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 Large SUV... Could Use Some Small Tweaks - 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jsb_mi - February 18 - 12:52 pm

  My wife and I leased a 2011 Tahoe LT 4X4 about two months ago. It replaced a 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited (w/ Hemi) my wife had been driving. As our family is expanding, we needed an SUV with more room and the Tahoe fit the bill. Exterior styling is awesome and the powertrain seems very good. We got the 20-inch wheels as part of the Luxury Package and really adds to the styling. The ride on this SUV is excellent and I cannot wait to take it on a long trip. I would suggest a few interior tweaks, including add storage "bins" on the sides of the truck area and a coin holder in the console (it kills me that a $50k SUV does not have a coin holder) and a larger rear-view mirror.

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  Love the car except for the fuel economy - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By reggie350 - February 17 - 11:42 pm

  Purchased a new Cruze 2LT with the disc brakes, 17 inch rims, convenience package, and spare tires. On the plus side the fit and finish are good, love the interior, ride is quiet, handles good, good looking car, a lot there for the money. On the down side the brakes are a little soft, not a true independant rear suspension, and the fuel economy is no where near the posted numbers. I drive 95% highway, mostly flat roads, at 63 mph and I get 31 mpg.

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  Still Running Strong! - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By 7ate9 - February 17 - 6:36 pm

  I have owned this truck for a little over 10 years now and bought it brand new in October 2000. I am lucky that I have a short commute and have only put 84,000 miles on it. I have not had any major issues except for repairs here and there. Recently the head gasket went, but my mechanic told me its because the coolant used by GM (DEX-COOL) actually deteriorated the gasket. There was a class action lawsuit about this back in 2005, but I did not know about it. Other than that, its been perfect. Its stil fun to drive and feel almost as good as the day I bought it. My only major complaint is gas mileage, especially compared to vehicles today. I usually get about 16-17 mpg on average.

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  Fully Loaded Black Cruze LTZ - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By g6leaser - February 15 - 7:03 am

  250 miles on my Cruze --- I must say that after trading in my 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Lease and getting into a smaller ride - the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze I was a bit worried about comfort. The Cruze far exceeds my expectations about interior comfort. Plenty of room and an upscale dash for a small car - the Infotainment system (NAV,Bluetooth,Hands Free, XM) with the Pioneer Premium Audio Package and Sunroof makes me want to take extra laps around the block. Only complaints are the styling of the rear of the car, a few hiccups when using the Manual Tap Shift - but the positives outweight any negatives so far in my ride. Time will tell regarding MPGs - currently avg 26 mostly city driving.

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  Good Car LS V6 - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mwilliams9 - February 14 - 9:33 pm

  two yaers done me good so far But if its hard to start when hot hit the gas while cranking if it dont twince. My radio just went out got A Refurbished for $185 works good now. the staring wheel got tight once coming out one tight parking space. I put in park and hit gas a littie never had that proplem agan. My wife share this car drop me off and go home and go to work and pick me up 60 miles a day alway ready to go.

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  Death Trap - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By buddyboy59 - February 14 - 6:54 pm

  Wow,if you live in a cold weather climate,ice and snow you would swear this car has 4 bald tires,suspension problems,GM has a TSB for this car in the Police version,no difference in components from my car,at 19k tires are shot worn on inside edges,alignment was so far out car was undrivable,after 4 tires and new alignment,sem,i driveable,needs $700 in new suspension parts,GM says pay pay pay,this company should have gone out of business,still putting junk on the road,if you like amusement park thrill rides this wreck is for youif you buy one get AAA to haul you out of the ditch,intermediate steering shaft replaced at 16k,rotors warped and cut at 16K

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  2010 Coupe LS XFE - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By mdobb21 - February 13 - 12:41 pm

  I bought my Cobalt Coupe LS XFE in March of 2010, and am still very impressed. The fuel economy is incredible (I average 31 to 34, and this is mostly around-town driving.) The ride is smooth, the seats are comfortable, and the trunk is huge. The interior lacks some style (my gray interior is very bland), though the center stack buttons are laid out in a very efficient and easy-to-use fashion. Considering its a 2-door, front- and side-visibility are very good, but rear view is blocked by the giant trunks lid. The headlights are decent. Many people complain about its reliability, but proper maintenance eliminates most of those problems. I have had none.

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  Great Vehicle - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By kimba727 - February 13 - 12:18 am

  Leased 1Lt w/4x4-- 1 yr into owning the vehicle moved cross country--happy with performance and ride. It was a comfortable vehicle and has great turning radius for getting in and out of parking spaces. Even my hubby liked the turning and handling. I was involved in a 3 car crash-rear ended by a earlier model TB and had minimal damage-new rear bumper and lift gate. This vehicle held up. My lease is up and cant buy it--so will turn it in- It will be missed and down the road I will keep checking to see if I cant pickup the same model. It was great in the snow or any elements. Always felt safe and comfortable.

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  Loovvee this car! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By krisevans - February 11 - 12:58 pm

  so comfortable interior is nice great for road trips! Seats are tall and cause blind spot but you get used to that sun visors too short-hard to get used to that. Tire Monitor warning has come on since I got this car-off show-room floor and no dealer or mechanic has been able to fix. And it sucks down the oil - but warning light is reliable when it gets 1 quart low. Drives great in bad weather as well. In good weather will give you whip-lash in a second. LOVE this car!

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  A Home Run! - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By sgc114 - February 9 - 6:08 pm

  I purchased my Volt and took delivery on December 18, 2010. Ive gone about 1500 miles so far and burned about 20 gallons of gas, mostly due to a few long trips [200 miles each]. Even on those trips, my mileage was in the 40-50 mile range. My overall mileage is about 75mpg. But when I was not taking those trips, I could easily drive around town, to work, etc, on the 40 miles or so range, using all battery and electric drive. There is nothing better than that! The car drives solidly, crisp turning, and more than decent acceleration. The best acceleration is in LOW using SPORT mode. Seats are comfortable, and the fit and finish is quite good.