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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  my cavalier - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mjjmmj - November 4 - 2:00 am

  built cheap the counsul is smaller no vanity mirrors not like the older models i had a 96 much better deal thedealer broke off the handle to the anti theft so i couldnt use it because i wasnt charged for it...

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  Pretty good car - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Lon - October 31 - 1:50 pm

  This is the sixth Impala weve purchased in six years. Everything works great except that we seem to be able only get around 23.5 mpg on the highway with the 3.9 engine. Past Impalas had the 3.8 engine and were much more fuel efficent.

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  Great Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Yukan - October 31 - 9:10 am

  Overall very happy. Mileage was better than expected, equal the the Ranger 4.0 pig it replaced. Ride and interior comfort outstanding. Exterior looks leave something to be desired though. Plenty of power from the 5.3 V8, tranny shifts like a dream. I would buy it again.

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  My truck - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Bill G. - October 30 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this truck since early April of 2003 and Ive never seen so many grinning faces. My truck is an Arrival Blue and it looks great! Cound not get the price I wanted to find it here (Long Island, NY) but the prices are almost non-negotiable, so I bought it on line. I had to fly (45 minutes) to save $4000. Ive taken it a few places and didnt have any problems with it. One thing though, The steering is very "vauge".

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  A Great Truck! - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jmac - October 27 - 12:26 am

  This is just a great a great choice, a very smooth ride lots of power, Nice plush interior also has fun features like on star & XM radio that come standard in silverado, it would be hard to go wrong with truck. Yes its safe to say I love my Chevy!

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  dont buy if you have car seats . . . - 2016 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Heather Young - October 22 - 11:23 am

  If I had only sat in the back seat of this car before purchasing it I would have passed on it. The placement of the seat belts on the 2nd row captains seats is TERRIBLE. It is nearly impossible to get a car seat in and buckled. Also, the placement of the seat belt make a ride in the 2nd row captains seats uncomfortable for an adult as they are too far inside the seat and they arent flexible. Some engineer designed this without thinking about the usability. I have tried complaining to GM and they dont seem to do anything. I have complained to my service department and the manager is "trying." The service manager told me I am not the only 1 with issues about the 2nd row seats. Seriously, dont buy this car unless and until they fix the issue.

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  Love my 6 HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Bruce Bartley - October 19 - 7:16 am

  Over all Ilove My HHR. But with any new car there are some bugs to be worked out. And yes I bought the extended warranty so all of the bugs can be worked out by my dealer. I feel its a small price to pay. I was one of the first to own the Chevy HHR and since then Ive seen a lot more every day.

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  Very good overall but lacks performance - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Ferrari F1 + 7 - October 19 - 6:33 am

  I love my Equinox, its very good looking and comfortable as well as spacious but I think we can do with a little more horsepower and torque. It looks fast and sporty but looks its all it has in performance. Overall, Im very happy with my SUV.

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  Decent Truck - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Johnnyk - October 17 - 3:56 am

  Bought brand new in 99. Has 149,000 miles to date.Good motor and transmission, very reliable. Dislikes: Tow haul works only half the time, anti lock brake controller died, fuel gage goes to empty when tank is filled, CD skips. Overall, electric devices/sensors could be of better quality, a lot have failed. 4.8L V-8 pretty spunky when not towing or hauling. Very comfortable seating. Lots of interior room. Quiet ride.Truck handles good in the snow with good all season tires and some weight in the back. Overall good truck. Disappointed it is rusting out even with washing and waxing annually. I enjoy driving it.

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  My Monte Carlo - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Mardom - October 16 - 10:00 am

  It pops and creeks in the front end, the interior between seats is impossible to get between to clean and I dont like that. Other wise I truly enjoy it.