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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  One month, 600+ miles later - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By maxx_owner_part2 - November 14 - 10:00 am

  When I 1st saw the Maxx at the Auto Show, I thought it was intriguing but I never thought I’d own a Chevy. After 600+ miles (since my 20-mile review), my opinion has only improved. The car is very cute appearance-wise. Gas mileage is decent: 24 mpg (driving almost exclusively on suburban surface streets). The easy handling is growing on me. The car does a good job of shutting out road noise and has a very smooth ride. The doors and hatch need to be closed with a bit of force, though. The die-hard sports-car aficionados I know turn up their noses at my car, but people who appreciate fun, comfort, and convenience love it!

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  Cavalier Supporter - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By halthe - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Owned a 91 Cavalier Wagon. It had 220,000 miles on it. I have been very satisfied with my new purchase, especially with the price.

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  Power Steering Issues - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By SteeringProblem - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Excellent car except for one thing. The power steering system has some major problems. It intermittently fails at any time and the vehicle becomes very hard to steer leading to an unsafe condition. If you check the NHTSAs site you will find numerous descriptions of this exact problem. Buyer beware.

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  Tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Dennis Horner - November 14 - 10:00 am

  I will buy another without question.

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  The truth - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By ksmith82 - November 14 - 10:00 am

  You need to test drive one to truly appreciate and comprehend the engineering miracle of Silverado. Go on, take one for a spin, unless your afraid of being converted.

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  HHR is a blast! - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By stymie - November 14 - 4:16 am

  I purchased the HHR mainly for the looks and economy. It is quite adequate in both categories. Performance is a little suspect even with the big 4 cylinder engine and the premium fuel suggestion is absurd. It runs fine on mid grade or even regular. No pinging and no noticeable power loss. It is fun to drive and handles very well. The XM radio is great but the cup holders are not very good. I am still trying to figure out what that little light next to the sunroof controls is for. All in all I am very pleased with my purchase and coming from a Ram 1500 Quad Cab with hemi engine I love being able to drive by a gas station without stopping.

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  Quality ... without the Japanese price! - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By satisfied guy - November 13 - 7:13 pm

  The only problem with my Malibu has been brakes. They were fixed several times by the dealer, at their expense. Last time was the charm as I have driven almost 15,000 miles since, with no further problems. The car handles well, is comfortable, and gets good gas mileage. I am very satisfied with this car

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  AWESOME VALUE - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By RockinJoe - November 13 - 11:37 am

  I love this car! I have owned a lot of cars, so its hard to say this is the best of them, but it is certainly among the best. It is good looking, tight handling, and I drive the base model. The Impala is a lot nicer than the Monte Carlo. It has better gas mileage, more interior and trunk room , rides better, and handles just as well. I was reluctant to buy an Imapla as there a million of them on the road, but now I understand why it is so popular. I think it beats most of the imports too. I also drove one with 110,000 miles on it, and it drove just like mine with 22,000 miles.

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  chevy tracker roller - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By patti houston - November 13 - 11:25 am

  i did not enjoy the chevy tracker i purchased . the gas mileage was not good and the brakes sucked on gravel roads . needless to say the day i rolled my tracker in to a ditch , it was totaled . the trackers are way too light in the rear end , especially on gravel roads .

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  Tahoe time - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Judy Kovitch - November 13 - 10:11 am

  Overall a solid car. Few minor problems easily resolved. Great extra features, comfortable on long trips, easy to manuever, looks great. Roomy & easy to change configuration from a passenger car to hauling. I am short, my husband is tall, it is easy to adjust drivers seat for either.