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:

• 

  2005 Corvette w/ Z51 package - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Tucson Firefighter - April 25 - 2:26 am

  This car will amaze you with its ability to track accurately and at high "g" loads in complete comfort and with complete confidence. The engine torque and the gearing of the car are very well matched to the available traction of the tires at a given speed. There are no sudden spikes in power, (spikes that give the sensation of lots of power but actually come at the expense of a loss of overall power),just a constant increase with rpm. There is a "fat" or "sweet spot" of power output from around 5000 to 6500 rpm, however. The car is quiet and powerful. The car is very comfortable and agile. The car is absolutely stunning in Daytona Sunset Orange paint.

• 

  Proud Owner - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Arnold - April 25 - 12:03 am

  I get excellent gas mileage when driving the speed limit with cruise control. 37 mpg Canadian, 31 mpg American. With the aluminum block it heats up quicker in the winter, as I drive in Canada. Quiet and handles quite well.

• 

  The new Cavalier - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Adam - April 24 - 5:53 am

  Ive owned 2 Cavaliers both bought new, a 1991 with the 2.2 engine that had 151,000 and a 1994 3.1 that had 173,000. Both cars ran great and gave me little more than normal maintance repairs. So when I saw the Cobalt I said OK lets give it a try. Well the car is a dream to drive. It runs smooth and rides much better than a car this size normally would. Fit and finish are superior and with now 4,000 miles on it have yet to find anything that would require a trip back to the dealer. I bought this car for under 15,000 with taxes and tags.

• 

  Love my Venture - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By shanna - April 23 - 3:37 pm

  I love our Venture van! We have had very few problems other than recall and regular maintance. This van is great on trips with children! We are up to 82000 miles and still no major problems with the van. We really like the versitility of the seats because you can remove one or more to accomadate your personal needs at the time, and I can remove them by myself which was not something I could ever do with the Ford van we owned previously!

• 

  Wow - 1997 Chevrolet Camaro
  By charles - April 22 - 3:28 am

  This was my first car and I have to say that it was an excellent choice. I picked my slightly used 1997 Camaro RS for $10,000 with low mileage. And I have to say it has been amazing. I have never had it break down, it is very fast, and very eye catching. I have people telling me how beautiful my car is and they love the color, and the way it looks. The interior is not that bad, when you do some work to it its amazing. The AC control knobs happen to be clear underneath so you can take off the grey housing and the knobs will be clear, also just about all the accents can be taken off and painted to match the color of the car. Leather is a must for this car though.

• 

  love my SUV - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By busylizzy - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Im a mother of 2 and my kids and diaper bag ,car seat toys and groceries all fit well.

• 

  great - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By pedro_89 - April 21 - 2:00 am

  very happy with purchase.

• 

  great and fun to druve! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By TParker - April 21 - 2:00 am

  this car is a mini suv, but thinks its big... the styling is different and more sporty than most mini suvs. i love driving it!

• 

  My first pickup - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Saundra - April 21 - 2:00 am

  This is my first pickup and I am totally suprised. And pleasantly so. As a woman, I dont have to jump up to get into the truck or slide down to touch the ground. There are plenty of features that I almost forget I am in a pickup truck

• 

  Needs the Discount!!! - 2017 Chevrolet SS
  By Myron Mayberry - April 20 - 6:35 am

  This is a great car that was poorly marketed. GM put out a 20% discount on the car and at $40,000.00 it is a steal!