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:

• 

  Just bought and lovin it - 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Happy-Go-Lucky - April 21 - 3:24 pm

  Ive had the Avalanche for about 2 weeks now and I am enjoying the truck thoroughly. Ride is quiet and refined, especially compared to the pick-up it replaced. Acceleration was a pleasant surprise. Despite its size, Ive had no problem maneuvering the vehicle in tight places so far. I do feel the back up camera is mandatory, as I find it essential when going in reverse. Fuel economy is what I expected, but still is actually slightly improved over my smaller former vehicle which I attribute to the 8/4 cyl highway cruise feature, and the ability to run in 2WD except when on-demand 4WD is needed. In short, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship! :-D

• 

  Great car overalll but could be better - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Rich - April 20 - 9:57 am

  I got this to replace my old pickup, I think its a great car for the price. Went on a 1100 mile road trip, gas mileage ended up being 40.1 mpg on highway. I fit more than I know in the truck during my travel and performance only decreased on hills. Ive had to replace the control arms and wheel bearings shortly after I got so Im assuming the last driver drove it hard. Luckily under my warranty. The thing Im not about is the interior quality. I replaced the stereo to allow iPod integration. The seats stain easily. I feel like I may break some pieces of plastic when I clean. Overall, I cant complain. Ive put ~15,000 miles on it and its a fun car.

• 

  GOOD Car, "SOFT" rims, BAD sound system - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Vic - April 19 - 5:13 pm

  I have almost 21K miles on it and I still like it. My wife likes the interior so when our lease for the 2004 Malibu was up we bought the 2008 model. It is not perfect but our dealer takes care of our complains promptly - minor like door striker misalignment and wrinkle door seal. The engine has sufficient power but has an audible drone when driving about 80mph, nice and quite at 70 mph. Two things I do not like in this car. (1) the sound produced by the oem stereo system in my 2001 Cavalier is generations better than the 2008 Malibu. (2) the steel wheel rims seems to bend easily. I had two of the rims repaired in two years - never happened in my Cavalier (9yrs), nor in the other Malibu (4yrs)

• 

  Oil Consumption Issues - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Nailhead - April 19 - 4:56 pm

  This vehicle has excessive oil consumption issues. Google "2007 Suburban Oil Consumption" Chevrolet is giving those of us still in warranty the run-a-round or telling us 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles is normal usage.

• 

  Happy with the car - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By 2005 Chevy Cobalt - April 19 - 12:06 pm

  We bought this car with 27,000 miles on it and now it has 90,000+. The car has been great for us, as we have had absolutely no problems. It is a lot more fun to drive than the other economy cars. Ours is fairly loaded with the bigger tires and alloy wheels, and the spoiler. We still get compliments on the appearance of the car. Our city MPG averages about 24, and we get about 30 in the highway.

• 

  Very Reliable - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By James J - April 18 - 9:19 pm

  Ive had this car for 6 years and have had no major problems. Expected minor repairs all done myself. Wheel bearings, water pump, power steering pump. All routine repairs as far as Im concerned over the course of ten years. Car is very easy and cheap to work on. 155,000 miles on it and Id take it anywhere. In fact i recently drove it from Phoenix to Ohio and back. No doubt itll make it at least another 100,000 mi. Drive train is very durable. Also, some expected interior issues. 2 window regulators (phoenix heat and plastic gears dont mesh), hazard switch, bad window switch.Again, all routine and easy repairs. I never recommend buying a high mileage used chevy. Scheduled Maint. is a must.

• 

  Cool mini van thats not a mini van! - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By dustin - April 18 - 2:20 am

  Growing family. Researched Odyssey, Sienna, Acadia, Enclave. Chevy has done an exceptional job melding family car practicality and economy with cool car styling and pep together into one. My wife and I LOVE driving it, kids seem happy too. Traverse is the perfect fit for us based on style, comfort options and cost. "Like a minivan buts its not", is the best way to put it. Had to punch it while merging to avoid a big rig there was no problem, lots of pep, even felt sporty. Excellent safety! extremely low road noise even with the dual sunroofs. Bose sound system is totally worth your dollar. The DVD system is awesome, keeps the kiddos so happy on the road. It felt good to buy American.

• 

  Money Sucker - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By impala7 - April 17 - 8:04 pm

  Had this car 10 years. The big problem at first was rotors. Nothing but problems since day 1. Then it was gasket seal recall. Then it was electrical. Then at about 65,000 transmission. Now its u-joints and rattles in car like its falling apart. The last few years its been in the shop a lot. Put over $6000 into it in last 24 months. Time to buy a different make. Been a Chevy guy all my life and bought 7 new cars. All had problems except the cavalier. Stuck very little in to them. Looking at Ford next.

• 

  Wish I didnt have to sell it - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Paul - April 17 - 1:51 pm

  Developed a rear main seal leak when I first bought it. Panels around the vents began to oxidize from the air conditioning. Love the turning radius. Like the midgate. Sound system is pretty good. Generally got 11 mpg city, but was surprised at the 6-7 mpg jump on the highway.

• 

  A/C controls - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mikey - April 17 - 1:15 pm

  A/C controls do not work properly. When switching from outside air to recirculating air the a/c kicks on. a/c lite stays off. Push a/c button, lie comes on. Push a/c button lite goes off but a/c stays on. Must turn fan knob switch to off to shut off a/c. Chevy division says thats normal. That happens on NO other car that I know of.