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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  Great headroom, storage, stereo & looks! - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By 08HHR_SpecialEdition - May 12 - 7:41 pm

  I purchased the 2008 HHR Special Edition (which is kind of like the 1LT trim level with some extra slick cosmetics). I get compliments on this car everywhere I go. I have used the storage capabilities of this vehicle countless times. Both the rear seat and the front passenger seats fold down, with extra storage in the "trunk" floor. Quiet ride, great stereo system with the 7" sub in the back. Mechanically, this HHR has performed flawlessly. Not a single problem. Due to the extended rear end of the HHR, there is a blind spot in back that makes merging lanes a bit tougher. Nothing terrible, but check twice before you make your move. Love the HHR!

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  Beast of a Car - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By SAMHEFRAG - May 12 - 6:38 pm

  Ive had my Camaro 2SS for a little over a week and put over 1000 miles on it. Its a blast to drive, corners phenomenally for such a heavy car, and for a V8 is getting acceptable gas mileage. The interior is what I wanted, no frills with a handful of nice amenities. If you are looking to get this car, you shouldnt care about the fuel economy, the previously mentioned cheaper plastics, or the lack of a color screen for GPS. Its a 426 HP V8 sports car with 420 lb/ft of torque to lay some rubber down on the ground and look in your rear view mirror at the cars you just passed.

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  Solid as a rock! - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By LEE - May 12 - 12:37 pm

  Awesome truck solid as a rock..I was looking at Ford Expeditions but quickly changed my mind when I read all the bad reviews. I love A GM product. Like the commercials always said "SOLID AS A ROCK"

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  Chevy Knocks it out of the Park! - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Raymond - May 12 - 10:21 am

  Considered Acadia, Toyota (faithful fan of them), mini-vans. This beat them all. Chevy did it right with this vehicle. Driving LTZ with everything. Size and mileage are ok, but comfort TOTALLY makes up for it. Very good mixture of minivan/suv/car. Excellent storage and room. We have a young family of 4. We purchase all vehicles and drive them til the end. This one (hopefully) will be quite a ride til then!

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  Glad but sad - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By ltbiblis - May 12 - 1:25 am

  Bought the car when it had 20k miles on it as certified used from Chevy dealer in 2006. first 3 years it ran great other than steering issues which apparently all Chevys have according to dealer? now it is 2010 and i have 81k on the car. I had dealer perform all scheduled maintenance every month. now I have a ton of problems. steering still loose, brake rotors warped, brake pads shot, engine overheating, remote entry only works within 5 ft, heater core not working, head gasket needs replaced, transmission slipping, engine spurts during highway travel, had to flush coolant and put green coolant in as dexcool is bad. this is costing me over 3K and car only worth 6k. last Chevy for me!

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  Very solid all around muscle car - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Rob C - May 11 - 3:50 pm

  I purchased my 2001 Camaro SS back in 2004 it was 3 years old, and had 18k miles. The original owner purchased it and hardly drove it, as he had several cars. The car has t-tops, LS1, and a 6 spd manual trans. The car has more power than most need in stock form in modified form, it can make a lot more. The LSI engine is bulletproof (if you maintain it) and fairly ecomomical for a large V-8. I have made several 600-700 mile road trips on the highway, and averaged 25-27 mpg! The 6 spd has a double overdrive, so at a steady 70-75 mph, in 6th gear, it is only turning @1500 rpm on the tach (it idles at 850 rpm)! The car is well built, and has no rattles or leaks (it has 48K miles).

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  My New Colorado - 2010 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Mike - May 11 - 2:05 pm

  I like the handling. It seems to respond better to the touch. The power is quite good. I like the roomy cab. I dont usually carry 3 in the front but now have enough room to do so. The rider can stretch out and is less cramped than in my old S-10. I seem to ride higher and get a better view of whats going on around me. My wife likes this feature.

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  We bough american - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By her 911 - May 11 - 11:13 am

  Our family needed a 4 door car with good trunk space. I didnt test drive any other cars. Sold on this vehicle immediately. Prices right too. We have not owned American cars since 1969. Our other cars are porsches ( 2007,1990) we love this car. Especially the Sirius radio and the interior lighting. Visibility from drivers side is not very good. Have to be careful of blind spots. Great mileage. We thought we hit the jackpot with this car.

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  10 years, 150k miles still going strong - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By jkp - May 9 - 8:13 am

  Bought this used from a dealer in 2003. My dad is still driving it with over 150k miles. Had to replace intermediate steering shaft, and a couple of wheel bearings, otherwise just regular maintenance. I was worried about buying a 1st-model-year car, but this Chevy hasnt let us down.

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  04 Cavalier has been a great car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Great Car - May 8 - 7:14 pm

  I dont drive mine much but wanted to say its been a great car. Only problems were the blower fan starting ticking after a year and the dash board cover bubbled here in the AZ heat, both under warranty. I wanted to suggest to those that have check engine light probs to check your gas cap and make sure it is seated right and the gasket has no hairline cracks. My check engine light comes on if I dont put the (locking) gas cap on correctly. The light also comes on when I drive up in the mountains like 6800 feet from phoenixs 300 or so foot elevation in less than a 2 hour drive. It must be very sensitive. It goes off by itself after the car gets used to the differences.