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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  LOVE this car! - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By AJ - November 1 - 11:43 pm

  Bought the 2010 Equinox fall of 2009 ~ absolutely love this car!!! It is a perfect car for our family (very busy, 2 kids, one dog). The all-wheel drive is excellent in the snow and it is excellent on gas! The car will go 600 miles between fill-ups! Not to mention, it is beautiful! Love the XM stereo, sunroof, and lots of room for groceries, football gear and backpacks!

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  Dependable Family Car - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Thomas - November 1 - 6:25 am

  I bought this car with 126k mi. Dealer had replaced fuel sending unit and ABS sensors as terms of sale. It now has around 150k and it is still as smooth as some of the newer cars. It gets good mileage, my last trip to NJ consumed less than a quarter tank (2hr trip). Handles well in rain and snow. I have ran this car on synthetic oil and platinum plugs since my first tune up.

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  Love My Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Doug from NC - October 31 - 11:53 pm

  My truck is my baby. Its ready for a night on the town or to help a friend move. Its never let me down and I feel safe and comfortable driving in rain or snow. The auto 4 wheel drive function is what gives me this feeling. 47000 trouble free miles and counting. My second Silverado and I will have it for the next 5 years at least.

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  LTZ-Best car for the dollar - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By JWT in Indianapolis - October 31 - 8:14 pm

  My 2008 LTZ is the best car I have ever owned(2 Cadillacs, 2 Porsches, 3 Toyotas, 1 Ford, 1 Buick, 1 BMW). It is well equipped, fun to drive, built with quality, and good looking. It gets about 26-30 mpg on the highway depending on speed driven. If I keep it at 65mph or less I get close to 30 mpg. I get 20-22 back and forth to work (to/from downtown Indianapolis). I really like the look of the 18 inch tires.

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  Love my 2009 Chevy Aveo LS 4 door 1.6 L - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Missouri Man - October 31 - 12:31 pm

  Get 33 mpg plus in city traffic and 40-46 mpg plus driving highway in Missouri Ozark Mountains on interstate or two lane or city traffic. Great deal for the price on a subcompact of $10,600 brand new 2009. Excellent view out all directions of window, great comfort and leg/head room. Quiet, no road noise or engine noise. Easy to steer and operate, handles well, rides smooth, lots of trunk space, good stereo with plug in for Ipod or MP3 player, Onstar features! I cannot say enough good about this car, for the price and after shopping for over a year driving and looking at all over subcompacts, this is the best deal going by far! Love driving it, AC works wonderful, and can haul 4 people!

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  Better Than Expected - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By craig - October 31 - 2:01 am

  I traded in my 04 Grand Prix for a new 09 LTZ. I love it! Its got a lot more interior room & the trunk is HUGE. I have to lay down to get anything just behind the back seat. The headroom is great in front & back. Im not as blinded at night now as the Impala sits higher. The acceleration w/ the 3.9 liter is great! I have nearly V8 performance & am getting V6 mileage. Im averaging 20 mpg & thats w/ lots of city miles. The features w/ the radio are much better than in my old car. I can see why the police are starting to buy LTZs.

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  Roomy and Fuel Efficient - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Buckeye_Traveller - October 30 - 4:55 pm

  We have had our Impala for 3 years. I really like the large interior and trunk, with folding back seats that allow lots of cargo. We have been averaging 33 mpg on the freeway, using cruise control. We average about 25 city driving. I also really like the dash computer that tells mileage and tire pressure (PSI) on each tire. The only problems that I have had with the car are interior seating. The headrest has come apart on the driver side twice. The rear seats were replaced under warranty due to seams coming apart. The Goodyear tires that it came with wore out around 36,000 miles. Other than that, I really like this car and recommend it.

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  Traded Tahoe for Traverse - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Cindy Ensley - October 30 - 3:16 pm

  Traded in my 07 Tahoe for a LT1 Traverse, love the white with black interior.Very sleek on the road, only have 300 miles so far cant tell about the mileage. Runs very quiet, easier to park than Tahoe.Purchased the bench seat in the middle to accommodate grandchild.

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  Beautiful Ride 2010 Malibu - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Sunnyleaf - October 30 - 8:46 am

  I bought this car on October 27th, 2009, it rides good, I love the way it handles the road. You cant go wrong for the price. I bought the White Pearl Diamond. Its fabulous!!

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  New Monte Carlo - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Knights man - October 29 - 6:50 pm

  Bought my new black Monte LT and so far really like it. It now has 5,000 miles on the clock and the engine feels like it has loosened up a bit giving me better mileage and power. I have got over 30 on the highway and usually 24-25 in town. This car handles too! I could wish for exterior door molding protection as I had to order that from Chevy parts and the floor shifter should have indicators like they used to. I also would prefer it if the rear spoiler was an option instead of std.