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 Our Chevy! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Hansen Family - July 29 - 11:19 pm

  New Traverse LT2 owners. Out grew our 5 passenger SUV as we needed more passenger and cargo space. Researched a lot of vehicles, including Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Saturn Outlook, etc. This vehicle was, by far, our favorite. It has a great design, is very comfortable, drives like a car (instead of an SUV or minivan) and gave us the most features for our money. It feels like a luxury vehicle without the luxury vehicle price tag. We are glad to have an American made vehicle, especially one as fun as this! Welcome back Chevy!

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  Worth Every Penny!! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Tom W - July 29 - 7:51 pm

  I bought my 2008 Malibu LTZ 6 months ago and since then Ive received no less than 8 compliments on the vehicle from total strangers. I stopped keeping track after a while, but one guy wouldnt believe it was a Chevy and a girl at a drive-thru practically climbed through the drive-thru window to admire the two-tone interior. Runs great, handles great, and looks great. Worth every penny in my opinion!

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  This is my 2nd Cobalt! - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By C-57D - July 29 - 12:49 pm

  What can I say - I bought a 2005 because I needed a car (my 92 Lumina Van croaked at 218000 miles). There was nothing wrong with the 05 but GMAC wanted to get rid of their leases and they made me a good deal! The 09 feels like it has a little more power and is a bit more solid overall than the 05. Never had a problem with either car.

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  I love it!!!!!!!!!! - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By FireBoy - July 29 - 10:00 am

  FOR THE MONEY, WHAT A GREAT DEAL...RESTYLE LOOKS GREAT. MY WIFE IS A EUROPEAN CAR FAN AND LOVES THE HANDLING AND ROAD FEEL. VERY PEPPY AND THE MONEY WHAT A BARGAIN...XM RADIO IS WONDERFUL IF YOU ARE A MUSIC FAN....

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  hell of a car - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By jason klippenstien - July 29 - 10:00 am

  This car hs to be the best corvette I have ever owned. The power is something else compared to a mustang.

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  Try it youll love it. - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Malibu Owner - July 29 - 12:36 am

  This has to be one of the best cars Ive ever owned, including a Cadillac CTS. Everything is just perfect on this car. The V-6 has real go power, and Im averaging 23 MPG in mixed driving. The fit and finish is wonderful. The car is so quiet that I sometimes have to look at the tach to see if it is running at stoplights. All of you import buyers are really missing out on a great car. I tested Toyota and there is no comparison.

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  08 Chevy Cobalt - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Chosen1 - July 27 - 7:25 pm

  I got my Cobalt 3 months ago and I havent had any problems. It handles great and is the best small sized car from GM. FINALLY GM has learned how to created a small car with great quality.

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  Lovin it! - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Jim Sanchez - July 27 - 10:00 am

  I didnt like the HHR when it hit the road. I went with a friend to help him buy a car and test drove the HHR. 2 hours later I was driving out with it. He bought also. Great car! I bought the LT with the 2.4 engine.

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  Best car Ive owned - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Kade Joslin - July 27 - 9:55 am

  The car is great! Plenty of room for me and the few passengers I drive around with on the weekends. I am 62" and fit in the drivers seat perfectly wit the seat adjusted of course. The rear seat has little to no leg room if myself and another tall person are sitting in the front seats. The gas mileage is great for commuting to work and school, filling the tank is super cheap compared to my 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 I had before. The 5speed manual equipped in the car shifts nice and can handle the power-shifting I do when I feel driving fast. The engine/exhaust has a nice tone also. I put a K&N Short Ram Intake system on it to spice up the performance, gas mileage and sound. It is the best running vehicle Ive had and it did awesome during the winter. If youre a parent looking for a car for your child, this is the car to get. Its cheap to buy, its reliable, sporty and gets great gas mileage.

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  Towable - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By rbowen - July 27 - 4:13 am

  Its towable and moderate weight for towing. The towbar fits nicely with no body modification, just fasten the bolts onto the frame. With the seats down, it can convert to a cargo carrier. Dont have very many miles, as yet, but what I have, Im impressed!