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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  Keep Looking! - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By SarahB - October 2 - 8:46 am

  Ive had this car for five months and needed to replace the head gasket and coolant system. The car has run warmer than it should since I got it, and just recently finally decided to overheat. This car is only at 51,000 miles. Keep searching for other cars!

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  Cool SUV! - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Paul Stanley - October 2 - 3:53 am

  A great mid size SUV! Mad room in the back seat. Lots of power for passing. Great sound system too! The kids like it, I like it, everybodys happy!

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  Silverado: Power, Reliability & Styling - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bmreid - October 1 - 9:10 pm

  Ive owned 2 Fords and now a Chevy. The Silverado exceeded my expectations and forced me to fall in love with the brand. Boat load of power, great exhaust sound (duals), and nice styling. No problems except a bad radiator seal at 50,000 mi but warrantied. No recalls either, unlike the typical Ford 3-4 serious defects per model.

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  Get Quads - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Brian Stokes - October 1 - 10:50 am

  Lots of little cabin noises. You feel every little bump in the road like a sports car. Front passengers sit like a compact thanks to the ever trendy (monster) center console, while the rear is like a school bus. 2nd bench seat is in an unconfortable,upright,fixed position (wont recline). 3rd seat is very difficult to acess. Every time you adjust the AC or turn the car off and on, the AC reycycle turns off. My 06 Silverado does the same thing. We live in Atlanta and use recycle because it cools much better and wont pull in cigarette and exhaust smoke in stop and go traffic.

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  Good Car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
  By mtbiker06 - October 1 - 9:53 am

  Ive had this car for almost two years now. It is a great quality car with only a few minor problems. The a/c fan has a ticking sound. (but Ive had this problem with every GM car that I have owned). Some of the trim seems to be coming loose around the edges. Also, the hybrid batteries had to be replaced already, but it has an eight year warranty on hybrid parts. I will get anywhere between 25 mpg in the city to 36 mpg on the highway (all highway driving at 60 mph though) The car drives very smoothly and handles great. The acceleration leaves a lot to be desired though. I do wish the hybrid system was a full hybrid.

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  Nice Car - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Henry - October 1 - 9:26 am

  I was pleasantly suprised by how good a daily driver this car is. I was expecting the ride to be rough and loud but in fact it is quite liveable. The interior is not quite up to par when compared to a Porsche, but its good enough. The engine is insane and so above and beyond what you need. There is so much torque availabe even when the revs are are on the low end which makes it alot more flexible their foreign counterparts. Steering isnt quite as nible as I would like but still is quite good. Overall, I enjoy driving this car more than my previous car (996 Porsche). Be sure to get a CAGS eliminator installed that allows you to bypass the 1st to 4th shift gas saving mode.

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  Love My HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By PAT - October 1 - 1:26 am

  Im so happy with my loaded HHR. Its comfortable on long trips, with great gas mileage. A really fun car to drive, with lots of room

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  Just OK - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Trucking - September 30 - 9:26 pm

  This truck has had its ups and downs. Just when you think its all OK, somthing else is just not working right. I like the truck, and have hauled a lot of stuff in it, but it just cant pass up a dealer. I think it likes to have people looking under its hood.

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  Cheap ride - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Import Owner - September 30 - 9:17 pm

  Weve had our Cavalier for several months, and Ive logged a quite a few miles on it. Overall, this is a nice car for costing a few thousand dollars. Its fairly zippy around in town and can get around at freeway speeds just fine with a little coaxing. It works like a tool should, but is not as enjoyable to drive as most other cars Ive driven.

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  202,000 and still going strong - 1993 Chevrolet Blazer
  By P-diddy - September 30 - 8:22 pm

  This is the best car I have every had in my life. I dont ever want to let it go. It needs some work now that it is 13 years old, but it has never let me down in any situation, 4 wheel driving or towing my boat.