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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  "How Can We Fool em Today" vol. 2006 - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By JustPassinThru - February 15 - 7:24 pm

  This is a typical GM answer to foreign brands supremacy in the small car market. Nifty styling and a touted warranty, tied to zero attention to detail engineering done on the cheap. The 5-spd is stone-slow away from lights the primative fuel injection system makes it lurch when the clutch is let in and leaves the engine revving when the throttle is released to change gears. Result is a lurching-jerking driving experience, and double-clutching is impossible. A pain to drive. And the gearbox is vague and hard to engage. And the "warning" light for the passengers airbag when the seat is empty is annoying I finally covered it with tape. And the car was delivered with bent wheels.

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  Great Road Car - 2005 Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Doug - February 15 - 6:19 pm

  I am a big guy, 63" and 250 lbs. I love this car. I am on the road all the time (sales) and put tons of mileage on the car. Most of it is highway mileage. There is a lot of room in this car, far better than most of its competition. My head is nowhere near the roof! I love the adjustable pedals, when I am on the highway, I can stretch my legs all the way out, and my big feet fit behind the pedals. Very comfortable. Mucho power to pass on the highway. I too find the steering a little hard to get used to. I have figured out that if you wait longer into the turn before turning the wheel, it helps. I was used to a pickup, so this is different, but OK.

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  99 Z28 Camaro - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Matt - February 15 - 2:23 pm

  Like the car, so do my peers. Its fast, fun, reliable, and the most powerful you can buy for the money.

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  Uplander - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By donna h - February 15 - 10:15 am

  Quirky little things that need to be fixed. Gets better gas mileage than expected. Would like it to be a bit more stylish and needs automatic rear hatch

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  Excellent Chevrolet - At Last - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By AndiChele66 - February 15 - 9:43 am

  I bought my new Malibu in May and I love it! I had a Chevy TrailBlazer which I also loved, but traded it for a Dodge Caliber due to gas mileage. I hated giving up my luxury of the TrailBlazer and truly missed it. After buying the Malibu, I dont miss my Blazer as much. The Malibu has a feel of luxury without the price tag. I love the looks, the handling, and the comfort. The only thing I can say I dont like about the Malibu are the blind spots, but I know theyre there and just need to be a little more careful. I would highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Lets Be Real Americans. - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Debbie L Gamm - February 15 - 7:53 am

  We have purchased and are enjoying our new HHR LT. We love the room and handling. Leather interior and heated seats are a plus.

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  06 Tahoe - 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Jrr - February 15 - 5:33 am

  Great truck lots of options and fun to drive. We purchased a top of the line LS and still are trying to get all the gadgets figured out.

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  Very pleasant surprise - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Matt Condran - February 15 - 4:27 am

  I was tired of my older Nissan P/U, no power, no interior space and so on. I was going to buy a new Ford F-150, but after seeing a Colorado on the freeway I decided to go look at one. I was starting to get hooked on the looks of the Z71, then drove it and wow, the power of that small engine. Everything about it suited me perfect. Its been 9 months now and Im happier than ever about buying it!

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  Give it up for low-cost dependability! - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jenna Horiuchi - February 15 - 1:10 am

  Ive had my Aveo for almost 3 months and am glad I purchased it. It offers a good amount of space, interesting set up of the clock, compact design for cupholders, and the cool ticket holder slot. The fuel economy does vary with how you drive it. It does very well on the highway. The ride is smooth, relatively quiet, and zippy. It really flies off the line if you give it enough fuel! It is not luxury, but you are not paying luxury bucks. For the reliability, comfort, quirkiness and design that I was looking for, the Aveo really delivers. It makes me smile every time I walk outside to drive somewhere.

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  Pleased Corvette Owner - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 1999 Corvette - February 14 - 10:43 pm

  1999 Magnetic Red Metallic Convertible with Light Oak Interior/Top. Magnificent Machine. My plate says it all...YS I CAN... Color is so deep you feel as though you could dive into it. Looks like it needs a ticket just sitting still! Could not be happier with a great American Sport Car. Has every option available.