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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  I love this SUV - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Donna Jones - December 9 - 2:36 am

  Great SUV for the money compared to similar imports. Lots of get up and go, and great options (that are standard). I feel like Im driving a car and not a truck. It was a great option to purchasing another minivan, which I disliked.

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  Pure power - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By ANTS Z28 - December 8 - 9:01 pm

  I bought the car a couple of months ago and its the best car Ive even seen. I did some work to it like a new flowmaster exhaust and a new k&n intact, also has a redone suspension not done by me But all in all there isnt many cars that can compare to the z28. Its a very fast car and really fun to drive...with some work the car is absolutely a perfect creation

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  Low cost fun! - 2015 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Ted T from Hollywood, MD - December 8 - 2:27 pm

  I bought this car out of necessity in October 2015 to replace my 2005 Ford Escape, which was in need of major repairs. My criteria was to find the least expensive Chevrolet I could by that was actually built in the United States. I have the base LS Sedan 5 speed, and my only factory option is a cargo net. Let me begin by saying I had no idea how much I would enjoy driving this car! It is by far my favorite of our family drivers, which include a 2015 Jeep Cherokee Latitude, and my daughters 2011 Chevy Cruise. My Sonic Sedan sits family high, it has great sight lines, it is very easy to get into and out of, even for occasional front seat passengers well over 6 tall. The trunk is cavernous, and with both back seats folded down, you can carry a ridiculous amount of stuff in this car. The Sears are comfortable, and with four average size passengers, there is more than adequate room in the car. The real pleasure of this little car is in how nicely it drives. I have the base 1.8 liter engine, with a 5 speed. The transmission is very good, and goes easily and almost crisply into gear. The gear spacing (ratios) are perfect, with just the right amount of performance overlap from one gear to the next, and this car will go 75-80 mph all day, without you the driver feeling like you have been beat up in a small car. The suspension is interesting. The car has a nice compliant ride over any road surface, and the ride quality is surprisingly good. Youd be tempted think it was sprung too softly, and then you hit a curve, and you take that curve in complete control. Amazing for a car with a beam rear axle; but then again, I read that Chevrolet had the suspension team for the Corvette set the spring rates and shock damping for the rear suspension. My combined mpg is 34.5 mpg. All day long. If I reset the mpg display before a hwy trip I can get 40 mpg. Thats the truth, and may be due to manual transmission. So, thats all the stuff I like. - - What I dont like is the quirky LED instrument panel. The only analog gage is the tach; everything else is digital. My biggest complaint with it is that there is no temperature display, which is a pain in the winter time. Im not a fan of the instrument panel, and I think that Chevy has fixed that, and gone more analog in 2017. Also, the base "infotainment" system is pretty lame; front door and A pillar speakers only, nothing in back, and am-fm only. I have to use an aux cord with my iPhone. There is no USB port in the base car (LS). I use a 12 Vdc adapter to charge my phone in the car. The Bluetooth, however, does work great, and I use that feature all the time. The car is also a WiFi hot spot, which is pretty cool. I should also say that I have had absolutely ZERO problems with this car, from a maintenance or build quality perspective. I is very tight, and very quiet. -Surprisingly so. In summary, I like this car A LOT! I bought it as "BT" - basic transportation, but it has turned out to be way more than that. Finally, on a recent business trip, I had the chance to rent a 2014 Sonic LT sedan with 42,000 miles. That car had all the stuff I like about my car, but with power windows, an automatic transmission, and a decent factory sound system, and with 42K on the click it was still tight and quiet. These are great little cars, that live a lot bigger than they actually are.

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  Great Car - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By MAC - December 8 - 2:00 pm

  Now has 75000 miles. 20 mpg city 31 mpg highway. Only problem was front rotors. Warped twice and repaired at no cost by Chevrolet. Very comfortable car. Rides great.

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  Whats Not to Like - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By phil - December 8 - 6:35 am

  Got tired of commuting in my SUV getting 20mpg in summer and 18 in winter. Bought the Aveo on Edmunds study of lowest vehicle cost per mile. We get 31 to 34 in the city commuting and took one trip of 300 miles one way. 31 into the wind of 20+ mph and 38 coming with the wind. Has plenty of power for most needs. Havent found anything to complain about. Does what it was made to do. Economy car shoppers beware of the foreign car hype of high gas mileage, we rented several of them before buying and found them to be lacking in mpg from what the manufacturer advertised. This is made by Daewoo plant to Chevy specs, but at least our money stays in the USA. Good job GM.

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  2002 3500 SILVERADO - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By evy - December 8 - 2:00 am

  What an improvement over my 98. This Duramax engine and Allison trans really make a trailer puller, and so nice to drive.

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  2000 Blazer 2WD LT - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By bobbyg - December 8 - 2:00 am

  My 2000 Blazer has been a quality truck. The ride is smooth. The engine does its job, but wouldnt mind having a trailblazer engine in it. Didnt opt for the 4WD and havent really needed it even though I live in Chicago. Great cargo space and enjoy how the back seats fold all the way down not like other SUVs. Havent had any repairs other than the routine maintenance. The LT package was worth the money.

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  Differences between 1999 and 2002 - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Longtime ChevyBuyer - December 8 - 2:00 am

  Compared to the 1999 Monte Carlo the new design 2002 drives like a barge. This design is harder to steer and the cruise control looses up to 5 miles per hours attempting to maintian the current speed. The whole car seems to be under powered.

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  Tahoe - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Wiscowilly - December 8 - 2:00 am

  Tahoe seems to be very well built. It doesnt have any rattles. I sprung a wiper blade the first time I washed the front windshield,but, it was my fault and the dealership replaced it under warranty.

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  Great car, Powerful EV - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By Kar - December 7 - 8:24 pm

  2 weeks so far, Car is awesome. EV mode power is great, never felt the EV mode. Its as good as normal gas engine car. Exterior and interior designs are fantastic. Love Apply car play and Andriod auto integration, it just seemless. Few -ves : 1. Rear visibility is not great, the trunk design blocks for better visibility. 2. Rear middle seat if ok for Kids, but big kids finds it difficult to get in and out. Also you wont have option to move door to door, as the center block is on your way