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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  Worst car Ive ever owned hands down! - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By dawgscj7 - May 28 - 3:08 pm

  First off let me say that I have owned alot of cars like these, low end to mid range performance cars. Second off almost all these cars were forced induction cars. I bought this car with 60k miles on it, it currently has 91k on it. I have had it two years and Ive had to replace the transmission, clutch 2x, alternator, battery, plugs 3x, front ball joints. The car is always down during the time ive owned it, it has not run more than 90 days at any given time. The engine and trans are all saab and terribly designed and horrible to work on. the entire car was hastily manufactured with mediocre materials. the fit and finish of the entire are is horrible. 93 oct gas and full syn oil, why?terrible

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  Dont buy this car! - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By lyds7 - May 28 - 2:42 pm

  Bought this car in 2007. Between 30K and 40K the timing belt broke and destroyed the motor. We put in new motor. The motor still isnt running right. The radiator was rubbed by the fan and made a hole in the radiator and we had to replace the radiator. Asked the chevy house why this hasnt been recalled they dont know. Put some foam pieces between the radiator and the fan. Foam pieces have fallen out. Expecting the radiator to have another hole and have to be replaced. It is a standard and is hard to shift. Please run from this car.

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  comfy with extras, but serious flaws - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By busdriverjosh - May 27 - 8:53 pm

  We bought this used and had a transmission solenoid go out in two months. Soon after the ABS and AWD started to quit. You can turn the ignition off to reset it but its still a pain. Also, the wipers have a design flaw that allows the area to fill with snow and ice so the spring breaks if its not cleaned out before use. We like it and it has a lot of room and great features, but its just not reliable.

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  2011 Chevy HHR Exceeded Our Expectations! - 2011 Chevrolet HHR
  By chevyhhr2011 - May 27 - 10:51 am

  We bought a new 2011 Chevy HHR LS with the My Link package because it had everything we needed for our business. From the interior room of an SUV to the gas savings of a small car the HHR has been fun to drive and it is easy to load packages for shipment. Our website business, [HTML deleted], uses the HHR for shipments, carrying and picking up new inventory and advertising. In the future we plan to add advertising decals on the exterior to make it stick out from the others. The HHR has exceeded our expectations with its comfort and convenience. We have over 1,500 miles in just about a month of owning it with no problems.

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  BAD CAR! Dont buy! - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By dave1234567 - May 27 - 9:47 am

  This car was purchased almost brand new from the local Chevy dealer. We have had nothing but problems from week one. To start with the most recent problem, almost the entire dash is out. We have a gas gauge that works and nothing else. There are too many items we have replaced to list. Stay away from this car!

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  regrets regrets,never again!! - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By leecan75 - May 27 - 9:23 am

  i bought this truck after i totaled my ford escape..i love it at first..8 months later...well car just shuts off for no reason,thought it was the battery but its not.we got stranded at a mall had someone try to give us a jump and nothing,so called roadside asst and then the truck just turns on before tow arrived.and now the ac is not working at all.not to mention the inside it CHEAP CHEAO CHEAP oh did i mention, CHEAP! no one know whats wrong with it so its just sitting in my driveway.after looking up the issue i found hundreds of complaints with the same issues..please stay away..

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  DID I HEAR THE ECO CRUZE GETS AVG 31/42 MPG - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By biguylw - May 26 - 4:30 am

  NONSENSE!!!! I have been a GM owner for the past 12 years and was always very pleased!! was looking to downgrade one vehicle because of the price of gas and I was drawn to that Ethnic add in a nursing home (VERY POOR TASTE) where the bottom line was 42 avg mpg!! I own this ECO cruze for 2 months now and from day one I had an avg mpg of 19...a far cry from the adds!! I brought the vehicle in 5 times for the same problem and they continue to tell me all is running correctly and does not qualify for the lemon Law!! The law states that if you bring in your car for three (3) times for the SAME reason and they cnnot fix it...you are entitled to a refund or replacement!! I want a repalcement

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  Just a fun little car! - 1998 Chevrolet Metro
  By theguy89 - May 26 - 3:53 am

  I got this car when i turned 18 and im now 22 years old i had 90 thousand miles on it then and it now has 150 thousands miles on it i had to replace an alternater and a starter but nothing seroius very well build car no major problems and i dont regret it at all.this car had been threw hell and back but somehow its still runs as if it was brand new.what can i say? well its damn good car thats what i can say!

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  Not looking forward to warranty running out - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By b0ds - May 26 - 2:44 am

  My wife and I purchased this car new back in 09. Its good on gas and not too bad for road trips. A taller person like myself might find themselves hunched over to see out the windshield though. The ignition went bad within the first year. One day we just couldnt turn the car off, the ignition had locked up and you couldnt turn the key to shut it off. Had to pull the fuel pump fuse to kill the car. Weve had to have the brake rotors and pads replaced a couple times. Most recently we had to replace a leaking front strut. All this before the car reached 27k miles. Havnt had to pay for repairs, but the warranty ends soon. I would not purchase another one.

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  You get what you pay for - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By kelcic - May 26 - 12:15 am

  I have had my Cobalt for 5 years now, and I have put about 70,000 miles on it. Around 45,000, the brakes began failing. Around 60,000, the transmission began failing. Just recently, it has begun violently shaking whenever I brake or accelerate. The car has served me well, and I havent had to replace anything yet. Once the transmission fails, though, the car is totalled. I have manual locks and windows, so I have not had any problems with the doors locking me in or out. This is a good car for first-time drivers, but if you want a long-lasting car, I would avoid the Cobalt.