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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  My New 2010 Corvette Coupe - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By David Magen - September 9 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Corvette. The first, a 1979 bought new was beauty. Black w/ Oyster (white) interior, including steering wheel. It was a hot car car to own in my early 20s. The quality was terrible.It was very under powered My 2010 Velocity Yellow w/ebony interior so far is a delight. With the 430 h/p engine its as blistering fast as I can handle. While there are a couple flaws in the paint, run marks by the door handle openings. I love it. This is the first time I have a stereo upgrade- and Im glad to have it. There is a fair amount of road and engine noise- a sweet noise though, and with the top (smoked clear pannel )off there is wind noise The quality of the stereo is welcome.

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  So far, so good - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Carol - September 9 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my 2007 Cobalt LS when it was approx. 1.6 yrs. old. I was very nervous about buying a NA car and it took me about twenty-five years to buy another one. So far, Ive been very happy with my car. Im very proud of its appearance. I dont expect it to be completely problem free now, but so far I have just had the oil changed. The dealership has been very good to me. Im okay with the standard door locks...less to go wrong...and Im not in a hurry. If this one does well, I will buy another NA car. I love the way the back end of this car looks. For the money...its been great.

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  A Great American Made Car - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By MichaelB2009 - September 9 - 2:00 am

  I was in the market for a new compact gar with Great MPG. When I went to Vegas in 2008 I rented a Toyota Corolla, Then in 2009 I rented a Focus for a Week then My next Trip I rented a Cobalt, Each one I rented for 7 days & I put on close to 1000 miles in the week going to the Grand Canyon and Red Rock Canyons. Even drove through the Dessert. The Toyota is a death trap,the accelerator stuck on me. The Focus (Mexican Built 1.8 engine) is not as fast and struggles to get up. to speed and has noisy acceleration. The Cobalt 2.2 is the fastest 0-100 & Top Speed hands down. I drove it hard & it impressed me with 32 MPG with Auto Trans.Paid about 11K with all Rebates combined & my 4K GM Card Rebate

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  Be careful - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By OSCAR - September 8 - 2:05 pm

  I recently got a 2005 impala with 118,000 miles for 7,300 dollars. At first it ran well but once i bought and i turned it on in the morning and tried to leave i couldnt i had to wait for it warm up. when its cold it wouldnt run so if youre planning to buy an impala make sure it runs when its cold. other than that its a great car to have and go out with.

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  After 13 yrs, it is still going - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By opitmus01co - September 6 - 8:58 pm

  I bought this car in 1997. I have had no problems with it what so ever. I has currently 159,000 miles on it. It is good in snow, and handles well. This is my 4th cavalier, as we go back to 1984 when I bought the wagon version. I wish they still made a wagon. Hubby and I have both owned one each. I am in the market for a new car, and I will give this one to the kids to drive. It will last a while longer.

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  Cant Believe GM made this Car - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Edwin - September 6 - 8:39 pm

  First GM vehicle in over 30 years and I am pleasantly surprised with the great quality , fit and finish - perfect paint and zero squeaks and rattles. Has been to dealer for a wheel balance but nothing else. Performance from the big V8 is wonderful - terrific low-end torque coupled with ferocious acceleration - gas mileage is 18-19mpg city and 26mpg highway. Brakes , handling , and shifter are quite nice - even better than a 911. Did not consider Porsche due to many past problems and very high service and maintenance expenses. Overall I am very pleased with my Z06.

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  Proud of my S10 - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By Nebby58 - September 6 - 11:27 am

  I purchased this S10 recently. This is my first car and I am very pleased so far. I was one of those teenagers that thought they wanted a really exotic car like a Mitsubishi eclipse. If you are shopping for a first car definitely look at these. There are tons of them around and you can get a great deal on them.

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  Great Gas mileage, Nice Car - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Persephone - September 6 - 8:46 am

  I have owned this car for 2 years. It is very reliable, great on gas. I drive both a lot of city and Highway miles. I avg. 34-35 mpg on the hwy @ 55-60 mph. 32-33 mpg @ 65-75 mph. City avg 28-29 mpg. I noticed a prior owner complained of the steering shake. Mine had that too until someone mentioned that is loose bearings. I had it serviced (not too expensive) problem solved. I had to replace the shocks and struts (warranty covered) but then I do a lot of driving in bad road conditions (Lots of potholes and uneven pavement). Always liked this car - my husband just found the same model and year with 23,000 miles for $10,900 and is buying it this week.

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  Good maintenance, Great car - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By John - September 5 - 11:28 am

  I bought this car just one year ago. I put 35,000 miles on it. It did not give me any problem. I am totally pleased with this car. engine runs very smooth. the only expenditure I made on this car are oil changes. I am chancing oil per 5000 miles. to sum up great car for the price.

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  Rust issue only - 1995 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Cashmere - September 4 - 11:20 pm

  This SUV is amazingly strong and reliable. I bought it with a 100k on it and it now has 149k. The 350 does not leak or burn any oil at all. The transmission is tight as a drum. Problems only with rust. Rust underneath, rust in the body panels. Shame. I dont know where it was in its prior life but whatever it was it caused a lot of rusting problems. I have repaired most of the underside rust and now am going about replacing the body panels. Used parts are plentiful and cheap. Love this monster. Had it in for an oil change during the last snow storm and the service station placed it out front waiting for me to pick up and 6 people tried to buy it. Goes in the snow like there is none.