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 Trailblazer - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By aimbsl - November 21 - 2:00 am

  Very nice for traveling, especially with the rear entertainment center. It handled well in bad weather. Visability was good with the exception of a slight blind spot on the passenger side. The seats were not as comfortable for driving long distances as they were in my previous vehicle, Mercury Grand Marquis. All in all, I am really enjoying this vehicle. I have also owned minivans in the past, and my family (children, parents, siblings, etc) all tell me that the rear seats are a lot more comfortable and they especially like the stadium- type seating. Smooth ride anywhere you sit in the vehicle.

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  Great Truck Overall...Love It ! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By AlanDaleJr - November 20 - 5:30 pm

  Have NO problems with this truck, except for one. Goodyear tires it came with OEM, are a death threat to who ever is in the truck when ground is wet. I would like to see the CEO of goodyear drive with them on wet ground STAY AWAY from these tires, change them ASAP if you have them. I put General Grabbers on 200% better.

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  Corvette Ready - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Laser1 - November 17 - 11:00 am

  Corvettes are fragile so be sure to find a quality repair shop that specializes in fixing them because youre going to need it. However, for status, looks and pleasurable drives or participating in Clubs or car shows, this is your ticket. Make sure you have a garage also, these cars are best kept garaged and under cover, almost like a baby.

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  bad engines - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By elazno - November 16 - 10:00 am

  Just got a letter from Chevrolet - "not a recall",it says "letter to make you aware that some 2002 model year Chevrolet TrailBlazer model vehicles may experience a cracking of an engine cylinder bore liner. This will cause engine noise, poor performance, and/or stalls with no engine re-start." They are extending the warranty coverage for this problem to 7 years 100,000 miles. Dont know how I feel about keeping a car that is likely to leave me stranded. I am trading mine before people find out about this problem, as this will kill the trade-in value! Too bad, I love this vehicle and would have kept it for years!

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  Congrads To Chevy - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Chevyrocksboododge - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I am verry impressed with the Silverado, because when I think of truck I think of Chevy Silverado I support this opinion with a Complaint to DODGE, your A/C stinks, supporting this with the fact that I bought 2 vehicles from The Chrysler Corp. and 1-2 years later the A/C died and i was stuck in 95 Degree K.C. heat. The reason I bought a CHEVY!!!!!

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  Navigation interface problems on older phones - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By allan - November 13 - 10:10 am

  Be prepared to buy a better phone if you want the Map Navigation to display and have good sound on the directions. iPhone 5 has a volume control problem and my directions are drowned out by the radio or music. iPhone7 no problem at all--works perfectly.

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  Standard box does not align with cab - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By roscoe - November 12 - 11:20 pm

  I love the handling and performance. It is a sharp truck; sits up high unlike any of the past GM trucks that I have owned. The V6 has plenty of power and the interior is stylish and comfortable. The only thing that I can find troubling is the way the box does not line up to the cab the same on each side. It seems the box is build slightly crooked. I have checked several other new trucks and they are all the same. I would love to hear if anyone else has noticed this imperfection. Other than this I think Chevy has hit a home-run.

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  Great ride and value - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By rawn123 - November 12 - 9:54 am

  Bought new LT1, 4 cyl model two weeks ago. Much smoother and quieter than all other small SUVs I tested (Kia, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota). I was looking for a nice, small AWD with modern features. The 2011 Equinox provided this and much more. quiet ride, features and value.

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  Very very good! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Flawsey - November 10 - 10:00 am

  This truck is great if you cant afford one of the other big SUVs like a Tahoe or Etc... . I got mine for a great deal so I was please with the price. I only had the truck for 4 months but so far no problems !

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  Great Overall HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By kds hhr - November 7 - 5:40 am

  So far I have really enjoyed my HHR. I have had to get used to not having the power that I had in my previous vehicle but overall it is fun to drive. For a couple of hundred dollars you can change the suspension and gives a much overall better performance with lowering the springs. It has been overall great. We will see how it is for longterm dependability.