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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  HHR good but needs improvements - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By star5838 - March 6 - 5:33 pm

  I bought my HHR in 2008. It really does get 30-32 MPG highway. It is very versatile and easy to drive. You get a lot of nice features for your money. I drive 400-500 miles per week so I spend a lot of time in mine.

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  Best Value Car & Model - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By ARoubik - March 6 - 3:41 pm

  This car surpassed my expectations. Save your money, buy the LS. The power is modest, but its plenty to get up and go. I didnt care much for the 6-speed LT1+ models. A V6 would be great, but the only ones available were fully loaded (too expensive!). The cabin is very quiet and the car handles great. The only things I dont like about the car is the trunk opening - its deep and wide, but you cant fit much through the gap. Drivers seat position and adjustment is a bit odd, but you get use to it. The steering wheel is also quite large and heavy. Other than that, its a great car. I like it much more than my 09 Camry.

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  Love this car! - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By JB - March 5 - 9:30 am

  Terrific handling quick response plenty of cargo space for a one month visit across country. Weve driven this car 2500 miles from Midwest to FL and back, 20 mpg. City mpg is 16. Console between front seats is problematic. Any plug into cigarette lighter blocks easy access to to cup holders. Rear view for backing is not good. Rear blind spots too big. We dont have that rear view option, but a friend who has one in his 2009 Traverse says he doesnt use it.

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  Very Satisfied to Date - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mike - March 4 - 11:35 pm

  A great looking, powerful and fun to drive vehicle. The V6 packs a good punch and I have been pleasantly surprised with my 22 mpg city gas mileage. I am a geek and check at every fillup. I would expect to see between 28-30 on a long trip.

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  Little Red Car - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By D Johnson - March 4 - 6:34 pm

  Bought this car for commuting after the gas prices finally got too much for me to pay with my truck. Been through two midwest winters and although it is small and light, trouble on the road from snow and ice has been minimal. The heater puts out enough heat to be comfortable and the vents are well placed for comfort. The high seating position is a treat and the turning radius makes in town driving easy. Bought the car used so had to accept that there is no cd player, but the aux. input has more than made up for it. The car has more pick up and go than I had anticipated and has great driver visibility and has been extremely reliable up to this point.

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  Old Faithful - 2001 Chevrolet Lumina
  By D. Johnson - March 4 - 6:03 pm

  Have had this car for several years and now have over 204,000 miles on it. Highway mileage is 30 + which on a car of this size and weight is good. The only drawback for me is getting in and out of the car, comfort while driving is good even though the seat is worn. Repairs have been minimal. The intake gasket had to be replaced and other than that only brakes, tires, oil changes and other normal maint. has been necessary.

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  Love the Car hate the MPG - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Family6 - March 4 - 3:11 pm

  I absolutely love my Suburban. it is very roomy and comfortable. The only complaint is the MPG. We get 10- 14 mpg. The cost of gas ends up being so much a month it is almost like having a %500 monthly car bill. I will probably sell it and find a different vehicle just due to MPG.

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  great truck - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jay - March 3 - 5:13 pm

  about 134,000 miles and still ruining smooth,i bought the truck some time ago and i did not know what i got into, until now i did research on this website and it states that the reliability is bad, but this truck has given me no problems, except i have to replace the differential around 114,000 miles which i didnt mind considering the miles, although it cost $1500,

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  SS Rocks! - 2009 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By MidnightMike - March 3 - 1:50 pm

  Well this is my second TBSS. My first one in Red Jewel was stolen. While waiting for the insurance claim to come in, our rental was a 2009 Ford Flex. I have always been a GM guy, and I need the room for my dj equipment, and the Flex really impressed me, but I happened to be in a Chevy dealership, and noticed a black one on the floor. I fell in love all over again. This one stays in the garage now. I bought wife a Mazda3 to take to the train station. Shes happy, and Im happy, and the SS is safer.

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  great car - 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By kody70 - March 3 - 9:11 am

  My parents bought a 1991 Cavalier RS 2- door coupe 3-speed automatic a few years back and when I got my license, I was able to take it over. Its been a very reliable car, with only normal maintenance, like brakes. The only other issue was a sway bar link. It might not be the fastest car out there, but its extremely reliable and gets from A to B with no problems. I even hit a deer and the car didnt get damaged at all.