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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  Great Truck - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By SnowMan - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Bought the Trailblazer in December and immediately drove to Lake Tahoe (1000 miles total). The 4WD handled awesomely in 1 ft of snow and the truck powered reasonably well up the higher mountain passes; tho it did down-shift two gears occasionally to maintain speed. The ride is amazing, *very* comfortable and yet the truck sticks to the road. The front seats could use more side support (lucky that even the drivers side has a hand-hold cause Ive needed it on a few turns). I havent had any issues with the headlights as some other reviews have noted; including driving in the very dark Tahoe area. Been getting ~14/18 mpg.

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  Great car good value - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bill - June 21 - 1:04 am

  I did my home work before deciding to buy this car. So far I am delighted with it. Lots of options for the money handles like a dream rides like a much higher end car. From the first one I seen I fell in love with its sleek and sporty look. But still classy enough for me being in my mid fifties. I have only had it for a short time but I could be no more pleased with the car than I am.

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  I give it a "Yes" - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Giddy-up - June 20 - 6:47 pm

  Just finished our 2,000 mile family vacation. I agree with the reviews about the hesitating downshift on the transmission. It can be annoying when passing and Im not towing anything. The ride quality rocks and there is tons of room. I wished I would have sucked it up and gotten the AWD, but I got cheap. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR WITHOUT THE REAR CAMERA. Its a big car with a tiny rear window. If you dont have the camera you just cant see anything.

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  Great Truck - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By mudslinger - June 20 - 5:49 pm

  Love the truck 4wd works great on the beach, would buy again!

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  so far so good - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By Warren - June 20 - 5:19 pm

  Even though I just bought an SS model I found it to be very comfortable and quiet during driving. Gas mileage appears to be fair for now and my only hang-up would be the call for 91 octane for the best mileage/performance. On-Star system is tops in my book and the entire radio system is more than enough for the average adult. General quality is MUCH improved from these guys and no door rattling of any kind.

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  Love the Mailbu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Cwayne - June 20 - 4:33 pm

  This is our first "Low priced" car in many years and we are amazed at how well we like it. We cant understand why your "Pros" dont rate this car higher. We find the steering and brakes to be excellent. It is a great size for around town and still does well on the highway. We are thinking about trading one of our other cars for a second Malibu. Everything on our car works as it should and it has never been back to the shop. We like the OnStar, XM radio, remote starting etc. All around good balance. Car is tight and quiet. More than worth the money. Highly recommend it.

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  Awesome Car - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By awesome1 - June 19 - 10:38 am

  I bought this car with 20,000 miles on it for my wife who is a realtor & it has been excellent. So far the only major repair has been a replacement of the power steering module/motor/output shaft. We now have 120,000 miles on it. We change the oil every 3-4,000 miles & do a pan drop & filter change on the transmission fluid every 30,000 miles. We try to never have more than 1 summer season on the transmission fluid as I believe heat is the death of transmission fluid & we live in the Carolinas. My wife is a realtor & she subjects the car to extensive around town driving. We have the LS trim package w/trunk spoiler.

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  Amazing Truck - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Abel - June 19 - 1:23 am

  Best truck to buy. If you are looking for a big truck comfort and looks dont look anywhere else this is what you need. I bought mine with a z71 4x4 package and there is nothing I can complain about. I have got everything I wanted and of course the mpg is amazing for this big truck

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  Great Car!!! Hate the cup holders. - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jason - June 18 - 9:33 pm

  I traded in a Mariner that was having drivetrain problems. My car was a leftover (at the end of 08). I drove it and fell in love. The front seats are spacious and very comfortable. The car has the gusto to pull past just about any other car I need to, within reason. I do wish that I had the 3.9L engine as I have added a hitch and the 3.5 seems a bit underpowered on uphill stretches having to rev around 2500 RPMs to maintain speed. My only two complaints are the cup holders. I cant fit a large cup from anywhere in with any other cup. Smaller cups and bottles fit fine, but on long road trips, who wants a small? Also, I have been in the shop for brake pulsations twice in < 1 year.

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  Really happy - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Philip - June 18 - 1:20 pm

  I have only had my Trailblazer for 3 weeks now but I really love it. The ride is really nice and the handling is very good (I own a 92 B4C camaro) and I am very happy with this. I would like to see Chevy put in better seats, the stock seats are a little soft and are not as good as they could be. The Sun and Sound system is great and the gas mileage is good at 20 avg even with the 373 gears.