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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  Lets be honest... - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By doug - August 18 - 3:23 am

  ...if it werent for the fantastic rebate, I would not have bought this car. I preferred a Corolla and almost bought a Focus ZX3. But, then the rebates came out. I did some checking and spoke with some co-workers: it got good consumer reviews and owners gave this car praise. It is uncomfortable and difficult to get in and out of. The back seats is only for smaller people. Theres very good trunk space considering its size- better than a Pontiac G6! Its fun to drive and has good power and is stable on the highway at high speeds. Minor engine chip problem but dealer was very responsive.

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  Chevrolet Malibu has been a disaster - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Al - August 18 - 1:07 am

  Our 2002 Chevrolet Malibu has had many problems. It is slow to accelerate and noisy. The brakes went out on it twice. The air conditioner stops cooling at random and the dealer showed me a bulletin that said that was OK, so they could not fix it. Its always been hard to start, but no warranty repair was made. Now it just went out of warranty and the car wont. It cranks, but no start. This is the worst car Ive ever owned.

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  Finally - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Brutal - August 17 - 11:28 pm

  Have wanted a Vette since I was little. Now that I could afford one, etc. everyone thinks Im going thru the mid-life crisis thing. Oh well I was not disappointed in this car. I have owned this car since 11/04 and everyday (no kidding) I look forward to getting in this car to drive it. It is so nice to barely touch the gas and have so much power. I love this car.

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  Built For A Man, But Made For A Woman - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By VICTORY RED! - August 17 - 9:43 pm

  I had not driven a Vette in over 15 years until I recently got in the drivers seat of the 2005. Needless to say all the reasons I never bought one, aside from being too young, are GONE! The difficult clutch, the stiff shifter, the hard steering, are all gone. Chevy has really come full circle to make this car so easy to drive and opened up the market to women sports car enthusiasts like me. Thankfully I am still young enough to truly enjoy this car. Happy birthday to me from my awesome husband!

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  05 Chevy Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Showboattt - August 17 - 9:16 pm

  This car performs a lot better than expected. New design is super. V6 power is a light weight car like this! Zoooms!

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  Love It...Love It...Love It... - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Vanessa - August 17 - 7:32 pm

  I love this car. Perfect for the family. It is also so much fun to drive. You feel like the king of the road or in my case queen. It is an extremely sturdy vehicle and so heavy, you really dont feel any of the bumps on the road.

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  Mine was made on a holiday! - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By SDenney - August 17 - 4:49 pm

  When we bought this car, we purchased an extended warranty. Unfortunately it was a dealer (MPP) warranty but we did not know this. The motor went out at 29,000 miles and we were forced to replace it!! The warranty only covered a portion of the cost plus a junkyard motor!! Lots of maintenance cost associated with it too! Little things like the blinker lights are expensive not to mention the back light panel.

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  Great truck - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By JR - August 17 - 4:36 pm

  I traded in a Trailblazer for the new Tahoe. The truck drives better than the Expedition, Armada, and Sequioa that I drove. The interior is just as comfortable as every other Chevrolet, but it looks much better. On the highway, the ride is quiet and comfortable. Off road performance is great with the locking back end and autotrac, but be sure to remove the front air-dam before going on extreme outings. If you have a boat, then the G80 differential option is a must. I got $2500 off the sticker price. I am getting 19mpg mixed with the 5.3L- not bad considering the size and towing capacity. Gas mileage is better than most mid-sized SUVs and all full sizers

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  Very Good Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Stevereno - August 17 - 4:15 pm

  I got the Z85 LS automatic with the I5 engine. The truck is very useful. Lots of room on the inside for the 4 door crew cab. Very attactive appearance. You can beat this truck for the money. I would have spent a good bit more on a Dakota.

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  Sweet Car! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By MRFNB - August 17 - 4:06 pm

  I traded a van for the HHR because of the smaller size and lower access to the rear cargo area. The car runs great and gets good mileage, 23 mpg or so in almost exclusively stop and go driving, and approximately 34 mpg on a 1000 mile vacation trip. The driver info center is handy, showing all the necessary numbers at the push of a button.