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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  Sweet Ride - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By mike70230 - May 19 - 7:54 pm

  I just bought my 01 RS Camaro, and I must say, it is the nicest car Ive ever driven. It rides so nice, and the car handles like no other. It pulls a lot of power, too, out of the 3.8 V6. Chevy hit the nail on the head with the 98-02 Camaro. I dont think they could make anything better. T-tops are an excellent alternative to a convertible, and the Monsoon sound system installed from the factory makes your music sound as good as your car looks. I recommend this car to anyone interested in a used sports car.

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  Powerwindow Squeals /trim is coming off - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Lila - May 19 - 3:23 am

  Great car. But it has been to dealer twice for them to repair screeching driver window. The last time was 2 days ago. Window is still squealing. The trim is coming off on driver side where the doors meet. Both doors have peeling trim? What the heck? The car has 5000 miles on it? Love the car but becoming very disappointed in my new car.

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  12 yrs and still going strong - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Paul - May 18 - 3:30 pm

  We bought this Mailibu Maxx in August of 2005 and the only issues have been with the steering and one tierod joint. GM made good on the steering issue and beyond that it has been a rock solid vehicle. The gas mileage is always around 24-26 MPG. The V-6 engine gives this car the power to really get up to speed fast and is smooth and quiet. The hatch back design makes for a real hauler of just about everything you can imagine and with the rear seat down we used it as our ski car for years. It has great traction in snow and ice. We now have about 85,000 miles and the only thing besides the steering issue that was taken care of by GM is we replaced the battery. Not bad for 10 years of service. My only complaint is the amount of road noise when on the freeway. They could have done a better job of noise isolation. My only regret is they dont make this car anymore. I would like to find something like this other than a Cadillac CT-S that has all the features and functions of this wonderful car. We found this car to be a real value when we bought it and looking at the prices of used Maxxs they have held up over time. The 3500 V6 is a lot of power in a car this size. You cant help but be impressed. Also, it handles the curves and hills quite well. I hope GM will eventually bring this car back we have tried newer cars like the Subaru Outback and found it lacking in power and acceleration we are used to with our Chevy Maxx. update 2-23-2017: We have now had our Maxx for nearly 12 years and over 100k miles. I just put my second set of tires, replaced the brakes, spark plugs and wires, and drained and replace transmission filter (scheduled maintenance items). This car gets garaged every day and washed regularly with that said the paint, a metallic champagne green still looks like new. We have had no mechanical surprises with this car. It gets great mileage at around 24-26 mpg on a regular basis. My wife loves this car with its hatchback for all the things she transports for her church. She also has to child protective seats installed in the rear seat as she babysits our grand kids 3 days each week. We really like the power of the V-6 engine and would not consider a new Malibu unless it has the V-6 option. Mpg is one thing but under-powered is not something I would consider. All in all, we are still very happy with the decision to buy this car. update: August 2017... The CD changer quit working a couple of weeks ago. Found a factory new radio on ebay delivered to my door for $118. Now all I have to do is either install it myself or hire it done. The whole dash has to come apart in order to change out the radio. I t appears to be pretty straight forward but will take some time. Other than the radio issue the car remains rock solid.

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  HHR Hits - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Rhett - May 18 - 11:53 am

  I was skeptical when I first saw the leak photos of the HHR. Unable to determine the dimension and target market, I wasnt sure what to think. As soon as I saw one on the road, I was sold. We needed a 4 cylinder and this one comes nicely wrapped in distinctive sheet metal. For a car with a base price in the mid-teens, this is got to be the best bang-for- buck set of wheels on the market. If GM detractors can get over the overcooked Luminas and Caviliers of recent past theyd find an excellent small car. Fit and finish are tight, great colors, amazing array of options. I bought the loaded 2LT for invoice and would do it again, and again. Too much fun for the economy of a four-banger!

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  Colorado Not Good - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By James Zapalac - May 18 - 10:16 am

  Too many problems for under 70,000 miles. Cruise control had to be replaced, CD player ate a CD, had to be replaced. Recall on anti- locking brake light, manifold just crack, must be replaced, and AC is about to go out- just a matter of time. American car companies are forcing me to buy foreign. I have never bought a foreign vehicle before, but American made are not reliable.

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  After 5 years... - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By GENE - May 18 - 6:42 am

  I bought my fully loaded Impala LS right off the lot with 13 miles on it. After 5 years and mostly city travel, I can now say it has been virtualy trouble free. Plenty of horsepower, and room for 5 adults. Trunk is huge. Only had a couple of trouble with the fan speed modulator and coolant sensor. Thats it! At 38,000 miles still on the original brakes, and I am now averaging a lot better gas mileage 21 around town. And I average over 32 MPG highway at 55 MPH. I have gotten over 35 MPG highway on back roads from Fitchburg, Ma. to Kneene, NH. I was thinking of trading last year to a new Honda Civic. Then I said to myself why? I would lose all this roominess!

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  Great little car - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Murdoc - May 18 - 3:16 am

  I bought this car in November 2003 with 56,000 miles on it, it now has 148,000. The car has been very reliable, needing only a couple of brake changes I did myself. I put in an aftermarket air intake that made a huge difference in performance. I would describe the 2.4 as being very eager. I get about 29 mpg every time i fill, but have seen as much as 38 mpg on road trips. Lost of squeaks rattles and engine noises, but I drive with the radio turned up.

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  Great truck for anyone - 1990 Chevrolet S-10
  By toyoracing2006 - May 17 - 9:12 pm

  Ive dusted almost every Chevy, Dodge, and Ford full size pickup you can imagine in this truck, and Ive taken this thing through places most trucks would shiver to even think about going through, and it held up. The truck was stolen and beat to death but it still ran for about a month after we got it back. Great truck for anyone that wants a great running truck with good power, good hauling, great offroading, and dependability offerings. If it werent for it being a Chevy i probably would tell anyone looking for a nice truck to get one of these. The seats for a short cab are a little awkward though for someone averaging a height taller then 58 or so

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  Best truck ever - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By jimjim190 - May 17 - 4:46 pm

  I bought this truck new. Its the best, and I have not had a single problem. I put a 6in lift with dual front shocks, and 36x12.5x20R on the truck. It keeps it riding like a truck, I also put intake, programmer and exhaust on it. Thats all it needed, it does anything and goes anywhere. Wouldnt change a thing on it.

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  Great Truck - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By great car - May 17 - 2:57 pm

  This is a great truck. I thought about getting a regular pickup but instead went with the Avalanche and am so glad I did. The midgate is an amazing and useful feature. Its incredibly versatile. The abiltiy to lock the bed is priceless. Definitely the best truck Ive driven and with out a doubt most practical for day to day use. As for gas mileage, though it is kind of a hog the active fuel management makes a huge difference and the instant fuel economy display is a great way to help alter your driving to conserve fuel.