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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  The buggy that could - 2010 Chevrolet HHR
  By Dojobuggy - June 26 - 12:43 am

  Traded in my Ford Flex for the HHR SS and I am very happy with it. I went for the SS due to the power and handling package but ended up putting on the Turbo Upgrade and WOW. The HHR handles likes a sports car, gets really good mpg, has plenty of passing power and is very comfortable to drive. The bluetooth wireless is every bit as good as Ford Sync but their radio quality is not the greatest. Overall the HHR SS is the best model in its class out of the ones I had driven including Mazda and Mitsubishi.

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  Car of the Year - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By KenU - June 25 - 1:05 pm

  I have driven this car for about 1200 miles and other than a slightly annoying rattle from the trunk floorboard I love it. Having driven a Saturn Ion, the first thing I noticed was the quiet and smooth ride and the ease of using all of the bells and whistles (OK, toys) that come with the LTZ. I would recommend this car to anyone considering a purchase of this class.

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  $34,000 car, where are amenities? - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By New Owner - June 25 - 11:14 am

  Love my car, but didnt realize until got it home, no passenger side power seat - what? and No programmable garage door opener--I consider these standard equipment on a mid-priced car. I got the LTZ and added granite paint, 18" wheels, audio/navigation system, I just assumed that it would have a power passenger seat and programmable door opener. I was driving a Buick Rendezvous that had all these amenities and seats that folded flat

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  Like the Cobalt a LOT - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Lori Lou - June 24 - 6:05 pm

  Have had the Cobalt almost a week now - averaging over 30 mpg already in my commute (17 miles each way). It has a lot of nice features for an "entry level" car. Got the chrome package, love the Bluetooth and OnStar. Adults can sit in back seat - even with my seat back for driving! Manual seat has lumbar adjustment and pumps up and down for height adjustment - NICE!

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  New Car - 2010 Chevrolet Impala
  By Seadog - June 24 - 3:07 pm

  We bought this car new and we really like it. I had heard they were noisy inside but this on is very quiet. Great ride and I love the trunk. Have not taken any long trips yet but recent 100 trip gave us a nice quiet and comfortable ride. Have only had it a couple of months but very pleased so far. I really like the style and looks of this car

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  Excellent little car - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By alaska - June 24 - 2:53 pm

  Have owned this for the past 2 1/2 yrs and it has never given me any problems at all. It has been completely reliable transportation. The only thing I have done to it has been regular maintenance and purchased a new battery only because it still had the original one. 4whl drive has been excellent and no need for snow tires and has driven on pure ice roads. More than enough power and still great on gas with the nice v-6 Suzuki engine. Maybe there have been some lemons but overall I can say this has been one of the best cars I have ever owned besides my Toyota truck and Saturn car and I would have to now rank this car along with them as well. Never heard of the tracker till I read a review.

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  Excellent truck! - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By silver08colorado - June 23 - 3:29 pm

  The truck has decent stock power and performance for the 5 cyl. I had to make some slight modifications to increase its overall power and now Im up there right around the stock v8. I got the truck with 22 miles on it, and Ive put on over 24,000 miles since. This truck has a mean look to it. Even though I have the silver birch color, I would have liked the silver to be a more true silver like the Toyota. The gas mileage isnt the greatest, I average about 260-280 miles per full tank before the "low fuel" light comes on. I have the cloth interior which I enjoy. Only issue I had was a loose connection on the 4wd box which was fixed under warranty.

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  My first.... - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By Chevygirl - June 23 - 1:49 pm

  I bought my S-10 9 years ago when I was 22,it was my first truck AND first vehicle I have ever owned. It only had 98,000 miles on it and now has around 170,000. Other than regular tune ups, break changes and flat tiers the amount of money I have had to put into it. Has been less then $500! And when something does go wrong the fact that its American made makes it all the more easier and cheaper to fix and get fix. Her MPR is starting to drop but thats to be expected. Shes a 2wd but has put 4 wd to shame. Drives fully loaded and unloaded like a dream. Great interior. Still nothing to complain about 9 years later. Already bought another one and looking for the next one. Still got her though!!

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  Love mine! - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By L. Reeve - June 22 - 5:14 pm

  Bought my 2008 in 2008. Have 40K mi. on it now. (3 road trips). Pulls my travel trailer like its not there and I get over 18 mpg. while pulling it! I get 19.8 in town. I have had no issues with it at all except a rattle where the sun roof is. One road trip was long and it was extremely comfortable. I have three Boxers and they all fit comfortably in the rear. No mechanical problems whatsoever. Sorry they arent still making them!

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  Camaro Pride! - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By rdgomez - June 21 - 12:20 am

  Ive owned my Camaro 2LT for 6 months now and is still fun to drive and I never get tired of looking at it. When first driving this Camaro, it is extremely important to adjust all mirrors accordingly and mind the blind spots. The forward blind spots are especially nasty when driving in a parking lot full of crossing pedestrians. Other than that, this baby is a blast!