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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  Overall decent car, but easy to love. - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Dan2832 - April 4 - 11:40 pm

  I bought my Cobalt brand new in 2005, so Im sure by now Chevy has tuned the model up some. But overall it is a decent car. I would have tried to get rid of it but they do grow on you. The ride is good and the handling is great. You would expect fuel economy to be better from a 4-cyl. though. The worst parts about it are the interior design and room. The backseat isnt comfortable or roomy at all and the trunk opening is tight. Headlights are average and on long drives it can get uncomfortable. Worth a look though.

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  Lumina Solid Performer at a Nice Price - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By LuvMyLumina - April 4 - 7:14 pm

  Purchased this 1996 Lumina used in 1998. Best car purchase ever! The Lumina is a smooth riding, nicely equipped vehicle that didnt break the bank. I only wish Chevy still manufactured it as I would love to purchase another one. This vehicle has been reliable and durable even with being parked outside in the coldest of Midwest winters and the elements that come along with them. The only drawback is the small area of rust on the driver side rear quarter panel. This vehicle still looks good and performs well even though it hasnt been garaged for several years. Chevy definitely got it right and would do well to bring this model back into its lineup.

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  My Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dina - April 4 - 11:43 am

  I love my Malibu, however, I have had numerous little things go wrong. One would be the steering, which I was re-imbursed. Then the stereo. My CD is stuck in my player, and I have found out many people have this problem. It is going to cost me $500 to fix it. As far as snow driving, it rocks! Durablity interior, rocks! Comfort is good. My dash makes a lot of noises, such as vibrating noises, this is agravating. Overall 1-10 I would give it, a 6 or maybe 7. Pretty good.

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  A truck car worth your attention - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Wang - April 4 - 10:03 am

  HHR is definitely a car worth your attention. It runs very smoothly and quietly, gives you great gas mileage (30 miles highway plus local in my case) and plenty cargo space. My HHR has a 2.4-liter engine for which premium gas is recommended (you can still use other grades but later on your engine may need to be serviced). Ive noticed that whenever Im driving up-hill, I really need to push the paddle to maintain the same speed. The only thing I dont like at all about this vehicle is the little compartment space. My previous car is a Geo Prizm (much like Toyotas Corolla) which is quite smaller than HHR. But Prizm has more space where I can put CDs, maps, stuff like that.

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  Known Engine issue - 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mark S. - April 4 - 2:15 am

  The 5.3 engine has a noticeable hesitation at various speeds. There are also times when decelerating quickly, the engine slams down into gears. Research on the internet provides numerous complaints by 2017 owners. This is a known problem by Chevy and they even had a Service Bulletin on it.The guess at the problem is to do some type of diagnostic on the engine and of if falls within certain guidelines, to change the transmission fluid. Not sure why you change the fluid on a new vehicle. Reading also indicates this solution does nothing. Stay away from this vehicle.

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  Great American SUV - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ajayboyapati - April 3 - 11:27 pm

  i just bought a black LTZ and sure it is a head turner with the chrome package being standard. It came with the 20 inch wheels and love the way they work with the shocks and suspention. All together they give a very comfortable ride.

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  Hate it! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By cabnweb - April 3 - 7:50 pm

  The only good thing is it is roomy. I have had so many problems with this car I traded in my Subaru Baja for more room but I hate the day I lost my Subie. The cloth on the seats has fuzz balls on them and they catch dirt so bad. The rotors have had trouble and it keeps a vibration that they cant keep fixed for more than a few weeks. I cant even type all the things I hate about this car. It declined in value more than any car I have ever had. I usually trade about once a year and I usually do pretty good but this is the first car I have been upside down in. I gave $17,000. For it less than a year ago and it only has 32,000 miles on it and now it only books for 9 to $10,000. Very sick over that!

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  Only one problem here. - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Brian - April 3 - 4:54 pm

  I havent owned a Chevy since the 80s and this car is my first SUV. I love everything about this car. Comfortable for me 64" with good leg and head room, excellent acceleration, quality interior, stylish exterior. Low road noise, and after 15,000 miles in 15 months no mechanical problems. I like the roominess and the cargo space. My only beef about this car is the lousy gas mileage. The rating says 15city/20hwy but I get about 14 MPG anywhere I go.

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  Best Truck Ive owned - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By JMG - April 3 - 3:43 pm

  I bought this truck on an impulse. I bought the truck with the Southwest Edition package which includes 5.3L engine,leather seats,tow package and 20" wheels. I have had an issue with the tires, but thats because the city of ABQ doesnt clean their roads. Recently went on a trip to AZ from NM and got about 22 MPG. Ive owned the truck a year now and average about 16.4 MPG in the city. Ive towed a couple of trailers and have had no issues with the very capable 5.3L. Theres plenty of room in the back seat for my 6 tall son. He used to kick me in the back in our old SUV and he wasnt even 6 at that point. The interior is nice and roomy for all.

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  Unhappy Cavalier Owner - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By betht_121 - April 3 - 3:25 pm

  This car was not even weatherproofed at the factory, bought it brand new. Nothing but problems. Customer service was no help other than replacing the carpeting after the car flooded from no weatherproofing (the "new" carpet doesnt even fit). The dashboard rattles, the window broke very early in ownership, the trunk light was wired wrong. There is still something wrong wiring-wise but no one can find it. Did I mention the customer service experience left a lot to be desired. I have been trying to get them to address any of these issues for almost 2 years now. . I wouldnt recommend a Chevy to anyone.