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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  First and never the last! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By jujujujosh7 - January 17 - 7:31 pm

  I traded my 2002 mustang gt convertible for my 2006 cobalt ss, and I will never ever go back to ford! Chevrolet, really did a great job on this car. I get around 29 MPGs, gas is a bit esxspensive but it saves you money in the long run, the clutch is just fine, shifts just fine, runs even better, the interior is really nice, I wish i had the heated seats! it does torque steer, and if you put a cold air intake on it! it whines and whistles very loudly! I am very very satisfied with it, and I occasionally drive this car very hard I am 20 so lol, and it drives perfect! so much technology!

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  Plenty of bang fer the buck - 2011 Chevrolet HHR
  By montanamark - January 15 - 2:36 pm

  Ive owned my 2011 hhr lt for 2 months now and have absolutly NO complaints,being 602" 235 lbs I fit very comfortably in the cockpit,the high output 4 cylinder eco-tech engine is amazing gets up to 75 MPH with no hesitation or problem at all.however I dont plan on towing a yacht to Flordia or racing a Ferrari for pink slips,but for a general purpose light hauler its funtastic.The retro looks are second to none,its been called rad,cool, cute(by my dear 75 year old mom),sleek, retro etc etc.Its really sad that GM discontinued the HHR,I think its a present day classic.would like to see it make a comeback possibly in 13 or 14 LOVE MY HHR.Mine is an automatic trans form wouldnt let me enter

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  Its a Truck, not a car - 2012 Chevrolet Colorado
  By pubob - January 14 - 7:37 pm

  Really like it, have had Dakotas, Rangers, full size Chevys, this is the best yet. Better gas mileage, simple controls, very comfortable and very nicely priced. Dated? Maybe but it has all the same bells-and-whistles the others have, at least in the LT2 I purchased. Forget the reviews, if you want a truck but not full size this is the one and dont expect back seats in any extended cab to be "real" seats.

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  Affordable, Capable and Comfortable - 2012 Chevrolet Traverse
  By learhopper - January 14 - 4:43 pm

  Began vehicle search for an eight seat SUV with the Tahoe, but after seeing the lack of cargo room behind the third row seats, and the clunky removal of 3rd row seats (instead of folding down into the car floorboard) we ruled it out. The Traverse offered a surprising amount of room and a more affordable price. We were impressed with the Buick Enclave, but couldnt find one equipped like we wanted in our region and the price was more than the Traverse for a comparable cloth model. Drove the Honda Pilot and was very disappointed with road and wind noise - felt plastic/boxy. Liked the Nissan Armada, but too pricey. Elected to go for the Traverse 1LT with the All Star Package and AWD.

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  2lt 2012 cruz - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By glow1491 - January 13 - 10:48 pm

  Love the way my car drives, it is comfortable easy to handle and classy looking! Love the crystal red color. The on star is great!

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  2012 1LT Cruze Auto Gold Mist - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By jamtracy - January 13 - 6:56 pm

  I love my Cruze. I was looking at the Mazda 3 sky active but the 1LT had more options at the same price point. When I was just thinking about getting a new car here comes a $2000 GM card holder rebate in the mail. Plus $750 USAA rebate made for a very nice deal. Its getting as advertised gas mileage. I looked at the Malibu as well because rebates are high on that model but the interior of the Cruze is much nicer in my opinion. Love the switch blade key. I own 2 GM vehicles now and couldnt be happier. Ive sat in the back seat and there seems to be a fair amount of room but I will never ride back there so I dont really care! lol

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  Like no other car Ive ever driven... - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By ejecea - January 12 - 10:54 pm

  I have owned Volt #3219 since July 2011 and cannot say enough about it. It is the very definition of under promise/over deliver. I drove away in my Volt without previously having a test drive and I was immediately shocked at the sheer power and torque. It far surpassed my expectations. At 42 years old, Ive driven everything from a modified 69 Camero to a $250,000.00 Porsche GT2, and I can say that the Volt is just as much FUN to drive! Really! The instant torque is addictive. While driving it home through Wyoming, I simply couldnt keep the car under 90 mph. OH Yeah... the Bose sound system totally ROCKS, and the heater (which really matters in Montana) is awesome.

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  Fantastic machine - 2500 miles and smiling! - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By jeffthedccguy - January 11 - 10:10 pm

  Traded a 2011 Prius for the 2012 Volt and couldnt be happier with my decision. While I liked the Prius and would recommend the car in an instant, it does not have the driving dynamics or the fit and finish of the Volt. Its also not the most attractive car, whereas I find the Volt to be reasonably good looking. The Volt is faster than the numbers suggest, is quieter at normal commuting speeds than anything else on four wheels, has tons of tech that works quite well, and is actually fun to drive (the Prius never was). Even without the tax credit this car represents the future of automotive travel today and has no equal, so in my opinion the asking price is reasonable and the value solid.

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  Cruze LTZ got it right! - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By richvand - January 11 - 9:48 pm

  I bought my Chevy Cruze LTZ Thanksgiving weekend in 2010 in Cary, NC. So I have had it for almost 14 months and almost 27,000 miles. Every week, I drive about 183 miles to Richmond, VA to work a 4-day week on a large project as a training consultant. My wife and I initially looked at Toyotas and Fords before going to the Chevrolet dealership. I have previously owned a Pontiac Firebird and a GTO, so I was initially not interested in a 4 cylinder, especially one as small as 1.4 liters. I loved it from the moment I drove it off the lot. And I am still very happy with it. 33 mpg at 79 mph (3000 rpm) on interstates. Great acceleration and not one problem with it. I highly recommend it.

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  wish i could trade - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By kat427 - January 10 - 7:15 pm

  My aveo i had now for a year and a half . had sparks changed, all four tires are now bad and pr oblems with going up a hill. Sounds awful in morning ..wish i would have done a better job of looking around