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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  consumer - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By L Onstad - July 3 - 8:11 pm

  I purchased this item with 15,000 miles. At less that 50,000 the transmission went out. The starter has gone out and the lift hatches. Expensive repairs and too soon. I dont four wheel the car, I am a woman. I wont buy it again and they dont stand behind their product.

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  Good little Car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Julie - July 2 - 11:51 am

  I bought this car in April used from my sister. It has 71,000 miles on it and have had no problems at all. I also drove this car from Chicago Illinois out to Seattle Washington and it did great! It is a small car but actually very roomy in the interior, I have had multiple people say that. My boyfriend who is 61 and 240 pounds said he was comfortable. I take very good care of my cars and am always up to date on car fluids, check ups, etc. Not caring properly for the car may be the reason why people have problems with it. Always check to make sure the car was well maintained when buying used.

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  Money Hungry - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Dave - July 1 - 11:32 pm

  I loved this van until I had to buy tires for it. They are very expensive, and most companies had to order them in. It ran very well until I hit the 88,000 miles. All of a sudden everything goes out on it at once. I had to replace the brakes and rotors. I have to replace the engine at a cost of $5,862.00. You can only have the work done at a dealership. Most of the parts are dealer only. My family of mechanics cant do the work, because there are no manuals for it. The dealer manual cost $168.00. My lovely van has become my worst nightmare. My other van has 193,000 miles and I have only replaced the struts.

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  Not bad for the price - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Al in Texas - July 1 - 6:16 pm

  Purchased a 2007 Aveo as a year-end clearout. After rebates (factory and GM Card), I drove out of the dealership with a new car for around $7000. Not bad! Problems: Engine light came on three times before dealer was able to fix a coolant leak. All work under warranty. Otherwise, car has been reliable transportation. Average 33 mpg with mostly freeway driving.

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  2007 HHR problems - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Joe V. - July 1 - 5:11 pm

  We bought a new HHR LS on 2007. Somewhere around 36,000 miles started to hear rattling sound front end. Got worse and took car to GM authorized service. Similar to another posting I saw on this blog, both struts were bad as well as steering column shaft and sway bars. GM and service were good and everything was covered under warranty. Understood from service rep that this might be a common problem with the HHR. Sounds like poor manufacturing. So if you have a 07 or 08 be aware you may be encountering some issues in these areas.

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  Lots of small problems - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By HHR Co-Pilot - July 1 - 3:51 am

  Very good on the highway in both fuel and performance I think the design needs some rethinking. the front bumper has to be removed to change a burned out headlight. The wiring on the end side lights - sometimes you cant turn them off, some times speakers wont work.couple of other things too.

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  Bad Fuel Eco - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Ken Long - June 30 - 1:45 pm

  Great car but will not get the MPG as ad. best so far 13.9 city have not trip open road at this time. Trade Chevy Suburban. i got better city MPG on it. Wish i had it back. Thinking about return try out GM 60 day return policy see what happens.

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  Questionable quality - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Bill F - June 29 - 8:41 pm

  My 2008 LTZ with the 6 / 8 cylinder engine is consuming 1 qt oil per 1,500 miles. Chevy is aware of the problem but is still trying to rectify it. That and my rear main seal leaks at 38,000 miles. The truck is comfortable, stylish, rides well, and fits a lot of stuff. The troubles above and other small items make the quality a big question.

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  Still Under review - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By CB - June 29 - 1:45 pm

  Bought the vehicle after trading in 2003 Acura TL. (Point of clarification the vehicle I purchased is V-6 but didnt see the drop down item) The day after I bought the car the odometer read 138 miles, I decelerated (applied the brake) going around a corner and the engine stalled. Coasted then placed the car in park and restarted it. 2nd occurrence odometer reading 160 same issue. Next day returned to the dealership and no diagnostic codes displayed the problem. The dealership along with GM technical assistance believed it to be one of two problems the computer brain (fuse box) or the ignition switch not being properly grounded. Replaced both and problem has not reoccurred.

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  Nice for what it is, economical - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By regfootball - June 29 - 12:58 am

  Better engine power than many compacts, very willing to rev. Quiet ride, especially for a compact.Have ebony interior and its actually not bad. Like the gauges and the radio controls. Have MyLink, the USB for music and bluetooth for phone work fantastic. Ergonomics are a bit off, and space is tight especially for leg room in the back, but seats are comfortable enough in the front. A/C works well. Big problems with cup holder locations and lack of storage in general. Tall beverages in cup holders block climate controls. Have to raise armrest to lift handbrake-stupid. Trunk is decent size. Steerings a bit dead -lacks feel but steering wheel with audio controls works great. Looks good in red.