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:

• 

  It serves its purpose - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Irv Goldberg - May 13 - 11:57 pm

  I started shopping for a roomy vehicle that i could afford and could afford to run. I didnt have the need for speed or a handling package since most of the work the car would be doing would be on the interstate. With the HHR I feel I hit the transportation jackpot. I regularly fit a string bass, 2 amps, several guitars, a sax or 2 and three humans inside fairly comfortably. Over the life of the car so far, I am AVERAGING 29.9 mph. Fully loaded on the hiway Ive never done worse than 33.5 mph. Splitting the gas 3 ways at todays gas prices, that works out to about 2 cents/mile. The HHR is quiet, comfortable and very reliable. Easy to drive, a great turning radius and very easy to park.

• 

  Build Quality Questionable - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By DB - May 13 - 11:00 pm

  The engine is just adequate for this size of SUV, and its performance is great so far. The dashboard design is okay but did not follow any ergonomics principles. The worst things are the locations of the power window switches and the gear shift display. The audio controls are horrible and you might want to get handle mounted controls. The stereo system itself is great. Right now the back door makes a terrible loud squeaking noise, which is a built in defect, and you have to push it hard to close the back doors.

• 

  Love It !!! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By stanley4 - May 13 - 10:00 am

  Love the look and the feel. Wipers a bit confusing. Overall absolutely love it. The room in the back is great. The adjustible back seat helps with getting my children in and out. The interior is beautiful. The cargo room is good with carrying diaper bags and strollers and toys. Great truck.

• 

  I do like it. - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By mazade of montana - May 12 - 10:53 pm

  We were aiming for an econo-box that wouldnt need a major overhaul in the next 3 years(i.e. battery bank)... were pretty satisfied with what we have here. Fit & finish of the car seems quite nice. The only noise leaks are through the underbody panels because of no insulation/padding. Last 3-5 tanks are in the 35mpg area and we live in & around some hilly terrain... was in the 32mpg area until we changed over to a full synthetic. Currently @ 3000 miles on the car. Onstar is a feature that can spoil you... except for the knowing that they can shut your car off if/when they feel like it.

• 

  2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LTZ 4dr Extended Cab 4WD - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By dvo222 - May 12 - 3:25 am

  I have over 10,000 miles on my gas truck now. I average around 13 to 14 in town and 18 at 70 mph(Im 56 years old). I pulled a 5000 lb sailboat from Texas to Georgia at 60 and 65 and got 13 miles per gallon. I purchased the 2500 over the 1500 because of price. Between the factory rebate and the credit union rebate the price came in at $10,000 less than the 1500. Something very noticeable is the difference in the power (and it sounds good). I average 5000 miles a year on the trucks I have owned. So the fuel economy doesn really concern me. A little stiff ride but it is a 2500 4x4. The interior is very comfortable and well built.

• 

  New Malibu Surprises - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By JSaggio - May 11 - 9:50 am

  Love cars but not an "autophile". Was surprised by materials and fit/finish of the interior/exterior on Malibu; quality materials well executed. Drove 200 miles first day; city, freeway, ortega highway at night; satisfied with ride, handling and power. Ride is quieter than expected, more power than expected and more oversteer/pitch/roll than expected. Its no BMW but neither is the msrp. To me the int/ext looks better than Accord but not Mercedes. The ride/handling compare to Accord but not Merc. Quality seems as good or better than both. Im amazed with Malibu for the price..10k less cash but not car compared to Merc.

• 

  Not impressed with American trucks - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By alex - May 10 - 2:13 am

  I drive this because its a company truck. Let me first say I am biased because I hate automatic transmissions- they stink for mountain driving, and I live and work in the mountains. The auto gearing is terrible for steep descents on this truck and other automatics. The truck has got 6000 miles on it and the gas gauge just broke and the check engine light came on. It is constantly beeping with alerts and warnings. It does not go smoothly in and out of 4wd and 4 lo is super hard to get into. I am comparing this to my 1989 (almost 20 years older) Toyota which shifts in and out of 4wd and 4lo way smoother- (and the gas gauge still works.) Otherwise this is a very comfy and smooth truck.

• 

  Functional, stylish, fun - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By C Keene - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I actually like the looks of the 99 better than the 00, except for the Lumina overtones. The car is one of the most comfortable highway cars for the money. Pity that GM bean counters always choose the lowest bidder when it comes to interior plastics. If Honda and VW can find suppliers of quality pastic materials, why cant GM? I tore off the Z-34 emblems as I thought it was silly when they replaced the 3.4 engine with the 3.8. I simply upgraded the car by retrofitting SS emblems from the Camaro (RIP).

• 

  Good Car - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By ask666 - May 10 - 2:00 am

  No hassle - minor issues but a good car to have

• 

  New Owner Experience - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By timrlarson - May 8 - 12:35 pm

  After reading all the horror stories about this vehicle and its brothers I bought one anyway because I love the body style and the ease of entry for passengers, and I was able to talk the dealer into $500 for an additional 4 year 48,000mi bumper to bumper warranty. I will be back to report on my ownership experiences as they occur, but I want to start by saying I have just driven about 600 miles from Portland to Sacramento and averaged 24.7mpg @65mph average with about 200# passenger. The driving was a breeze and the support of the drivers seat was excellent. No tired back or legs, arrived fresh and happy. Keep your fingers crossed for me.