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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  Great Investment - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Allycat23 - April 13 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Equinox for exactly 1 month and I love it. It gets great gas mileage, its easy to drive, the steering is comfortable. The XM Satellite radio is fabulous. The interior, while some products could stand to be a bit higher in quality is all in all an excellent design, futuristic, comfortable and sleek and stylish. The exterior of the car adds to its appeal and I get nothing but compliments on it. The AC works great, and especially now since its near 100 outside. The driver seat offers comfort and 6 way adjustments. The dash is easy to read, and it has ample cargo in the rear. Lighting is great, and added features like autohead lights.

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  Still satisfied - 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Al Micucci - April 12 - 3:23 am

  We have been enjoying the car. If the sun is out, the roads are dry and there is no snow, we are in it. had the top down Saturday in 54 degree January weather

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  New Vette Owner - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By VetteC6 - April 8 - 10:00 am

  I never had a Vette before but I did own a Camero.I am not overly impressed with the styling inside or out, in fact I like my Cameros styling better but the car handles great and it is very fast! It will take some time to be able to parallel park since it it hard to judge the front or rear of the car. I worry about buying having bought a new redesigned car. I hope this one does not have problems. My Camero was a new model too and spent allot of time at the garage.

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  car review - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By SDA - April 8 - 10:00 am

  Chevrolet came very close to having a very nice car. It needs to be a little more solid and have a little less plastic. Overall this is a very nice car for up to 4 adults and 1 child or two adults with 3 children.

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  Best Vette yet? - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Alan Cushing - April 6 - 8:50 am

  Great styling. Like the pop up headlights better than the the fixed coming on the new model. A blast to drive and a real head turner! Never had to go back to dealership for any after delivery issues. Most sportscar for the money, bar none.

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  SS Impala - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By jaken - April 5 - 8:16 am

  For an SS i find it still underpowered. I feel when you use the symbol SS it should stand for super sport. Chevy short changed themselves on this. With some modifications to increase power it rides a little better, but why do I have to do this for more performance. There are a lot of 4 bangers out there that have as much performance for thirty grand. But still not a bad car

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  Want My Venture Back - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Meggie - April 4 - 2:00 am

  I love the look of the Trail Blazer. Miss the interior room that I had in the Venture Van. Bigger on the outside but smaller on the inside. All computer links on the right side of car inoperable - fortunately computer plug came disconnected/easy repair. VERY DISAPPOINTED with gas mileage. I am averaging 12 mpg!!! Not what sticker said. Thankful I only leased it.

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  Mixed feelings on my 2003 chevy truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By tallguy - April 4 - 2:00 am

  I like the truck but it has many little flaws about it excessive wind noise interior noise level is high sqweaks and rattles in the dash or left door the ONSTAR system is a nightmare the voice command cannot understand my commands because of the excessive interior noise daytime running lights keep burning out I have not taken it back in to the dealer because every time I take it in it is not fixed right the first time or they damage something else or treat the vehicle like it is a chore to fix it overall if I could trust the dealer to fix it I would gladly take it in for the warranty work

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  2005 Silverado non HD Work Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Robert Quinn - April 3 - 5:40 pm

  I purchased this truck for $14,500 brand new. I wanted a cheap, reliable truck - its what I got! Im still breaking it in. Pretty nightmarish fuel mileage (about 12-13 in city - my Explorer does better!) The ride is a lot rougher then I could have imagined on a 2005. Its great fun to drive. I love the new car smell. The message center is smart and not annoying! I love the overall utility of this truck! I have to tell you no matter how popular this truck is, its still an eye-catcher! Im a Ford guy - but I thought Id give Chevy a shot on this one. Overall, Im really happy with the purchase!

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  Excellent Compact - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Tyler - April 3 - 12:33 pm

  The Cobalt beats its competitors in nearly every way, except fuel economy, which still isnt bad at all. The engine is incredibly smooth, quiet, and powerful. Extremely high sophistication for its class. Automatic tranny is superb, as per usual for GM. Interior design and construction are greatly improved for Chevy and is generally excellent, though materials could be nicer. Handling is about average but the ride is amazing. Great room for a coupe, comfortable seats, a ridiculously large list of standard features, and great availability and affordabilty of optional features rounds out an excellent package. Have owned this car for half a year with no problems and on a college budget. Must buy