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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  My Red Cobalt - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By RedCobaltLS - January 19 - 4:16 am

  Its a good car no problems yet? So far Ive got 2800+ miles on it. I hope the next 5 yrs dont bring me pain..Knock on wood. But Im finding out how hard it was to replace the headlight bulb. I wanted brighter lights and had to take off the whole headlight to gain access to the bulb. But other then that its a good car.

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  Never left stranded - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jtucker - January 18 - 7:48 pm

  I bought this car in October of 2003. Its had brake pads, rotors, and calipers. The A/C hasnt worked since around 36,000 and GM wouldnt cover it. Also i avoided the dexcool related problems by replacing it around 60K with a Prestone Universal coolant. Also the car has very poor electrical systems. (replaced over 30 lights) Other than those things, its been great, never left me stranded. I bought it because of the deal I got on it.

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  Very satisifed - 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Troy - January 18 - 7:55 am

  Weve been eyeing an Avalanche for years now and finally bought one with the employee pricing in Sept 08. Interior is very impressive and the ride is suprisingly smooth for a truck. The climate control knobs could be easier to use when driving and a coin holder would be nice. Backing up is tough but the park assist helps a lot. Everyone who rides in the truck comments about how nice the ride is (even other truck owners). Gas mileage is almost exactly the same as the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 6cylinder we sold to buy this. We avg 15.5 mpg and could do better if we tried to use 4cyl mode more often. 4WD engagement is seamless.

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  Must hve runing boards - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Corey Cox - January 18 - 2:07 am

  I love my HHR. I do a lot of driving and it is great for long trips. The sound is very nice and the 2 selling points for me are the curves and the leg/head room. I am 6 foot 2 and have no problems at all. I love to keep it waxed but I do not have running boards and due to the design the front tires kicks up stones and gravel to the point that the paint is destroyed infront of the rear tires. Chevy repainted it once but did not offer to put on the running boards. I am not happy that i have to sell it but it does not drive very well in the snow! I have to get a 4x4.

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  First SUV - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Julie - January 18 - 1:23 am

  With gas prices were soaring, my husband and I no longer wanted to keep a truck and we traded in his 1997 Silverado for the Equinox. We wanted a small SUV with AWD for winter driving. It handles well in bad weather rides comfortably, but it hesitates when trying to excellerate on the highway. I didnt like the window controls on the console at first, but I got use to it. Gas mileage was great on a trip to Ocean City MD. We got about 29 mpg. My husband was excited about that. There is not a lot of room in the front. The cup holders are cheap and awkward. Despite a few negatives, we both like our Equinox. Unfortunately, my husband still misses his truck, even though he likes our new SUV.

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  Great Little Car! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By sensationalsens1978 - January 17 - 9:03 am

  It is a perfect car for getting me to work and back. I havent had any serious problems with it. However it is starting to rust, but that will be fixed later this year! If you are looking for a safe, reliable, and affordable vehicle, look no further than the Cavalier!

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  Good car poor fuel mileage - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Lon - January 16 - 4:42 pm

  This is the second LTZ weve purchased and both have the same fuel mileage about 24 mpg highway not even close to the 28 mpg advertised and both cars have over 10,000 miles on them. the rest of the car is great, good design great stereo and it handles great. I wouldnt recommend this car with the 3.9L engine because of the poor mileage but would recommend the car with the 3.5L engine instead.

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  Put to rest - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By PK in CA - January 15 - 4:05 pm

  I purchased the LS new. After 140,000 the cat converter died. There were mechanical problems that seemed more frequent then I would have hoped. Good overall considering all the stop & go of Los Angeles. Brakes and tires performed well. Replaced battery after 5 years, spark plug wires needed replacing. No transmission problems, no electric motor problems.

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  My little Scat Back - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Big Joe - January 15 - 1:31 pm

  I came down in size from a TrailBlazer EXT to this Equinox Sport - to save gas. Best thing I ever did. This little mover can get up and run. It brought back fun in driving. Mileage is OK considering the HP it has. Good move!

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  Avalanche in use - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Fun - January 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought this truck on thursday and went off roading on friday, it was a pleasure to drive and ride in, so far this has been one of my best purcheses. As for the interior I bought it with all leather that the dealership had done some where else. This is a awsome truck.