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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  Superior Ride comfort but overlooked by - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bill - August 7 - 6:46 pm

  The Malibu LTZ is unbelievable ride and comfort. It appears to be overlooked by most. I can compare this to previous cars that Ive had in the past and this is simply one of the best and perhaps the best car that we have owned. Ive owned Honda Accord, Prelude, Cadillac SRX and others. It has luxury, style, power, high fuel efficiency, it handles well, on and on. I would clearly purchase this over most of my other cars and would be hard pressed to select any other car. I highly recommend this car to anyone

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  Buy Japanese - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By buying Japenese - August 7 - 5:48 pm

  When I saw this car I thought I would get a lot of bang for my buck. What I got was a drain on my wallet. I have put less than 15,000 miles on this car and already replaced exhaust system, transmission sensors and the problem is still not fixed. GM reimbursed me for the exhaust system but only about 60% of the bill and the trany problems are related to the catalytic problems I had but not covered by recall. This car has started to ride very rough and goes through brakes like crazy. Car also shakes and shimmys around 55- 60mph

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  High Mileage - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By paulstoy - August 7 - 2:18 pm

  Great car, over 90,000 miles now, only problems are brakes (front)warp out, front spoiler drags from every driveway. Great mileage, have gotten 35 on highway driving using cruise control. A little road noise now as the mileage builds, but not bad. Be sure to get leather seats, the last one had cloth.

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  Not bad for the money - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By marcladue - August 7 - 12:46 pm

  This car is built relatively well. The body seems to be substantial and fit is good for the price. The car drives adequately well, but thats about it. Many driving characteristics are fair at best. Handling lacks feel for the road and the car seems to levitate/drift at upper highway speeds. Acceleration is a bit sluggish yet. Braking feels very "all or none." On the inside, the seats are okay--a bit wobbly as you shake them but OK. The sound system is decent but defintiely not great. Controls are a bit tougher to reach than would be ideal. Still it seems to hold together. Relatively smart looking instrument panel. Not a bad car for the price, but definitely not extraordinary.

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  Shes So Sweet - 2006 Chevrolet SSR
  By Patricia Perry - August 7 - 10:05 am

  Ive only had my little red roadster for a few days but Im totally entranced by her. She purrs like a kitten and gallops like a thoroughbred.

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  White Z71 - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By JamesDoyle - August 7 - 10:00 am

  This is an awesome ride for a SUV. It is powerful and is smooth. The Leather interior and back row Captain Chairs set it off. It is very roomy and comfortable. Makes excellent turns for its size.

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  Chevy Trailblazer 2002 - my experience - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By McCulloch Family - August 7 - 10:00 am

  This is a comfortable, solid SUV. I have had problems with the performance. I bought this used at 17,000 miles. Shortly after my purchase, the truck was stalking while sitting at a stop light or in the driveway. It has been taken at least 6 times into the dealership for them to verify the problem. We have finally duplicated it in their presence. The problem has been sent to GM Engineers because they dont know what is wrong with it. I am concerened with the safety of the vehicle in this condition, however Chevrolet is not. Also - it is difficult to see out the back window when reversing.

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  Awesome truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Offrdr75 - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Overall this is a greta vehicle that rides and drives great.

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  Great Trade - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Nick - August 7 - 12:22 am

  I am a tall/big man. Plenty of room for me. Dumped my H2 for better gas mileage. Completely pleased with the performance, style and GM quality! It drives and handles like a luxury car. One of the best in its price range! My friends think I am driving a $35,000 car! Exceeds expectations. If I want more, Id have to pay more.

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  02 Silverado - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By My green Chevy - August 6 - 11:23 pm

  My Silverado has been what I expected from it. Its quiet, runs well and rides well. I have not done any heavy hauling and it has not been used for towing. It has handled the heaviest loads of stones with ease. Power is a little lacking compared to others of the day. Like everyone says, interior is a joke but it has held up OK. I do like the leg room in the back. I wanted a Tundra at the time but the rear was way too cramped. MPG is OK for a truck but needs to be much better if GM wants to survive. Truck looks SO MUCH nicer than every model since 2002. GM designers need to be canned. They are really into UGLY vehicles across their entire product line.