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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  Outstanding Value - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bob in Poway - November 4 - 2:00 am

  Incredible handling and performance for the price. I run mine in Open Road Races on cruise control at 150+ mph. Loafs along at 165mph. Car is rock steady at all speeds. And it can be used as a daily driver.

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  The Refrigerator - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By berne1 - November 4 - 2:00 am

  Got the 03 knowing full well the 04 would be all-new. Couldnt pass up the lease, however, at $193/mo. GM was basically giving them away at the end, and I moved from a Focus lease to save $50/mo. Hey, its not like I had a Lexus! Plainest car Ive ever had. Does the job and doesnt get noticed (a refrigerator), and a great A-B car. Getting just 21 MPG, but all city driving. Performance and handling are merely adequate. I had to search high and low for a Tan interior. Why does GM love Gray so much? Car rated #1 in JD Power quality survey, and so far I have had zero issues.

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  06 Equinox - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jmmoore02 - November 3 - 6:50 pm

  Having owned for about three months now, my family of three thoroughly enjoy our new SUV. The styling strays from the minivan crowd and moves toward the truck-SUV group, but without the poor mileage. Ride and road noise are very agreeable and we are fans of the 17" wheel and tire combo for looks and ride characteristics. The tried and true 3400 is not a power-house in this application, but seems very peppy and is plenty for the majority of our in- town drives. The long list of standard features is a welcome treat and excellent crash safety scores justify the purchase with my family on-board. A long-time Chevy fan, I am very pleased with this new model so far.

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  Econo racecar with luxury feel. - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By CodeBlue - November 3 - 4:06 pm

  What can I say? Its a great car that GM has finally put some real effort into. For me, its been 1 month since I took delivery, and there hasnt been a day I didnt look forward to driving it. Moreover driving it daily has been a great experience. The fuel economy when not heavy footed (hardly ever, due to the rewarding power of the Eaton M62 Supercharger) is comparable to that of the ultra-compact econo-gas misers; Yaris, Aveo, etc The factory performence packages being offered by GMs Performence Parts division are the best to be found in the aftermarket. So you get more power out of your beast, while retaining full factory warranty (when installed c/o GM Service depts) hard to argue!

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  Yeah mine has 244,000 miles on it - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By KatieKoolAid - November 3 - 2:00 am

  I have had to buy:struts,window motors, fuel pump, blower motor, dimmer switch, brake lines, rear rotors, front rotors, along with break pads and a heater core. My trunk leaks too, which makes for a car that smells like a foot. I cant use my cigarette lighter or my car phone charger in it because it will blow a fuse. My antilock breaks used to go off when I was driving down the road, pulled the fuse on that one. My driver side seat doesnt recline anymore. Than as of last week, air doesnt come out of the vents anymore and my cruise control decided it didnt wanna work anymore.

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  Happy with my Tahoe - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By dhill - November 3 - 2:00 am

  This car has excellent power on demand. It has been a good toe car and given me very few problems. Of course you get typical GM stuff like the transfer case going bad in the drive train when I hardly ever use 4WD anyway. Overall, two thumbs up.

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  A really Off roader SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Blazer
  By American Vulture - November 3 - 2:00 am

  This suv is great, I take it to off road on muddy swamps and things alike and it passes excellent.

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  Impala SS - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Lumpy - November 2 - 6:13 pm

  This car handles extremely well and has the power of a 1960s-1970s hi performance car (Ive had a few). The technology is great, showing my when tires are low, what gas mileage I get at any given time, and a lot more. This car is the best buy out there.

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  Great Car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Great Car - November 2 - 2:03 pm

  I love this car. The styling is great, and the quality is appropriate for this price point. Cant beleive that this car is under $20K. I love the night lighting in the cabin and the enclosed cup holders. The movable arm rest was a nice surprize. This car had some great designers as they thought of everything. There is a rubber patch where your keys hang so there is no banging against hard plastic. Storage everywhere that is easily accesable to the driver. I got this car as a replacement to a 2006 Lemon Pontiac G6. Would never go back.

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  Another Good Car That GM Never Marketed - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Paul - November 2 - 10:33 am

  We needed to replace a 1993 VW Passat wagon. I found an off-lease 2005 Malibu Maxx V6 with only 20,000 miles, and was able to get it for only $12,000. We have had it for 1,000 miles, and so far, very impressive. Huge cargo capacity with seats down. 33-34 mpg on highway with AC on; 30 mpg in mixed driving, with odometer validated on a measured mile! Easy to drive, very spacious, great stereo, easy to use controls. For the price, it is quite a package. Its a real shame that GM never marketed the car, and now is changing it to another overpriced sedan with complex OHC engine and worse mpgs, and also forcing you to buy an SUV even if you only occasionally need a hatchback.