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:

• 

  Nice try - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By jack interstein - December 6 - 9:03 am

  Im generally pleased with this new effort from Chevy. Definitely like the looks and feel. Surpised and disappointed by poor city driving mileage. Has plenty of pep and good mileage on the open road. This car needlessly weighs about 200 to 300 lbs more than its Hyundai, Corolla and Civic competitors so additional HP is wasted in my opinion. Braking required surprising effort. Interior is well laid out but somewhat plastic looking. Despite above comments, was actually overall quite pleased!

• 

  Test drive one now! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By chevytopsall - December 6 - 12:36 am

  This is the nicest car I have ever owned! Great on gas, quiet, great looking, handles like a dream. If these are the cars coming from GM now and in the future, by stock now! I just cant say enough great things about this car! Love It!

• 

  Long time coming - 2017 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Isabel Guerrero - December 5 - 10:29 am

  I started with the Edmunds site and started to receive information from local dealership. I was able to negotiate via text with a dealership close to work. I stated what I wanted and how much I was willing to pay and got it all done within less then a week.

• 

  just ok - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By robert - December 4 - 3:50 am

  from day 1 chevy denied the steering bang/knocking in the steering box nothing to worry about. at 86900 miles Driver side exhaust manifold bolts broke off in head. Im having oil pressure problems(25 psi), metal shaving on the oil drain plug, clogged oil filter. Idling a bit rough. low lifter noise. side door trim continues to turn yellow so I painted them all black. Stereo cd broke after 1 year.

• 

  Great car - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By larry self - December 2 - 11:46 pm

  A great car. Reminds me of times past as to performance. Great power from V8 motor. Gas mileage remains below estimated 18 to 28 mpg. Actual about 21 mpg average.

• 

  Good Truck - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bob - December 2 - 7:36 am

  Took this truck from the dealer and went on a vacation to Tennessee. Put 2300 miles on it with no issues. Average fuel economy was 18.5, which is not to bad for this size vehicle with the 5.3

• 

  Head gasket problem - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By brianne - November 30 - 2:00 am

  This is a beautiful vehicle which is a pleasure to drive. I love it, and still do, but recently with only 43000 miles on this vehicle experienced a problem with the low coolant light coming on, and find out there is a head gasket that is bad and needs repair. This is very costly, and I do not think a vehicle of this age and mileage should be experiencing this sort of problem. Of course it is over warranty and GM is not having any problems, and it is possible the vehicle was abused. I have done nothing but baby this vehicle because I love it so much. Needless to say, it is repaired, but I would say buyer beware.

• 

  Tahoe Reviewed - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By petersenolson - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Some helpful questions to ask when purchasing a Chevy Tahoe: 1. Why do you want a SUV? 4-wheel drive is an advantage in the winter. 2. Tahoe is heavy and has poor gas mileage. Are you driving long distances. I travel 250 miles on the weekends and the gas consumption is higher. 3. Do you have a big family? I have five in my family and Tahoe is roomer than most.

• 

  First look - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By J0HNNY - November 22 - 10:00 am

  This is the car that I waited for 9 months to get.

• 

  A good size and ride vehicle. Real gas guzzler - 2017 Chevrolet Traverse
  By GerryC - November 21 - 8:06 am

  It is a good vehicle, but has several things that are very annoying. The first one is the gas mileage. In city traffic, on busy streets, youll get around 12 mpg. Strictly highway the best I ever got is just under 24. Another item I dont like is that the AC Circ mode turns off every time you turn the key off, having to be reset every single time. Another item I dont like is the location of the roof column in the front of the vehicle. it obstruct the visibility and small items, like pedestrians can be blocked by it. I liked the ride and the idea that the leg room in the second of seats can be adjusted to to accommodate passengers in all 3 rows.