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 Avalanche - 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Robert Deevey - June 9 - 5:44 pm

  I owned an 04 avalanche, and found it to be the most useful vehicle I had ever owned. Took advantage of the GM situation and purchased an 09. Moving from a larger metro area to the country setting I have found that the avalanche has proven to be useful not only as a full size truck hauling materials, and its comfort can not be matched. With almost 100K mile on the 04, I never experienced any problems with the vehicle. I expect the same for the 09. The vehicle has a first-class appearance, which adds to the fun of driving it. My friends like when we use the Avalanche for long trips, because of its comfort.

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  Chevrolet Impala - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By JLehm1545 - June 9 - 1:10 pm

  I really love the car. It is on of the most comfortable cars that Ive ever driven.

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  Excellant LTZ, 4 cylinder, 6 speed - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By don lee - June 9 - 1:04 pm

  I like the amenities of the LTZ and especially the performance and fuel mileage of the 4 cylinder, 6 speed transmission. Its now 1 year and 9,500 miles old. My driving is stop and go in town and freeway around metroplex. The red jewel exterior turns heads everywhere and it has performed flawlessly. Its a great little car and one Chevrolet should be proud of.

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  Best Vette since the 67 - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Marc - June 8 - 10:13 am

  This is my first Vette since my 1969 convertible. The performance is exceptional. The aerodynamics are well engineered, the car actually feels like its attached to the road - extremely solid and smooth on the highway. Low end torque is so powerful that you never have to rev the engine past 2200 RPM if you dont want to. The shift linkage is very smooth and short coupled. Steering wheel controls are unnecessary because the stereo and HVAC dash controls are perfectly position right above your hand when on the shifter. The panel is a throw back to the 63-67 series, my favorite. Im 62 and I absolutely love every minute I spend in this car, its a delight to own and drive.

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  Still love it a year later. - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By bretton65 - June 8 - 3:23 am

  A quick update on my Equinox. I posted July 2006. The Equinox continues to be trouble free (except for a defective turn signal stalk that was replaced under warranty)and an enjoyable car to drive. It has 14,000 miles on it now. I get 19-20 in mixed driving. I am happy with the car and highly recommend it.

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  Great Economy Car - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jerry Cote - June 7 - 3:10 am

  My Cobalt is an 2008 LS Coupe with a 5 speed. It is the base model that lists at $14,330 and I bought it new for $9989. It is a second car that I use just to get back and forth to work. It is very economical & fairly comfortable. It is quieter than I expected and the stereo sounds nice with the XM radio. Although there is a lot of plastic in the interior, the fit and finish is very good. Overall it is an excellent car.

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  Camaro - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By carlover866 - June 6 - 12:30 am

  I have drove this car to about ever state in us and put right around 325,000 miles on it and the only problem i had was the gas hand stopped working about a year ago it only left me sitting one time out of all the time i drove it and it was my fault (went to beach and ran out of gas)

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  My Great Little Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By larryvii - June 5 - 4:26 am

  Great car. I love mine.

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  Great Car!!! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Rich - June 4 - 10:43 pm

  This is one awesome vehicle,, I got the LTZ package and am loving the whole experience with this car. Fantastic comfortable interior...Smooth ride and plenty of power. Great job Gm with this car! Anyone looking for a great mid-size car...you owe it to yourself to check this out.

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  Malibu Barbie - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Barbie - June 4 - 5:27 pm

  Our black, LTZ, with dark tinted windows is very beautiful and very sexy. It turns heads everywhere. We loved it when a guy in a Cadillac CTS said "Hey great looking car!" It is fun to drive and the on star navigation feature gives us peace of mind when we are traveling. Super car!