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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  STYLE - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By M. SMITH - June 25 - 11:02 am

  Purchased my 08 LTZ MALIBU,black with peanut butter interior ,before vacation last. We were able to place 2 sets of golf clubs, & luggage in the trunk. The car is great, fuel economy is great. Had a 01 Cadillac, wanted a new 08 CTS. compared the Mailbu with the CTS, practically same car for $20, 000 less. Glad we purchased the Malibu, if I only get passerbys to stop leaving finger prints on the windows when they peak in to look at the interior.

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  Zippy - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Bob Daily - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Wow this car can get away with you if you dont watch out. watch the speedometer. Just have had it 3 weeks and love it. I traded in my 97 Metro for this one. (I also owned a YUGO!) and a Pinto, and an Escort Wagon

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  Best car in the world - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By nunyabiznizzle - June 25 - 10:00 am

  to tight this is the perfect car! I love it and no other car is beter than this.

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  Great Deal - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By smn - June 25 - 10:00 am

  I looked at this car as an afterthought. I love it. The acceleration and handling is great. You cant beat the leg room in front or back. My friends love the "claw" cupholders. I had test driven the escape, crv and vue and none of them compared to the power and handling of the equinox. Its a great deal.

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  2004 Z71 - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dunc - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Traded in my 03 Pathfinder so I could haul my boat. Hauls good, wish I had gone with the 5.3L towing package. Clunking noise in transmission gets crazy - dealership says Chevy has designed a new slip yolk to rid of this noise (well see). Overall a great purchase

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  A Miracle Car! - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Linda - June 25 - 6:49 am

  Its hard to describe just how great my 91 Camaro has been. She now has over 331,000 miles on her (amazing!), with the original engine. The transmission unfortunately had to be replaced at 324,000 miles. The first half of her life she commuted 110 miles a day in all kinds of Texas weather, but these days she is taking it easier. But I love driving her, no matter where! I love how she was always way ahead of the stretch when the red light turned green!! (And she can still do it after all these years!) And shes still so beautiful that people stop me to ask if they can buy her. No way! We will be together for keeps. I love my Camaro!!!!

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  OH HOW I LOVE MY EQUINOX - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By irret_49_nc - June 24 - 9:04 pm

  I had a 2007 kia, until I found the equinox. I was originally looking at a Pontiac torrent which is a sister to the equinox. I ended up buying the equinox. Its actually wider than the torrent and the front ends are different. We recently drove it to fla for a Cruise and it was a wonderful ride verses the kia. Only bad thing is the stupid plastic cup holders... And no where to lay your phone or smokes but I fixed that problem easily. I bought a small office wire basket at walmart and put it on the dash, now I have space to stash a lot. The radio is great but the speakers arent as good as I had in my kia... But overall I give this suv a 10!

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  Im In Love!!!! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Teach - June 24 - 5:12 pm

  Being a past Honda/Toyota Girl all of my life, I was skeptical about an American car. Test drove the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Pacifica, and finally decided to try a Chevrolet, went to test drive the Equinox and saw the Traverse and fell in love. Once I drove it, I KNEW this was the car for us. My husband and I both recently retired, so we are ready to travel! Rides like a dream, quiet and so comfortable. We love being in our Traverse so much that after three months, we already have five thousand miles on it. Go USA!

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  Nice Car - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By ooscgt - June 24 - 12:24 am

  Overall nice car. I have 28kMi and no problems other than the typical tire pressure monitor sensor. I lowered the car 1 inch with Eibach springs because I did not like the body roll and the noise dive experienced with the original springs. Ride quality suffers a little with the new springs but overall worth it for me as it makes the car look much better and it did help reduce the body-roll and noise dive dramatically.

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  The 2008 Malibu Rocks! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kevin - June 23 - 10:52 pm

  Chevy has done a great job in the redesign of the Malibu. The Malibu has lots of room for tall folks, I stand at 65" and can stretch my legs out sitting in the drivers seat. The telescoping steering column allows me to see the console, a great plus. The gas mileage is great, I am getting 34.5 mpg on the highway. It drives smoothly, is much more quiet than many other auto brands in the midsize class. The LS has a 4 cyl. that does great with acceleration. I purchased the vehicle at 30,000 miles, and it still looks great. No paint chips or fading. I would recommend this for anyone looking at midsize vehicles.