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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  Best Truck I have ever owned - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mvcoburn - July 21 - 8:46 am

  This is the first brand new truck I have ever owned. My previous vehicle was a 2006 Dakota and this was a huge jump up. I picked the Chevrolet because I am a firm believer in their product and paid attention to all of the high ratings from various reports. The truck sits well and is very comfortable. I love the leather seats and the cabin is extremely quite. It rides very smooth and shifts well. The backseat offers a lot of space. I have two small kids and they have no problems with room.

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  FIRST GM CAR IN 40+ YEARS - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By MIKE & NANCY - July 21 - 3:36 am

  We bought the Equinox in a hurry under the "clunker" deadline with limited available info (except it was much better than previous model). I was impressed with all the high tech features mostly aimed at improving mileage and safety) with a price in the lower end of the 20s. my wife was impressed the its eerie quietness. Seating is exceptionally commodious, comfortable and versatile. Id say better value than the Japanese competition, Lets see if GM reliability and service is improved along with the product design.

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  good SUV - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By leaseisover - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Overall, I have enjoyed this vehicle. (At 45k now). Have owned 3 prior cars. 1st SUV, 1st lease. Comfortable seating, good ride for SUV. Good view up front, some blindspot problems in rear as 2 door version. Hit from pass. side ($12,000 of damage)-walked away no problem (dont know about front crash test firsthand, though). Only problems: O2 sensor on day 1 - dealership took care of rapidly, new alternator - but this was from accident (cracked), battery, and lumbar support on both sides.

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  The Cavalier (2003) - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By K.B. - July 21 - 2:00 am

  *One of my friends recently bought a new Cavalier and found out that it had a big makeover. She got inside and said, "This is the car for me!" It drives fast, but not too fast. It looks sporty, but its personality is for city streets. The car is fun to drive and could use a few more features and a new interior design.

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  Moms tow rig - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Steve Vaughan - July 21 - 2:00 am

  We have owned this truck 48 months with a few issues rattling doors, rough ride, ABS box $325.00 the sticking pedal was repaired under warrenty(3rd time). my wife tows a 3 horse trailer 6900 # net and she is pleased I added helper springs to keep the rear end from sagging during towing 2wd no Z71 pkg. would buy this truck again... I like the performance this thing hauls- ___!

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  not a bad truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Rob Wilkerson - July 19 - 10:00 am

  I previsouly had a ford ranger and now currently a colorado, I like the colorado a lot better in some ways. I have the 3.5 I-5 liter which has more power than my previous 4.0 V6 The towing capacity is lower than that of my ranger. overall I am happy with the truck. The colorado handles turns very well.

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  It was okay - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jacob Standridge - July 16 - 5:47 pm

  Great looking car, very large. Dont buy unless youre okay with having an extensive and frequent repair schedule. Cheap quality interior makes for annoying road noise and a lot of rattling/vibrations. Within the last year Ive spent nearly $3000 fixing oil leaks, faulty door lock actuators and extensive maintenance.

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  Every mans dream - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Wes s - July 12 - 8:47 pm

  Runs excellent, looks awesome,new tires garage kept,low mileage

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  2005 Cobalt - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By mark - July 8 - 10:40 pm

  I just got my new Cobalt last week, its a nice car to drive and has enough power. The only thing I dont like about it is there is not an engine temp gauge on the dash.

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  EXT is worth its weight - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Hoomalu - July 5 - 10:00 am

  I spent almost 6 months searching for a mid-size SUV that could hold 6-7 persons. This is defintely it. The EXT is great and has much more room and power than its competitors. It doesnt drive like a car, but I wouldnt want it to. This is an SUV for truck lovers and not a hybrid SUV. The interior is loaded with features that even make a gadget freak like myself happy. I would highly recommend this too all. The design to get into the third row is even better than the Suburban. The is the most modern of Chevy Truck/SUV designs.