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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  MS - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By jo - June 2 - 4:23 pm

  Very happy with this car. The dealership was great. Cant find the ashtray, although equipped with cig lighter. Could use more storage space, but these are minor complaints to make the vehicle even better. For the price, GM has done great with all the bells and whistles!

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  Good Bye Expedition - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Joda - June 2 - 2:50 pm

  We recently traded in our Ford Expedition for our new Tahoe with the LTZ package and never looked back. This truck is miles ahead of the large SUV competition. The ride, performance and interior design is unbelievable. We made 16.3 miles a gallon on our last tank of gas. Not bad for a 5500 lb. truck. You owe it too yourself to take a look at the new Tahoe, it may change your perception of the American auto.

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  11 Month Update - not good - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By RedGeminiPA - June 2 - 6:50 am

  Ok, I posted a review not long after I purchased this car. I rated it a 10. Now that Ive owned this car almost 11 months, I wish I could say the same as before. Not long after the first review, I started having electrical problems. The dealer made 3 attempts to find the problem with no results. They finally pulled codes on the 4th attempt when I finally got it in with the "TC off" light on. Then the district service manager wont authorize local dlrs to attempt to fix my car: bought in Pittsburgh 2 hrs away. I love the car, but not the problems. Other problems: stereo, headlights, security, trans noises. I dont think Ill buy another GM. Poor dealer/GM support. Buying import next time.

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  Excellent..! - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By myChevytruck - June 1 - 7:56 pm

  My first truck, but I also own a 02 Tahoe Z71. This truck drives & rides excellent.

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  Pretty darn good for an American truck - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By yarom - June 1 - 6:03 pm

  Moved to this LTZ vehicle after 3 successive 7 series BMWs. It is day and night but it is also a pretty positive surprise. This truck drives well, has plenty of power and the luxury features (NAV, DVD, power everything) do work properly. It actually looks quite good externally and other than the gas mileage and lousy sound system (Bose premium), I have no bad thing to say about it so far. Hauling capacity is astounding.

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  Malibu LT2 - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Carrie - June 1 - 4:00 am

  Just bought the Malibu LT2 and love it! The interior is classy. The exterior isnt as boxy as prior models. Love the interior lighting. The sound system is good and Im enjoying the XM radio. The amount of trunk space is incredible. I really love this car.

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  The "Beached Whale" Lives On! - 1993 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Richard - May 31 - 8:17 pm

  While getting up there at 142,000 miles and not the best at gas mileage (15 MPG city & 21 highway), this Caprice Classic 9C1 is not ready to retire just yet! The back seating area ensures that the driver and front passenger would never have their rear passengers knees bumping into their backs. This vehicle has taken most of its miles in big-city urban driving, and it has shown remarkable dependency. On the highway, its size has given the driver a sense of security while cruising between massive trucks. An unexpected additional safety factor is that many speeders slow up when coming up from behind, because they think its an unmarked trooper car!

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  excellant car - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By BK - May 31 - 1:56 pm

  fun to drive, plenty of room

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  05 Classic - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By Chips - May 31 - 1:47 pm

  I use the car for a carpool of 4 persons. I get between 26 and 29 MPG hauling about 775 pounds. I drive it conservatively. Hope to get about 7 years of driving with it. Ive had engine oil gaskets replaced under the warranty.

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  Worked out well for me - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mergatroid - May 30 - 10:26 pm

  I purchased my 2002 standard 4 door at an auction in Oct 2003 with 9000 miles. I previously had a 90 and I put 105,000 miles on it before selling it to my nephew whos still driving it. I wanted an inexpensive commuter car with good fuel economy. It has been that. I currently have 46,000 miles and the only non-routine repair I have had was the fan resistor pack replaced under warranty. I wasnt expecting a luxury or sports car, I just wanted reliable, economical basic transportation and the Cavalier has been that.