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 daily driver still makes me smile. - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dean - March 27 - 2:38 am

  I had always wanted a Corvette, so when I could finally afford and justify one, I bought a loaded 1999 Coupe 6-speed Z-51 model. It has been my daily driver and I put on an average of 18,000 miles a year. I have never had any problems with the car except for a steering column lock problem that was corrected with a recall. I have had absolutely no repair or mechanical costs for the car outside of fuel and regular maintenance (oil changes, tires, air/fuel filter, battery replacement). This car has been an absolute breeze to take care of and has been extremely reliable. It is smooth as silk on the highway and is a blast to drive. I will always drive a Corvette.

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  rachels cavalier - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rachel belcher - March 26 - 2:00 am

  its great, i love it

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  great truck - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By john brady - March 26 - 2:00 am

  first chevy in 40 years,boy I Been missing out on a great ride

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  Great van, handles great. - 2004 Chevrolet Express
  By Tim - March 26 - 1:03 am

  This van rides and handles great. Bought a new 2004 Express Low top Chariot conversion. Very comfortable on trips or around town. Average highway mpg is over 20. Not bad for a big van. Only suggestion is they replace cheap plastic arm rest on door with a padded material.

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  A rear view review - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By James Cooper - March 25 - 8:17 pm

  Great car

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  Love The Equinox! - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Rick - March 25 - 4:16 am

  The Equinox is fun to drive! It has ample power to get you where you want to go. I love the electronic steering due to its ease to manuever. With a broken wrist, it has been an exceptionaly easy car to drive. The Equinox has ample room for my whole family and room for luggage on vacation trips. For comfort, I highly recommend the leather interior. It makes getting in and out of the car much easier...and its much easier to keep the interior clean.

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  Surprising car! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By TVS_SS - March 24 - 11:13 am

  I picked up a supercharged Cobalt for a daily driver and will say i was more impressed after I bought it than I was before. The mileage is better than they rate. I can get 31.5mpg if I drive it normal / mostly freeway miles. Plenty of power for a 2.0L engine and itll get even better when Eaton comes out with the TVS supercharger upgrade. I have a 2000 camaro SS that has more power, but I enjoy driving the Cobalt equally if not more! When you take care of the understeer, the car is amazingly agile.

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  Uplander drives well - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Judy - March 24 - 10:30 am

  The new Uplander is a great vehicle to drive. Steering is excellent and the vehicle holds the road just fine. The new design, which is a cross between a mini-van and an SUV, gives a much more secure feeling from a driving standpoint since you have something in front of you. The children love the DVD and the wireless headphones. There are only a few minor adjustments I would make in the features of the vehicle.

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  Great Car - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By VicR - March 24 - 1:47 am

  I have owned my Malibu LT for over a year. The engine is not as peppy as my former car (1999 Mustang), but the fuel mileage more than makes up for that. Like some other reviewers, I had a steering column issue when the car was 6 months old. The dealer fixed it and I have had no other problems. Im short and this is most comfortable car I have ever driven due the adjusting steering wheel and pedals. My husband is over 6 feet tall and he has plenty of headroom. Great car!

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  Is this car for you? - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By samuel - March 23 - 3:50 am

  The new Malibu is a bargain with the GM discounts and rebates. You get a 200 hp V6, 6 disc CD, sunroof, power seats, and premium wheels for about $18,000. The cars run well on the highways. A recent trip where I averaged 68mph (260 mile drive) I got 36+mpg. WOW. Road noise is fair, acceleration is fun, the car has a lot of jump.