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 Car, Worst Buying Time - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Litestorm17 - January 22 - 12:57 am

  I bought this 1998 Chevy Cavalier Z24 in December of 07 with 78000 miles on it. I loved the car, but exactly 364 days after I bought it (roughly 90k miles at the time) the entire computer system failed. The dealership has yet to figure out what caused it. It cost me well over $2k to fix. Also, the radiator randomly blew out on me. That was roughly $200. Mine burns oil, but not much. Dont let this rough patch deter you away though. I bought it with all of the wearable stuff at the end of its lifespan, so now that everything is fixed it works like a dream. It is a great car if you travel long distances like I do. Put an aftermarket short-ram intake, and you can get close to 40 mpg!

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  One Of My Favorite Cars! - 1991 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Kevin Hoffman - January 22 - 12:17 am

  Bought my Caprice wagon with 50k miles and after five years of ownership have had only a few minor problems. Its a very reliable car. Good power even from the base 5.0 V8 engine. Ride quality from this large rear drive car is pillow soft! I was surprised with the cars handling in winter snowstorms. Despite the rear drive setup, I never ended up stuck at the side of the road! The cars large size and rounded shape always gets attention from onlookers. Kids love the rear facing third seat! Cargo room with the second and third row seats folded is akin to an enclosed pickup truck! Long trips are very comfortable. A great car! Sad to see GM discontinue it.

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  Very satisfied - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mark - January 21 - 6:51 pm

  Impala now has 50000 kilos on and not one issue. Original tires still have 15000 or more to go. Not a chev fan but cant complain. The traction control is great in snow. Took it down to Florida from Canada ran perfect. Lots of power and handles great for big car, even when loaded with luggage. first North American car Ive owned that hasnt had a problem. May even buy it out when lease end in Sept.

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  It gets you where ever you have to +.... - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Kmkspfg - January 21 - 6:13 am

  This winters has been amazing hitting 6 foot drifts in roads and still going . well besides a broken grill and a after break down of distributor cap and rotor. it was fine. now the check engine light is back on but running fine but i cant afford to keep repairing.. tempted to trade for a f-150 or a dodge magnum awd. and thats bad because im a chevy guy. its a wonderful truck other words besides a few problems.. gets around way better than jeeps and what not....

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  Not the best, not the worst - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Alma - January 20 - 12:08 am

  Ive had the car for almost three years. It gets very great gas mileage, usually around 25-27 with city/highway mix. The brakes usually need changed every year, and still are not the greatest. If you have the money, upgrade to drilled rotors and yellow stuff brake pads. Ive replaced alot of minor things, but nothing major. The seats are comfy, but the cloth is made cheap. The car has a good amount of horses, for a V6, and the gas pedal is very touchy. This car handles very well on wet/icy/snowy roads. The car has enough room to fit 4 friends comfy.

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  broke from the rain - wont turn off - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Carl Johnson - January 19 - 11:01 pm

  Vehicle sat in the driveway all day due to a bad rainstorm. Wife drove 1 mile to go to a meeting after the storm and the check engine light came on. Engine would NOT TURN OFF even after turning the key to the "OFF" position. You could still place the vehicle in gear and drive with the steering wheel locked!! Will take to the dealership tomorrow (AM) per their request. This is not the dealerships fault, but the manufacturer!! Possible moisture in one of the electrical contacts?? The streets were almost dry when she left (no puddles to drive through). How could this happen on a vehicle with only 386 miles???

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  Heat Does Not Work!!! - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Mat - January 19 - 8:05 pm

  I like the SUV but unfortunately the door that blends the heat with the air flow inside breaks inside the dash and the only way to fix it is to take apart the whole dash board costing $1,200 on up!There should be a recall because there has been 1,000s of complaints registered online and GM is thumbing there nose at the consumes.

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  FUN car after inital bugs worked out - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By BeSwift - January 19 - 2:56 pm

  Bought new. Very FUN car. At about 12k developed a major electrical problem that took months to resolve. Car would DIE at random, at speed! Almost got me killed twice on I-95. Im angry at the horrible customer service I received at count em 3 different dealers before the problem got fixed...more so than the problem itself. Now that problem is resolved, and Ive got confidence in it again, Im very happy with it.

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  great truck - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By rjd - January 19 - 1:55 pm

  Im a volunteer firefighter in the northeast so I have stretched this truck to its limits. Special ordered Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor tires and got nearly 70K without the need of an alignment. Good gas mileage on the highway and the four wheel drive is a necessity during the winter. Ive had big truck owners get in and be surprised at the room and the ride. My truck is the base model with vinyl flooring, easy to wash out with a hose. Ill get another one for sure. My girlfriend got a 2006,LT full cab with the five cylinder and has had lots of front end issues. (Extra weight of the cab, engine and trim must effect the suspension)

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  Happy But--- - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By SteveF - January 18 - 7:08 pm

  Overall a wonderful full size SUV that rides well, fits everything, and looks great. Dont gripe about the mpg - its what you expect with a 6,000 lb vehicle. I take it on trips more often than my 7 series BMW since its a great vehicle for travel. Only problems during past 12 months have been with drivers door squeak (still unresolved) and the battery or alternator whereby the vehicle is dead after 2-3 days of non-use. Apparently this problem is known to GM. Tomorrow is 2nd trip to dealer for this problem. Assuming problem is resolved, I highly recommend this SUV.