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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  falling apart - 2000 Chevrolet Astro
  By Joe Horton - October 12 - 8:31 am

  Ive put 40000 miles in 3 years since I had it. I must admitt its a good runner with the 4.3 6cyl. but simple things are going wrong that should not happen. Expect to replace the drivers power window motor cuz everyone Ive talk to had a problem. Front and rear air you will have a major leak from front to back. You want your fuel guage to work forget it. How about lights behind the radio just drive when the suns out. I like the dutch doors except for the famous rust under the lift window. And IM retireed UAW oh well.

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  Wont buy another one - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By PeterK - October 12 - 7:49 am

  Nothing but problems. Transmission had to be replace after 65,000 miles, passenger seat back handle broke twice, both CV joints replaced, gas tank pump and sending unit replaced, dashboard lights up like a christmas tree randomly.

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  Best Sedan Ive Driven...Ever! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By 08malibulover - October 12 - 6:06 am

  The ride of this vehicle is amazing compared to some of the other midsizes that I test drove. The 4 cyl has enough power to get on the highway and doesnt feel like it is struggling to keep up. The interior is extremely quiet and has plenty of room. There are so many compartments that keep your things secure and out of sight. For as little as I paid it compared favorably to cars that were thousands of dollars more but I didnt feel like I was getting any return on my money.

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  Great car - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jennifer - October 12 - 3:10 am

  I love my Equinox! My husband and I are both tall and our children are, for 5 and 7 years old, very tall. The main reason I picked this over the VUE by Saturn is that the leg room in the back seat is excellent. The option to move the seat forward or back has been a great feature to have. I enjoy the ride as well. Other have said that the radio is confusing, but I have not had any issues with that. The only downfall that this vehicle has is the interior fabric. It is way below standard. My seats are so stained it looks like I have had it for years, not months. Even rain stains the seats.

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  Very impressed with my 2006 Cobalt - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By matt - October 11 - 10:53 pm

  For the price I paid for my Cobalt and with the features that come standard such as driver information center, air conditioning and AM/FM CD Radio with great sound I think this car is an outstanding value. From the smooth quiet ride to the standard 144 horse power motor gets me up to speed quick with an average fuel economy of 30.6 MPG combo city/hwy (Manual Transmission)

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  HHR=Horrible Horrible Ride - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Brandon Mayo - October 11 - 4:49 pm

  I have owned my HHR for less than 3 months and it has been in the shop for a total of a month and a half. It rattles squeeaks and shakes and the front end sounds like it is falling out from under it. DO NOT BUY ONE! Check out some of the forums on the internet. I sure wish I had before buying mine. Truly sad because the car looks good and I love the features. Hoping they will buy it back!

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  Miss my old one! - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By missy - October 11 - 2:41 pm

  The ride is good, but I cant get used to the new seats! I keep sliding out and have to brace myself to keep from being propelled forward when stopping. I find it especially bad in the front passenger seat. The seats are shorter from hip to knee than my 01 Tahoe. I keep adjusting the seat and cant get it to be comfortable. Im 56". I feel somewhat like Im too high up, esp. in the 2nd row, and might wobble off the seat! Needs more storage cubbies. I really have to bend my foot back from accelerator to brake, and I have the adjustable pedals.

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  A Mans Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By JG - October 11 - 10:29 am

  I had a 2000 Frontier Crew Cab and thought it was a good truck, that was until I bought the Avalanche. Weve driven it to NYC and it was as comfy as my wifes Acura. Ive hauled loads and loaded my touring motorcycle in the bed. It pulls trailers with ease and has plenty of giddyup when you want to pass. I average about 20mpg highway and 16mpg in the city. The stereo is awesome and the a/c gets cold in a flash. I am angry I waited so long to upgrade from the Frontier. That little truck is nice if youre a suburban pretender, but if youre a do-it- yourselfer or a working man, the Avalanche is the truck for you.

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  Good Daily Driver V-6 - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brett - October 11 - 9:30 am

  My wife bought this car when it was a year and a half old w/ 30,000 mile (Program car). It currently has 131,000 on it. Car has been suprisingly reliable. Only problems have been the brakes (replaced twice), ignition switch cyl. (PASS key/Anti- theft problem $200), intake manifold gasket leaking (well known problem w/ GM V-6s $600), A/C switch in dash panel will turn off/on while driving ($200), gas gauge is inaccurate (will read good till half tank then when turning a corner will peg out to empty). Other than these problems this has been an excellent car. Spending a $1,000 for 100,000 miles is not that bad to maintain a car that gets about 26 MPG HWY still w/ a V-6.

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  A great vehicle - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By silverado - October 11 - 6:56 am

  This has been a great vehicle, one of the best that I have ever owned, and I have been buying vehicles since 1954. The truck is beautiful. The interior and the exterior still look like new after 98,000 miles. I have recorded every fuel purchase and have consistently gotten 17+ mpg in heavy city driving. I change the oil every 3750 miles. All of the service work has been done by the selling dealer. My wife thinks my truck rides better and is more comfortable than her Mercury Grand Marquis. The 5.3 engine has performed flawlessly and will burn rubber any time you shower down on the accelerator. I like this vehicle better than my previous vehicle, which was a Lexus that I also loved.