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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  Original Owner 2001-2009 - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Arizonan - November 12 - 9:42 pm

  Owned car from 2001 to current (2009). Been a good car. Comfortable for long trips, reliable, attractive enough. Decent gas mileage per age of car now. Currently over 105,000 miles. Normal repairs and regular oil changes, and car has continued to be a good car. Large enough for family comfort too.

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  Dont Buy - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Dargiewicz - November 12 - 9:17 pm

  The front tires need replaced after 8000 miles. The drivers door is noisy as wind goes by. Rear door lock sticks. This is my wifes car - she is not happy - My mother has owned Impalas for many years, she bought a 2009 Impala and is ready to go buy a Ford. My family of nine has owned GMs from the mid 70s - I own a 2001 GMC truck and have owned many GM vehicles (great truck but after Impala I may go to Ford truck)Always wanted a 3500 but may go 350

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  Love it - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By CalgarySL - November 12 - 11:32 am

  I got 1LT Mocha Steel Metallic 2010 model and already have 3000 Kms on it. Ride is so smooth. Unfortunately, an someone rear ended it, but very little damage. Car is in body shop now.

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  chevy is the worst - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By anthonyrini - November 12 - 12:19 am

  I started the unhappy owner of a chevy cobalt but at 60k miles i got a check engine light "o" no probably a smog problem nope come to find out that cylinder 3 has lost compression so now i need a new motor wow i hope that chevy reads this im very unhappy chevy stole my money

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  Peice of junk - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By bart18n - November 11 - 9:13 pm

  Everything seems to be falling apart day by day. Brakes have been replaced 3 times in two years. Front stabilizer bar has been replaced twice and I live in a city. new rattles every day that are impossible to pinpoint as they come from everything from the back panels in the back seat to the suspension to sun visors! went over a bump and the housing for the sunroof button just fell out of the headliner. Thankfully everything has been replaced under warranty except for brakes which is a big concern because they are quite expensive to replace if you have to replace them twice a year! only good things is the stereo which always sounds awesome and can really pound and the engine its self

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  Avafun - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By packoo - November 11 - 10:00 am

  Strong engine that gets thirsty with the AC on... Great for those who like Suburban type vechicle and needs the occasional pick up truck features... Body hardware useful in parking lots, plastic does well vs doors and carts slamming into it. All windows down with midgate up gives an airy feel without getting blown away on highway.

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  Great car so far - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By jo26 - November 10 - 11:56 am

  This car is great so far. I bought it over two years ago and it is currently at around 60000 miles. The car gets fairly good miles per gallon, but it goes down considerably when you drive above 65 miles/hour. The cost of the car is also very affordable. (kind of a long cons list, but they are all pretty minor things)

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  Awesome Car - 1998 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Ashish - November 10 - 10:43 am

  I bought the car with 93K miles. 4 years later it has about 145K miles. In the past 4 years the only things I have replaced is a clutch and a window motor. This is one of the few cars that will pretty much pass everything on the road including the gas station. 11 years later the paint is still shiny, the dash has no cracks, the leather is not beat up. This car is a true testament to GMs build quality.

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  Corvette Z06 - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Marc Medrano - November 10 - 10:25 am

  This car has an awesome acceleration that needs to be respected. A fun car to drive. However the interior starts to heat up from the engine and transmission. Chevrolet should have used better or more insulation. The manual transmission is spongy. This car eggs you to go fast. MPG in city is 14.5 and HWY is at 24.5. Interior quality is poor(lots of plastic). Nav is a nice touch but no bluetooth connectivity. You need to subscribe to Onstar cell plan to use the hands free phone. No lumbar support on the seats. One needs to shut the rear hatch hard to close. Resale value stinks. Better off buying a used z06 with pampered miles.

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  Reliability - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Eric - November 10 - 2:24 am

  Power steering hose came off and replaced, water pump went out at only 60,000. Left front wheel bearing going out. Rust behind the trunk metal trim line. Front brakes and rotors replaced at 54,000. Possibly a head gasket needs to be replaced in another 10,000 miles. To be short you get what you pay for. Im sure an 08 or 09 model is reliable though. Dont purchase a 2006 3.5L. If you have extra cash and like to perform your own work on your vehicle you would love this model.