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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  A gorgeous car bad resale value - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Wen b - November 21 - 10:16 pm

  The value of the car dropped $10,000 in less than a year its terrible because the rental car industry is flooded with them thats why they are devaluated. they are worth more than market value they do not hold value

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  1992 Chevy S-10 Blazer saved life - 1992 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Anna - November 21 - 5:22 pm

  I bought this car in April 2007 owned it until it was totalled on October 28th 2007. This SUV saved my daughters life. She was cut off on the freeway and She veered to the left to avoid a collision. Consequently when she turned to avoid the collision. The Blazer went in an extreme arc to hit the center divider with most of the force of impact on the right front end of the truck. That impact then sent the car careening end over end, slightly kiddy corner completing at least a total of three revolutions then bouncing into the weeds on the exact opposite of the freeway with the truck coming to rest on its wheels, and still running, , facing oncoming traffic. She only sustained a concussion.

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  Awesome Z71 - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By pjohnson - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Great truck. Would recomend it to anyone. This truck runs strong, though havent had the chance to tow anything with it yet. Unfortunately running up the milage up and down the road. Very comfotable truck. Back seat is large enough for adults, so fits the kids great.

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  Best Car for the Money - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Paul LaRosa - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Being retired I looked hard and long at autos to purchase. With all the rebates and incentives the Impala is the best buy. The 200 hp is more then enough for the hilly Pittsburgh Area and a recent trip to Washington DC yielded 30 mpg. The radio is excellent and while others may call the interior a bit bland I think its just sensible. Unless you are trying to impress others buy this car.

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  Love my Volt. Never kept a car this long before. - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By Anthony Florida - November 21 - 6:45 am

  I love cars and have a terrible new car addiction. Over the years I have had well over 20 cars in all different price ranges. I bought the Volt new in 2013 and still own it today, it has kept my interest longer than any other car I have had. I was looking for a 4 door hatchback/wagon that would be economical and I wanted the tax credit. After the tax credit, GM rebate and dealer discount I paid about $26,500 for one with leather, Bose and a somewhat worthless navigation system. The Navigation and poor user interface would be my biggest gripe about the car. I like the style, it drives really nice, rides good and is quiet. I love plugging in at home and not stopping for gas. Not sure I could go back to a gas only car. I bought the home charger and think that improves the experience 100%. Messing with the cord and slow charging is a PITA, get the fast charger. I had a few repairs, it had to be towed when it was newer because a battery control module was bad. All repairs were under warranty and havent had any issues the last 2-3 years.

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  Still Really Love It - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By townhome - November 21 - 1:00 am

  The Maxx is simply a fantastic car. It gives you so much for so little money an in 4200 miles it has been totally reliable. The interior room, the hatchback, and all of the little features make the Maxx one of the most satisfying vehicles I have ever owned.

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  Incredible - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By R. DAntuono - November 20 - 5:46 pm

  I have had (and currently have) Porsche, Benz, 80s Corvettes, many moons ago, Austin Healey, Marcos (do you know what that is?)and others. This automobile is staggering. Civilized and "beastly" at the same time! It is amazing how much attention I get (maybe its the Millenium Yellow...). All of a sudden everybody on the road is polite! They want to let me go by so they can see the car! My C6 has everything except Z-51 (does have mag. select). A very, very tight automobile. If you havent been in one, try it... You hear a "great car for the money". No, A GREAT CAR PERIOD!

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  HHR is solid fun / great value - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Michael - November 20 - 12:31 pm

  Every one who sees and or rides in my HHR is very complimentary. It is an excellent value. People are amazed at how inexpensive a fully loaded HHR is to buy. and looks tastefully different. The HHR has great interior space with folding seats for good versatility. It is spunky and fun to drive and gets very good gas mileage.

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  Nice SUV - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By dx2view - November 20 - 8:11 am

  Love the 4 wheel drive, and it tows very well with a 3500 lb boat. Trans changed out at about 55000, but thats about all the issues.

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  17 year old Corvette, still fun - 1990 Chevrolet Corvette
  By inaband - November 19 - 11:43 pm

  I have a C5, and I had a chance to buy this 1990, for cheap, could not turn it down, new clutch, great sound, needs detailing, but any C4 is a bargain these days, if you find one buy it. These are still simple enough to work on, except for the electrical issues that are hard to figure out...lucky for me, my car is fine.