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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  We Love our Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By cktuba - April 28 - 10:00 am

  Had it 4 wks now. Love it more. We drove all the SUV we could in 10 days. Love the feel, handling, easy turning, and love the roominess and how nice it drove over allkinds of roads, real comfortable. I did not get back problems after 2 to 3 hours of non stop driving. We have not found one thing we disliked. Nice to fill up and it takes less than $25 to fill it. Lots of room for storage and I have a Thule and we put dogs in rear and luggage on top. took a few minutes to change the top luggage rack for the tubThule and get it on The lights are great at night, the mirror was great as well.

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  Love my Monte - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By nascar88 - April 28 - 8:36 am

  This car is great. I love driving it all the time and really enjoy the style and looks of this car. Its still a attention getter. I dont understand why they stopped making it. I am so glad to get the last of them for 2007. Please GM bring this car back. See ya at the dream cruise in 2032 what a classic it will be. Love my Chevy

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  Excellent Choice - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By shari and milton - April 27 - 11:14 pm

  Does not look like a van in the front. Very smooth ride and very comfortable. Easy to get in and out of the seats. Door in the back opens very easily and closes with no problem.

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  Good car for tall guy - 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Bill Rawlins - April 27 - 7:41 pm

  Several good points with our 2017 Chevy Cruze Premier Hatchback: 1) Though my wife is the main driver, I can fit in it comfortably at 66". Try that with a Ford Escape on a long trip. 2) Very peppy. The 1.4L Turbo has a lot of power - sufficient for us. 3) The ride is super-smooth, like a big luxury car; probably because the Premier model has a Watts suspension. 4) We use the Apple Car Play with our iPhones and Apple GPS. My wife buys the unlimited wifi and streams Pandora through the Bluetooth interface. .... The Auto-Stop can be a bit annoying, but you can keep it from kicking in by braking slowly. Pay a little extra for a higher model like the Premier and get the cruise control, seat warmers, rear cup holders, etc. ... Have had no problems so far - Knock on wood!

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  GM finally gets it right this time - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Les - April 27 - 6:33 am

  Purchased this vehicle about a month ago and now have 1300 miles on the odometer. Fuel economy in combined city/highway driving has so far been below expectations at about 24 MPG. - the same as on my 6-cylinder BMW which is much more powerful. The car handles well and is very quiet. The black suede cloth interior is attractive and comfortable. The faux wood trim is tastefully done and understated. The dashboard controls are easy to use but I would have preferred to have the trip computer information made accessable and cleared by pushing and holding in the headlight stalk instead of looking for the right buttons to push.

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  Great little truck - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By jpr - April 26 - 9:24 pm

  For the money, my S-10 has been great so far. The 4 cyl 2.2L is shy on horsepower, but great on mileage. I average about 26MPG., with most miles around town. I have had no problems at all, and the rig was 50% less than the comparable Toyota. I would not recommend an automatic with the 2.2L engine. Also, dont drive with the vehicle venting system on defrost if you dont have to, as you are running the compressor, and will reduce mileage by 10%, as well as power. My 5th small truck, and my favorite so far (Mazda, Toyota, Datsun in past, although the Toyota was a great rig too).

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  Minivan Comeback - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By Felix - April 26 - 11:31 am

  Great vehicle for family. Handles like a car and good gas economy. Not too sure about the auto-daylights running all the time.

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  It was a good choice to buy the Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Marge in Ohio - April 26 - 2:40 am

  After checking several other SUVs I decided to purchase the Equinox and Im very satisfied with its performance.

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  Its not a van but a SUVan - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Dawn - April 25 - 11:19 am

  I enjoy driving this van it handles good in snow and rain. I love everything about this van!! I love how it gets up and goes when youre trying to get on to the expressway. And its easy on gas (especially with the prices as high as they are).

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  Tried and True - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By comeback - April 25 - 2:57 am

  Basic transportation to be sure, but with good economy, a/c, cd, ps & pb and cruise for a low purchase price. I drive +-30K/yr so Ill drive it for 3-4 years or so. Dont worry about getting door dings or scratches, resale will surely be low on this car - but who cares? Yyou didnt have to mortgage the house to buy it. Trade it in on something else when you need to. It will likely be reliable, economical and safe transportation.