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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  Hard to say - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By VtSteve - July 10 - 9:13 am

  The obvious allure of this car is the exterior styling. Not dramatic, just great, clean lines. The interior is roomy, and the trunk is quite large. Having driven all of the Malibus competitors, I thought this car would be Chevys big score. Then the small disappointments set in. From my perspective, the one thing I cant live with is the front entry and egress. The stylists clearly won the battle here. Exiting the car makes me feel like Im in an Italian sports car. Nice interior, well laid out, well-equipped. Trunk opening narrow, but spacious trunk. Still dont like the klunky 4 banger.

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  Its been a good car - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bruce Stevens - July 10 - 12:49 am

  Bought new 2009 LTZ leftover in Aug. 2010 has 158,000 miles on it and has been basic maintenance. Headlights bulb replacement is poor design. Steering light came on a couple of times but has been fine since. Handles great, rides great, better than my Jag. 28 mpg avg. 30-32 on long trips. I would buy another Malibu.

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  Junk the rolls - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rich o - July 9 - 10:00 am

  1994 cheapest model. 115K now. Survive all that time with only tires and brake changes (& oil / filter / air filter / car wash / once a year with inspection). Now it has a starting issue; some electronic module; hell, if it costs <400, thats a gamble of 1 months payment of a $20K car. Its not sporty, but it rolls.

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  06 SS Impala - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Whit - July 8 - 9:56 pm

  I am disappointed with the gas mileage, in that it is driven carefully back and forth to work by my wife and she is only getting 17.5 miles per gallon. Also I have taken the car to two different dealers with a hard shifting transmission, lower gears, they tell me nothing is wrong. I have owned many cars in my lifetime and I know that this is not what GM was planning for an automatic transmission. The frontwheel drive can be a little bit hairy when in rapid acceleration.

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  enjoy your hhr today !! - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By e.n. beatty[canada] - July 8 - 3:45 pm

  A BASIC hhr with a 5spd and a2.2, no traction control, no abs just a plain maroon colored 4door fun car that runs on reg. Gas and gives me a true 30 mpg in the city. Replaced oil with full synthetic and a k&n air filter. Bought it new right off the truck, has 16,000 miles and one visit to the dealer. The hhr has done exactly what I want. It handles great at 75 mph with no wavering behind the big rigs. The steering is sharp and precise however the torque steer is a brute. Behind the driver the available space is amazing. The build quality is on the hi side of good and the paint job was excellent. Overall Im pleased and oh yes I drive it hard and fast no slakkin in the sun. Gas, clutch, gone.

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  50,000 update--pretty good - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By dlz - July 8 - 3:14 pm

  Thought itd be a good time for this. At 50000mi my Av is doing well, with a few problems. This winter the 4WD started kicking out when the wheels slipped and dash read "service 4WD". Later this spring rear parking sensors quit. Both computer glitches, warranty fix. Oil consumption a little high, maybe a quart per 3000mi. Built-in oil life monitor would let me go over 8000mi between changes! All Ive read says this monitor is as accurate as can be so I run it to 10% life and change it. Hwy MPG as high as 19 in warm weather. Paint, fit and finish, interior leather holding up very well, just wipe down those stylin aluminum wheels every car wash. A darn good truck, and Im not easy on it!

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  Very Happy - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By SA - July 7 - 9:07 pm

  I purchased this as a pre-owned vehicle to supplement my prior truck on account of a growing family. It has been excellent! I am pleased that its value still exceeds what I paid for it. We recently purchased a travel trailer, and it tows with an ease that makes one feel a trailer is not present. The only repair I have had is the power window motor on the passenger door - a common problem with GM trucks.

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  Good MPG for V8 - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By steve - July 7 - 3:47 pm

  I bought this car for work. The Trunk is great, I have to carry a lot of equipment and it is nice. I have the SS which has the V8. On the highway it get 25-26 avg MPG. It switches from 4 cylinder to 8 cylinder smoothly, which a was concerned about before I bought the car. The Ltz owner I read the review must not drive but to his mailbox and back to get 17 avg. My 2004 GMC has better avg MPG than that (in the summer).

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  Awesome Truck - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By RayRay - July 7 - 1:04 pm

  Upgraded my Silverado to an Avalanche and so far, no disappointments. I love this truck. Smooth on the highways and plenty of power. A great looking truck with a luxury car feel.

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  American manufacturing feat - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Alex Povolotski - July 7 - 10:58 am

  This vehicle deserves more attention, keeping in mind it has recently won in the family mid-size sedan competition. Its a real feat of American auto engineering. Just take all the controversy surround the GM company away and think of the vehicle as a piece of machinery. The design is outstanding, both external, and internal. The fit and finish is at par with many Japanese manufacturers. The cabin is accommodating and the drive is comfy and noise-free. The six-speed auto transmission is a marvel of engineering. In fact, GM went ahead and beat Toyota to it. Toyota followed with its own 6- speed soon after though.