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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  Never Again - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By FW - February 22 - 1:55 am

  Console displays occasionally do not light up. Dealer never could find problem. Remote entry system stopped working. Was out of warranty, cost about $600 to fix. Shortly thereafter car would not start. When ignition key was turned there was absolutely no response. If you messed with the shift lever and ignition key for a while it would finally start. Another $600 to replace ignition switch and some sensors. Traction control light comes on for no reason. Dealer cant find cause. Electrical/computer system very unreliable. Lots of road noise, very poor sound insulation. Just traded it in for a Ford. Im done with GM.

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  2004 S10 Crewcab - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By oldpawdad - February 22 - 1:14 am

  I have a hard cover on the bed, so I call it my 4WD car with a large trunk. My wife and I have been to Florida and also to WV and we like the truck. Only 19 mpg on the road with the 3:73 axle, but good acceleration.

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  Undecided - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Rebecca - February 21 - 5:12 pm

  I liked my Malibu, the interior was nice, roomy, and comfortable. The engine was built poorly, about a year after I had it, I had to fix an oil leak, my head gasket caught on fire, water pump broke, replaced roters, fix electrical wiring, fix gas pedal (sticking), idled high, very poor on gas, and made a clinking noise. Although with all my problems if the engine was built better I would buy another. I got into a really bad car accident and totaled the body work on the car. My engine, a passanger, and I came out with out a scratch. As for saftey this car is most reliable, as for engine wise, junk!

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  Love our Nox - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Rick - February 21 - 1:26 pm

  Watched this CUV from the Auto shows and editor reviews until I could finally order it on 4/10/09. Our white LTZ arrived on 7/3/09. Now nearly 8,000 miles later we couldnt be happier. I see yuppies in their much more expensive SUVs taking a second look, but little do they know that my Chevy is more feature rich then what they paid another $10,000 or more for. Have had no problems or service calls. Truly like the idea of having roadside assistance for 5 years, but figure I wont need it. The chrome appearance package is worth the extra $$$ for the look it provides. Getting 29mpg with 4cyl driving 77mph with the AC on. Test drive to see for yourself.

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  The Malibu Maxx is underrated! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Eric - February 21 - 6:23 am

  I have been driving my Malibu Maxx for almost 4 years now. I live in the Buffalo, NY area so Im used to driving in poor weather. This car did excellent in the bad weather. Also the features in this car are unbeatable. Cruise control, remote start, heated seats, OnStar, XM radio, adjustable pedals, front and side air bags, traction control, 6 cd changer, car information computer, power sunroof, 30 MPG. The best part, not one thing went wrong in the time I have had it! Flawless! This car is a sleeper for sure!

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  Loving my SSR - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By james mayo - February 20 - 10:03 pm

  I love to let the top down and take my wife for sunset cruises. My SSR is yellow. It is so beautiful against the sunset. It also gets a lot of looks and comments from other motorists. I let my best friend drive it. He loved it so much that he bought one. I will keep my SSR till I die.

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  Colorado - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Mike - February 20 - 6:40 pm

  Truck is a great size for someone who doesnt want a full size. Rides great, gets excellent highway mileage (23- 25mpg), good city (16-18mpg), however when it is cold out and you have the heat on or the 4x4 expect (13-14mpg).

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  MyBrid! - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
  By CJ - February 20 - 6:33 am

  Ive had 2 other gas Tahoes since 2004 and the #1 question I get when someone notices I have a Hybrid is "does it have any power?", and the second of course is "what kind of gas mileage do you really get". Im always very proud to say its more powerful than either of my 2 previous gas Tahoes and I get 19-21 in town, and about the same on longer trips. I had the dealership remove all the decals on body, and removed the windshield decals myself with a hair dryer & WD40 (it really works!). The only thing I miss is my power tailgate. This Hybrid is Mybrid and if you want one, get your own!

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  High Maintenance - Falling Apart - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By wave54 - February 20 - 5:48 am

  Relatively decent car with roomy interior and smooth ride, but is not holding up well. Have persistent problems, mainly with suspension and engine belts/accessories. I predict very poor reliability as these cars age. I have 57K miles and it feels like a well-worn used car with 200K on the clock. Something is acting up every week -- repairs are expensive since there are virtually no replacement parts such as struts, shocks, mufflers, hoses available for independent garages to work with. Extremely disappointed -- would advise avoiding at all costs if you plan to put 40K or above on it.

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  Perfect SUV - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By billylawdawg - February 20 - 4:46 am

  First off, I must say that I would never buy anything that isnt a Chevy, so Im a little biased. This truck is a perfect compromise - Tahoes too big; Blazers too small. In any event, Id definitely recommend this vehicle, but heres some things that can be improved upon. Im so stupid, though: I had to jump a buddys car, and I removed the fuse relay center cover before realizing that the battery was all the way up front....it was after a few pops, though.....