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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  Good truck but not a Toyota - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By FAIRLY GOOD TRUCK - March 4 - 11:14 pm

  Originally bought the truck with 60K. It has been used to carry construction tools including a generator and compressors for the next 40K. The truck is a turtle when empty and a slug fully loaded! Power is pathetic, but gas mileage is good. I have not had no major problems other than the typical fuel pump go out (90k)$300 pop and the inconveniance of having to remove the bed to do so. Shock of course and an anoying oil leak from the rear main seal. Clutch has never been replaced and still strong (I only use it on firt gear). Oh yes the door bushings are junk! replaced at $15 and oil montly, the door spring is a pain to replace. No other major problems. I guess I have been lucky!

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  Very Impressed - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By VERY IMPRESSED - March 4 - 11:52 am

  I sell and own one of these vehicles myself and would recommend it to any customer interested in one. I have owned TrailBlazers, Avalanches and many sedans even sport models. I have a handicapped child and I put my wife and son in it every day with no hesitations. When it comes time to purchase another vehicle I will do another Chevrolet van.

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  Auto start/stop and no auto climate control - 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Christopher Kelly - March 3 - 6:07 pm

  The car has the auto start/stop when you stop the car its annoying turns the a/c or heat off at lights and theres no way to turn the system off. To get auto climate control in the car you need the top trim level which comes with leather and sunroof and larger wheels all which are unneeded things. Cars that cost half as much brand new come with auto climate control.

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  Lots of fun - 2016 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Robert Schell - March 3 - 1:42 pm

  This is the first automatic sports car I have owned, and Ive owned many! For work I am always in an automatic van or truck, whose shifting is less then smooth. I was totally impressed by the 8- speed automatic, and honestly dont miss the manual one bit. It shifts faster then I ever could and lets me focus more on the drive. I Now understand why so many sports cars are ditching their manual option. So I agree with others and try both. Otherwise an exceptional ride and turns heads everywhere.

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  Not sure - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By JoAnn - March 3 - 9:12 am

  Really like it so far. Just got it. Really rides good. Would like to get owners manual about it none was with it.

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  Beautiful - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Patty - March 2 - 4:10 am

  Did not want a new car, husband took me to dealership and it was sold. Absolutely love my HHR. Black with chrome package and aftermarket chrome rims, it turns heads. Love the interior design: fold down seats, lots of storage in rear, glovebox and dash storage, guages easy to read, steering wheel cruise controls and information center. Recent trip got 29 mpg on hwy, avg 25 in city.

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  Great Economical Family Car - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By richmcm - March 1 - 8:31 pm

  We looked at 7 cars in this class and liked the HHR best of all. What sold us. Well the styling was very appealing but the quiet ride, adequate power, nice interior layout with awesome cargo space and plenty of room in the back seats were the final selling pieces. We have over 4000 miles on this everyday work HHR and find it to be more that we expected. We live in the Northeast so one of the best features is the remote starting. Very nice to get into a warm car in these cold mornings. Getting 30 MPG is also very good. We are both over 50 so we will take the soft, quite ride over the stiff harder ride like the Masda 3 5 door had. The HHR fit and finish is also very impressive.

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  There should be a law... - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Chevy is crap - March 1 - 11:16 am

  What a piece of crap this Malibu is. Just under 40,000 miles and the rack & pinion has to be replaced...700 dollars. No wonder the foreign cars are getting a lot of business! I have owned Toyota....drove the hell out of it....no problems....sold it at 148,00 miles and it still had the original clutch and it worked very well. There should be a class action suit against Chevrolet for pushing this P.O.J. car! Even the first month of ownership...the key would come out of the ignition....JUNK JUNK JUNK!

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  Love my Cavalier - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By realscott325 - March 1 - 12:39 am

  Bought this car new in 2004. Love the economy and performance-even for a 4 cyl. Never had a problem until about 5 months ago, the ignition coil went out suddenly. Other than that, no problems, no complaints. Love my Chevy!

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  Shells SSR 2004 - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By ShellsSSR - February 29 - 10:50 pm

  I purchased my 04 SSR on 7/30/04 brand new. I used to watch the commercial on TV where the yellow SSR would turn around and be the last vehicle to get on the new car carrier. My hairs would stand straight up on my arms! I never in my wildest dreams that I would ever own one. Well I do! And I am so glad to be a owner of an SSR. After almost 4 yrs. of having my SSR, it is like the day I bought it. I also own a 2000 Pontiac Trans Am Ram Air and 2007 Chevy Avalanche. I personally would never buy a foreign vehicle in my life. All I can say is the people who have bad things to say about the SSR are jealous because they want one, cant get one, don,t have one! I love my SSR and the experience