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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  Continuous Message Popping Up - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By amossbur - July 9 - 10:47 pm

  So I bought my 2010 Equinox LT1 on January 29th of this year. I love it and dont regret buying it. I do have a few problems with it though. About 3 months after I bought it, a message began to pop up whenever I would hook up my iPhone 3G. It would read, "No supported data found. You can safely disconnect the device." It started not even recognizing my iPhone anymore. Now the same message comes up about every 5 minutes or so when Im driving, and nothing is even hooked up to the car! I have taken it into the dealer 3 times in the past 3 months to get it fixed, and they cant seem to fix the problem. I want to keep the car because I love it, but does this fall under the lemon law?

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  Cobalt Impresses - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Kormie - July 9 - 7:59 pm

  Fun, neat, car to drive. Had to semi- retire my Shane Mobile (Crown Vic) for something more emphasis on MPG. I am averaging about 29 Miles/ gallon, with about 70% highway driving. I have noticed on the instant mpg, up hills goes down drastically. But so far saving about $100 bucks week on gas. so after paying for insurance, and a $217 car payment, still spending less to ride this one. The info center is neat as it tracks mpg average, Oil Life, and Instant mpg so you can learn best driving practices maximize mpg. Getting about 340 miles on a 12 gallon tank. Im not a music buff, but sound system sounds great. Crossing my fingers and toes.

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  So far.. - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By frumpytuin - July 8 - 7:30 pm

  I have a 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer 2LT with a 5.3 L V8 engine in it. Bought used about 2 months ago with 26,000 miles on it. So far, it was a great deal! The first time I went to the gas station I found out I got 12 mpg for city. I figured out that the oil was just nothing special. Since I put the new Penzoil Oil, & ExtraGuard Oil Filter, the performance improved, then got 13.5 city (drives 2-4 mph over the speed limit). I found out later that my tires also werent properly inflated, so I got the tires to the amount of pressure the vehicle handles, & the fuel range went up! Overall, this is a really nice SUV! I will update this with a new review later & see if this keeps going.

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  Not a bad vehicle so far - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By devman - July 8 - 2:10 am

  This truck has been in the family since new, my mom owned it until last year when I took it over. It has approximately 97k on it and we have never had any major issues. The heated seats have burnt out, and the seats themselves only recline to one position, fortunately that position works for me. The inside is comfortable, I am 64" so the headroom is a big plus for me. It has a terrible meandering problem, which I now understand to be a weak point in the idler/pitman/ball joints. I am considering upgrading to some performance parts after I take care of the steering, and doing a much needed change of shocks.

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  Quality used car - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By jayk - July 6 - 4:32 pm

  Bought the car used with 16k on it in 2002. Had previously owned a Geo Prizm with very few problems, which is why I chose this car. It now has 130k on it and has only needed routine maintenance. I havent had the oil-guzzling probs others mention, & it gets great mileage too. My only complaints are the cup-holder blocks the radio if its holding a drink, and the black rubber trim on the window borders is peeling off. Suppose Id settle for that any day over major mechanical malfunctions. If they still made this car, Id absolutely buy it again.

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  Worth the money - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By David Leptich - July 6 - 11:54 am

  I bought this car in July 2006 with 13,000 miles. I now have 87,000 miles and am looking at my first set of brakes and new tires. I have had some front end work done both under warranty and last year for tie rods. This car gets about 34 miles to the gallon on rural roads. The interior controls are well placed and good to use when driving. The seats are comfortable in the front and serviceable in the back. Trunk room is good and the rear seats fold down for extra cargo room. I paid $13,500 used and I am pleased with the car.

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  Solid - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By TA - July 5 - 11:36 pm

  Bought my impala in 2005 used with 25K on it. Paid $11,900, and five years later car has 170K and still going strong. Had transmission rebuilt at around 125K miles, but other than that no repairs other than routine maint. The overall cost of ownership for the last five years has remained extremely low. Not the most flashy car for sure, but the most reliable car I have ever owned.

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  Meh comparable Honda was better - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By bwright1970 - July 4 - 9:27 pm

  This car is a car thats fine to get around but down the road will not retain its value. Could they make the windshield washer reservoir any smaller? Its like a funnel, doesnt hold much fluid for winter driving. My drinks are doing back flips with those lousy non functional cup holders. Already a recall on power steering

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  jiggy widit - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Mo-Town Nurse - July 4 - 10:15 am

  Had it about a week. Yes, it has some shortcomings ( I have been told I do too, imagine that) we are very happy with it. Plenty of room, quieter than the Trail Blazer trade-in. Looks good, comfortable, easy to drive and to ride in. Plenty of gadgets for "non-technos" to play with.

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  Fix The Thin Fenders - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Camarofan - July 3 - 9:19 pm

  GM! Please finish out the fenders. They are very thin and need to be finished out. I was washing the car and almost broke the back fender off by the back wheel. GM needs to take a look at the 2010 Mustang and finish the camaro out like Ford Did. Also the 2010 Ford Mustang seems to have higher quality than Camaro. Love looking at the car. Fix the cheap thin fenders and paint.