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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  not bad for a subcompact - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By BigRed614 - March 3 - 8:31 am

  I traded in my suv durring cash for clunkers. I looked around a bit, then I went in to my local chevy dealer and asked for the cheapest car on the lot. They gave me the "09 aveo manual hatchback. I have about 4-5 thousand miles on it so far, and this car is great. Gas mileage is great, about 25 city and 38-40 highway. The engine is what you expect, little car little engine, but it does the job, and will get over 100 mph (I tested that the 1st night I had it). Interior is pretty good, a little sparse, but comfy. The roof is high so even my tall friends will fit. Only issue I have w/ it is that all the windows have a tendency to fog up, even w/ the defrost on. But for under $200 a month, GREAT!

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  My old burban - 1994 Chevrolet Suburban
  By nahjdh - March 2 - 9:47 pm

  I have 3/4 ton with the 6.5 TD. Although Ive had to do quite a bit of repair work to it (A/C compressor and coils, turbo waste gate, engine & tranny mounts, fuel lines, oil lines, harmonic balancer and a few others) Id say its mostly because the truck is old and has over 200,000 miles on it. Engine runs like a top, absolutely no blowby and the tranny is rock solid. Ive made several trips from TX to TN, driven it from PA to TX, pretty much all over the place. Most comfortable highway cruiser hands down. Had to change the final gears to 3.73 from 4.10 for better mileage. Now I get a whopping 17-19ish mpg on the highway at 65.

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  Bullet Proof - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Darren - March 2 - 7:32 pm

  I am a police officer, and I was issued an 06 impala 3 years ago. I have easily put 2700 hrs sitting, driving, and idling in this car. With stiffer suspension, and different seats this is a stock LT with the 3.9 liter engine. It rocks! I have gone though 3 front brakes, 2 sets of tires and a trany line at 85000 miles. Other than that, I have had nothing but regular oil changes. I drive this car very hard everyday! I still have it, and it has 91000 miles on it. As it is due for retirement very soon, I thought I would give it some props. It still has the giddy-up to get the speeders out there, and I am still comfortable in it. My wife and I are looking to buy one now, great car!!!

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  Great while it lasted - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By weakweek85 - March 2 - 2:27 pm

  I bought this wonderful car off of a neighbor down the street. it had 138000 miles on it initially. ran great for a few months, but had a lot of brake problems. one day without warning when i as still under the 3000 mile mark between oil changes, my engine blew out, leaving me devastated. the car died at 147000 miles. i had no warning lights to tell me something was wrong, until the oil pressure light went on AFTER it died. i guess its hit or miss with these cars

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  2010 LT2 AWD - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By minihorse - March 2 - 2:23 pm

  Only have 1100 miles on this traverse so far but have not had any problems. We have 6 children so a minimum 8 passenger was required. Much better gas economy than the 12 passenger Express. Is my wifes car and so far she is satisfied, time will tell.

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  Trailblazer Still Stacks Up - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By JEM77 - March 2 - 12:36 pm

  Think about price and reliability and youll find the Trailblazer LT really holds up. This is my second and it has plenty of power, comfort, and a price point that allows for many extras including a factory sunroof. It goes anywhere and I never have had an issue with it. The 4WD is an option as well, I live in FL so no need. The critics ratings are often harsh because its been around a while and not cache, but note owner ratings, owners love the car.

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  2009 Chevy Colorado - 2009 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Donnie - March 1 - 12:42 pm

  Overall a nice smaller sized truck. Gas mileage is okay at best, average 22 hwy and city. Ive had few issues with since I bought it new in Sept 09. 1st, the battery continued to fail and leave me stranded over and over, the dash board creeks, pops, and whatever noise you could imagine, and lastly I get moisture in the oil over and over again. Dealership says its fine.

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  No More For Me - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Tired of it - March 1 - 1:37 am

  I wanted an Impala and now I dont. It handles great but the transmission likes to slip a lot. The starter sticks for a few seconds after it has already been started. Have to jump the battery every 4-6 weeks because it likes to randomly die. Alternator shop said it is not the alternator, most likely an electrical short. I have never replaced anything electrical on it so I myself didnt short it out. Engine is sluggish. Also the heater doesnt work half the time. Black trim on outside is already faded. Otherwise the rest is fine but as much trouble as I have had, I will never buy one again.

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  Goodbye Old Pal - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By BOBB - February 28 - 5:03 pm

  traded my 2000 Malibu for a 2010 HHR. Only has 48000 miles, but I never had anything close to a major problem with this car. For 9 years and 9 months it always got me where I wanted to go. It was a very luxurious car for the price I paid. For the last couple of years it sounded like there was a Mexican troope playing castanets in the engine, but I still got 24 miles per gallon. It was one of the best cars Ive had and Im 66 years old.

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  Key in will not start - 2009 Chevrolet Equinox
  By sandy - February 28 - 12:04 am

  Trouble For some reason when we put the key in the ignition it will not start until you play with the wheel. It will start with the remote. This has happened twice in the last two days - takes 10- 15 minutes and some sort of luck to get it to start