did not have power, so I built a coolair intake, added a throttle body spacer, changed to a sport exhaustm, and changed the cam to a sport racing cam. This total bumped me up to almost 200 HP. I was able to outrun people with the 3.1L engine. But over the past 3 years, the sport performance parts caught up to the transmission, and the other day, it was completely shattered. The car had approximately 128,000 miles on it. It was my favorite car, and will miss it no matter what else I have.