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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  Take care of your seals - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By tiger - August 3 - 10:00 am

  First thing I did was to dismantle all of the "removeables" and Armor-All all of the seals and weatherstripping. I have never seen so may seals in all my life but taken care of, they should last. Just a maintenance headache. Watch the rear window install closely, as if you are off just a little, it will not seal correctly.

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  Avalanche - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By ckiser - August 3 - 10:00 am

  Not the best design for looks. The square fenders dont cut it. However, most confort than any vehical I have owned.

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  New SUV Owner - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Tim Brankin - August 2 - 9:23 pm

  We purchased a fully loaded Trailblazer. Fuel ratings are off from what we are experiencing we have only made it to a high of 14mpg. The interior is nice, but the design of the drop down DVD unit is flawed due to the rear seating headrest; it is obstructing the rear window view. Power is excellent, Handling is good and overall we are happy with the choice.

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  Best truck Ive owned - 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By hd517 - August 2 - 8:16 am

  Ive owned almost every brand of truck and this is my favorite. I just recently hauled a 7 by 17 enclosed trailer across country and the trailer was loaded from top to bottum front to back. Still with a v8 I have plenty of power and I averaged 13mpg through mountians .

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  A super car! - 2016 Chevrolet Corvette
  By MarkM - August 2 - 12:30 am

  Just went over 1000 miles with the new vette. Incredible performance. Engine sound management is first rate. Interior finally lives up to corvette standards. A option I would recommend for the next generation vette would be a blind spot sensor capability. A sports car bargain! Get one!!!

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  Still on the post - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Cathy W - July 31 - 7:21 pm

  Purchased this car for the hubby to drive and from work. 110 miles roundtrip everyday. He decided he would continue to drive his truck (I drove it for 2 years to my job round trip ,12 miles) because gas is down. So I got the car against my wishes. This car is not comfortable at all to me. To many buttons to figure it out. Be prepared to read the manual if urnot techno savy... Which I am not!! I feel like I am in a fishbowl or all to see.Keep in mind I did not get in or test drive the car. Hubby did only. But I drive oit.go figure. I am a plus size babe, n this car is tight. Good thing I am not plus plus or it would be like a can of canned fish stuffed in. Had the car for a month now and it s slowly expanding with me. Tinted ALL the widows made a world of difference .so, that said, I would give this car 4 star rating. VERY compact not to roomy, back seat to tight, Windows look c!assy though n I give them a10+++++. Handle s curves like a charm n fast little booger to 0 to 60 in 45 sec and its a 4 Cylinder. Go figure its a classy one to.

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  Reality - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Talley - July 28 - 10:00 am

  This is a hihg value/price ratio car, nonetheless quality could be improved much more; "abs" platic used in the interior seems and says "el cheapo". A/C very erratic, had to fix, change control panel US$500.00; alternator give up w/o warning US$500.00 repair; gas guzzler. noisy front suspension. bland tires.

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  Suburban again - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By vince foster - July 28 - 10:00 am

  Nice ride and handling features. Very comfortable for long trips.

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  love it, but could be better - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mulderlr - July 28 - 10:00 am

  Great utility pick up in a 2WD. Plenty of get up and go when you need it, even with the 4800 vs the 5300 v8 engine. Tons of room in the extended cab carries my two kids in car seats with plenty of room to spare. Great comfortable large front power seats cater to even the most picky passenger. Great truck all around.

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  Bad Tires - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Concern driver - July 28 - 5:46 am

  We just purchased a Traverse. We are extremely happy with the vehicle, but last night while driving in the interstate one of the tires split in half while going 70 miles per hour. We are extremely concern with the quality of the factory tires in this vehicle.The tire was melting as I was exchanging it. To replace a tire is one of the most challenging task you will perform. The tools included are not the best for the job. Our main concern is the safety of our family and we are not sure with the tires on the vehicle. It remind us of 8 years ago when Firestone had to replace a lot of tires because of safety reasons, just after few lives were lost. Chevy, please look into this matter.