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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  just so-so - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By GM - July 16 - 2:44 pm

  The car is nothing special many compare it to Camry - Camry is a so-so either gas mileage is never better than 24MPG with 50% highway city is 18-19 MPG visibility problem with right turns - right side window column and the mirror block a great deal of view poor body assembly - uneven gaps around hood, trunk, rear lights, rear fender poor acceleration uphill from 70 MPH up - probably due to 4 speed transmission (the engine is OK) some radio knobs are less responsive than others the steering wheel "clicker" that tuns off the turn light when a turn is complete misses 7 times out of 10 requires a lot of room for a U turn trunk is big but its opening is small.

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  Blazer - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Baker - July 16 - 12:23 pm

  I had purchased my blazer, i needed the extra room, so i got it. This blazer has everything electronic, and leather seats. All the bells. My engine is the 4.3 V6 Vortec. Now i got to drive for two weeks. Then the intake gaskets went out, followed by the whole head. I had to purchase a new motor. Then the rear brakes went out. For those who have this model Blazer, watch out , because it is VERY common for these things to go out.

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  Great Truck - Amazing tow quality - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Eric - July 16 - 11:24 am

  Very good truck and first American full size SUV Ive owned. I never bought before dude to styling of interior - the 2008 styling is really nice and ALMOST up to European standards but still a little ways to go. The towing capability with the air adjusted ride is amazing - the truck literally will adjust itself based on the amount of weight added. Gas mileage is "OK" but what Id expect in a large V8. not sure the "switching to a V4" feature makes any difference. The review states its a chore to take out the rear seats - I think anyone in general good health will not have issues removing the rear seats - Ive never found it a bother. how often do you need to take them out, really?

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  The Comfy one - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By The Fishmonger - July 15 - 10:18 pm

  The LTZ is replacing our 2002 Avalanche North Face. Very happy with the choice and better than expected.. Ordered the sunroof and 2nd row center console, Tow package. No electronics e.g. DVD or navigation Great Fuel economy of 23,8 Highway and 19.8 combined. Note: we drive mostly in a rural area. Our dog approves of our choice too. Plenty of room for all, including the grand kids.

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  Nice car at a good deal - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Meyers - July 14 - 12:53 pm

  I bought my Trailblazer mostly for towing my toys around. It does this very well. It doesnt get much mileage as I have 2 beater cars that I drive on a daily basis. I get anywhere from 15 to 17 MPG in the city and around 21 on open highways. I have been a Ford guy through and through, but when it came to this purchase, I couldnt pass it up. For the price and features, it beat all Explorers that I looked at. Dont get me wrong, if I were buying brand new, it would be Ford all day, just on principle, but I was looking at getting the biggest bang for my buck on this purchase.

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  Bring back the Prizm - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Julie - July 13 - 3:23 pm

  We have been more than happy with our 2002 Prizm. Still gets 32+ mpg. Even in winter here in Minnesota! We are religious about giving it oil changes every 3000 miles. It has had 2 major maintenance checks with no major fixes. We live on a long gravel road which is also hard on vehicles, but this car seems to handle it fine. We hope we can get another 100,000+ miles from it so our teen daughter can inherit it from us in 3 years.

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  Good car for the $$ - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Chevy loyal - July 13 - 8:13 am

  We bought our Cobalt new in 2008. Got a great deal & are very happy. We had one thing wrong with the mirrors when we first got it but taken care of quick and easy. Our cobalt is a manual & we get about 34-37 mpg on the highway, 30-33 in city. (depending on who is driving). Overall a good car, just not a lot of room in the back seat.

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  Expected better gas mileage - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By D - July 12 - 5:54 pm

  Reviews on this vehicle seem very inconsistent. Based on my research, people seem to be experiencing problems with transmission fluid turning brown very early on (as mine has), but I havent come across a lot of actual transmission failures. My biggest problem has been fuel economy. For such a tiny car, I expected better than the 25ish total and much less for city driving. Since there arent any other real advantages over a slightly larger car (besides cost), I have been disappointed by that. For a car of its size, the trunk is great and there is reasonable room in the front seats. The back is tight but that is to be expected. The egg-shape continues to look dated to me.

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  The Beast - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Paul Wernich - July 12 - 2:34 pm

  Ive put 7500 miles on my silver Heritage Edition Camaro and Im still getting tons of stares and compliments. I especially enjoy the reaction from young boys (I suspect they will be future Camaro owners too). After a hard rain I did have a good bit of water leak into the back seat. The local dealer adjusted the door and I havent noticed any leaking since. The front end continues to chip/nick much more easily than any car Ive owned before. I ordered a mask/bra for it but because of the unusual shape of the front end of the Camaro, the fit was awkward so I ended up returning the mask/bra. There is a clear plastic coating available to protect the front end, I suggest you get it.

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  New Owner review - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By AmyF - July 12 - 5:11 am

  Have only had for 2 days, so this is a preliminary review. Handles well and drives smoothly. Very interested to see what my avg mpg will end up as since I drive so many highway miles. I traded in a minivan that got 24.5mpg avg.