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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  2010 Malibu LT2 - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jim Taubitz - April 26 - 1:35 pm

  Ive owned the Malibu for a few months and I am delighted with the vehicle. The exterior looks with the 17" chrome wheels is very sharp and the 2 tone interior and is contemporary and very clean. Build quality has been great and the car is fun to drive. Road handling, suspension and driving dynamics are all very impressive. Best testimonial - My kids love to drive that car and think it looks very cool!

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  2005 Impala SS - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By PM - April 25 - 11:35 am

  I recently purchased this car. I love the ride, the style, and the performance. It has around 70,000 miles, and no rattles or squeaks! And while Ive had it only a short time (just over a month), I was quite surprised by the low fuel economy. Even while staying off the boost, the MPG is still pretty lousy. I had a 3.8 in a 97 Pontiac GP, and got much, much better mileage. But I guess thats the price one pays for performance! Other than the mileage, no problems at all!

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  Solid, strong, reliable car - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By JHB - April 24 - 8:55 am

  After my 00 Impala 3.5 racked up 250K miles I decided to buy another one. The 09 Impala LTZ has a tight responsive sport suspension that makes for a GREAT highway ride. Seat are vry comfortable leather. Door close with a solid clunk. Exhaust is finely tuned, sounds great. This 3.9 engine rocks with low end tourge. Put it on the floor from stop and you better hold on to the wheel. Engine sounds refined and tuned with the ohv design. Gas millage over 30 mpg if driven for economy on hwy. Avg 24 hwy/city. HUGE trunk. BOSE stereo sounds awesome. This care feels solid, drives solid and handles solid.

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  Satisfied customer - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Steve Hamachi - April 24 - 12:51 am

  We are very satisfied with this car. Its fun and easy to drive, and it has plenty of power. We love the side mirrors,the back up camera, and the cargo space. Actually, one of the main reasons we decided on the Traverse was because of the generous cargo space. We purchased running boards and think they are a must, and should be an automatic part of the car.

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  the do everything truck - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By big truck - April 23 - 7:29 am

  This is the best truck we have ever owned it hauls like a big truck and rides like large car. The engine is powerful and very smooth. This is the longest production run of a SUV and it shows. Chevy suburban has it all .

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  SS is a GREAT BANG for the BUCK!!! - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By camaroguy - April 23 - 2:08 am

  I live in Arizona also and my SS doesnt have any issues with the A/C...you should go get it checked out..I also have a new camaro in which this is my daily car and its great power even stock, very comfortable and smooth ride to drive even on nice long trips that I take to cali, the A/C blasts Ice cold to where I have to turn it off it gets too cold, and overall for the price of the car and with the warranty the cars a steal if you can get your hands on a SS...Ive never been happier with any of my everyday cars as I am with this one

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  Great Little Truck - 2010 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Diane - April 22 - 8:00 pm

  I loved my 05 Colorado so much I bought a 2010. It is a great little truck. Though the automatic "bogs down" if you tromp on the gas peddle too hard too fast(something that did not happen with the manual transmission in the 05), the performance is good, gas mileage is good, and the truck is very comfortable to drive. The interior is roomy even though it is not an extended cab. It is a basic truck that meets my hauling needs without the expensive bells and whistles, and I recommend the Colorado to anyone needing a smaller pickup that does the job.

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  Yes GM can build a great vehicle - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Rob - April 21 - 9:23 pm

  Car has plenty of interior room, looks great, excellent quality. Drives tight, stops quickly. I would recommend this to anyone wanting seating for 5 plus and wanting a good driving, cool looking and great on gas mileage this is the car for you.

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  Good vehicle - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By J - April 20 - 10:31 pm

  Great driving, plenty of room, storage space, stereo, good power, 26.5 mpg on 300 mi trip. Very happy with Traverse!

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Sandra Wyatt - April 20 - 7:38 pm

  I purchased this car new in 2005. The primary driver is my son who is now 22. Other than regular maintenance (oil changes, fuel filter replacement, etc) the car has not required anything except new front rotors. It now has 115,000 miles on it and runs as good as the day I purchased it. It gets 28 to 32 mpg. My son has also wrecked it 3 times. Two were serious accidents and he did not get hurt in either. The most recent wreck was in March of this year when he was hit by a Semi truck. The car is currently being repaired from this wreck. I couldnt ask for a more reliable and safe vehicle. My mother recently purchased a 2009 and said she will never own another Ford again.