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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  Great Car - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By med1 - December 18 - 11:03 pm

  I bought this car because I wanted something versatile and suited to outdoor adventures, but which would also be practical for city driving -- that is exactly what this car is. I took it offroading in the Northern California wilderness and in Death Valley several times, and the Tracker proved itself to be tough, well-built, and the short wheel base lets it go almost anywhere. Unfortunately, the short wheel base is also the most negative aspect of the car. It was very squirrely on the freeway and I spun out a few times on wet or snowy roads. When I blew out a tire on I5, the car spun out of control and was totaled. The squirrely-ness of the car is my only complaint - no mechanical problems.

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  Go ahead, buy one! - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By CA C6 Fan - December 18 - 8:32 pm

  One of the finest vehicles I have ever owned. Blindingly fast, comfortable to drive every day and immediately recognizable. It drives like a commuter (overall 22 mpg - from 400 HP???) and performs like an exotic. Mine is silver (exterior) and black leather (interior). Loaded with all the goodies (youve got to get the Z51 handling pkg & the Bose stereo). Have had it for about 6 months/5K miles and it has been extremely reliable. I did purchase a GM/Vette extended warranty, just in case (got a great deal on it too). I have the automatic (5spd) and the only thing I would have done differently would have been to get the 6 spd. manual.

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  Hip Hot Ride - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By midnightmike - December 18 - 7:06 pm

  Okay, heres my story. I own and operate a mobile dj service. I owned a 2002 Chevy Avalanche. Great vehicle, just became too big. Traded it in for a 2004 Mazda 6 Sportwagon. Fast and it handled like it was on rails, and oh yeah very roomy. I saw the HHR and had to have it. Gave the Mazda to my wife and traded in her Protege for the HHR. I have gone from an eight, to a six and now a four?! Believe me this HHR can scoot! I have a black 2LT with every option except OnStar. Leather, moonroof, running boards, spoiler and bright chrome package. Gas mileage is good and has a ton of room for all my equipment. I cannot wait to go cruising with the HHR and my 68 Buick Skylark this summer!

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  Great, affordable car - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By mrd232 - December 18 - 2:40 pm

  I got a 2005 LS Cobalt as a lease while in college. After 34,645 miles, I have had no problems with the car. The only service the car has required are regular oil changes, seasonal maintenance, tire rotation, and yearly inspection. I have only had one issue - on occasion, CDs will stick in the player and it will return an error. They usually eject after pressing the button several times or turning the radio on and off. All in all a great car for the money. Excellent gas mileage, does well on road trips, has low road noise, and the computer gages are great for tracking gas mileage.

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  Still in love after 3+ years - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By OwenW - December 17 - 9:24 pm

  Purchased my Impala Oct 04 and it ranks as my best purchase ever. More than 42 years of driving & owning 11 previous cars + 4 or 5 company vehicles. Key points: Fuel economy is outstanding. Who needs econo-boxes? On cruise control at 55 = 35+ MPG all day long. At 60 it gets 31 MPG. Maintenance: This cars been trouble- free for nearly 56,000 miles. A defective dashboard display was replaced at dealers request and under warrenty early in 2007. Im on 2nd set of tires and brakes (49K miles). The cars a hoot to drive and the kids in the little imports cant believe the way my Impala handles and outperforms much smaller cars. Im sold!

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  Sedan version of the Dodo bird - 2016 Chevrolet SS
  By Bethany - December 17 - 5:48 pm

  We never owned a Chevy in the past but when I was forced back into the car market thanks to VW TDI scandal I decided I wanted a sedan with rear wheel drive and a MANUAL transmission something no longer offered in the Passat, Mazda M6, or Nissan Maxima all of which I would have seriously considered. Thanks to a google search I found the Chevy SS and do not regret this purchase. In fact, the more I drive the car, the more I love it. My husband and I are now fighting over driving the SS so we are considering purchasing a second as Chevy is still offering 20% off until the end of the October. This car becomes extinct in 2017 and, sadly, I fear a manual transmission sedan will go with it. Update 4/19/2017: I passed this Chevy SS to my husband and we found a red Chevy SS that still had the 20% off tag which we purchased in November 2016. No more fighting over the car! We both love it. I enjoy the car more now than when I first purchased. I understand that it is not for everyone, but it is perfect for me. October 2017 update: we still own both Chevy SS cars and absolutely still love them. I had an issue with my power steering which Chevy repaired as was still under warranty and my only gripe is the dealership which bumbled with the repair (ordering the wrong part then not ordering all the parts needed) causing a delay in the repair. My car was at the dealership for over a week and I was never offered a loaner car. Thankfully I own 4 vehicles but it would have been considerate to at least offer a vehicle.

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  awsome - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Mike dunn - December 17 - 10:00 am

  this truck is perfect truck and i would tell any one to screw off the Japanese cars to get a nice reliable Chevrolet. listen to me this truck is perfect.

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  zippy little red sedan - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By dvdanny - December 17 - 10:00 am

  The room in this car and the zippy little that just wont quit make and all around good little car.

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  Got to love it - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Carl244541 - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I had to replace my 94 old cutless supreme and I lived the styling of this car. It is very similiar to my olds in styling (actually better).

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  Better than my Benz - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Sunny Raye - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I had a 1998,1999, and 2000 Mercedes C class. This SS outdoes them all. Better ride, more comfortable, and its American!