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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  A good car. - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By merquisez - September 11 - 5:43 am

  I dont know why people are having problems with their Impalas. My Impala works well inside and out. I think it comes down to TLC and regular maintenance. Its a great car for the highways, and a great car for economy for its size. I have 85000 kms on it now.

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  I Love Basic Transportation. - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By hawaiianbuffet - September 11 - 2:03 am

  Just got a night work shift so I can catch the bus now after driving days for three months. Everything I expect from a $10,000 car with a $2,000 rebate, and another $1,000. from charging groceries on my GM mastercard credit card points. This Korean made car has a 1.6 liter engine to handle the load from the A/C. Since the Special Value doesnt have A/C, it has a lot of power. I drive 95% freeway and get 37 MPG. Same as a Cavalier with a larger motor. Seating is OK. Not plush. What else can I say about a basic car? Will buy another one in three years.

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  Pure Adrenaline Rush! - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Mark C - September 10 - 10:50 pm

  No doubt this is an awesome car to drive and own. You will get a lot of attention as you drive up and down the roads in this fine tuned machine. I have the crystal red with a 6 speed manual.

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  ter/tah07 - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By HiDezMom - September 10 - 11:46 am

  A very nice vehicle in deed. Sorry Ford, but twice the vehicle my Expedition was. Feels very tight throughout. excellent road feel. Interior is very sophisticated, with lots of tech goodies.(I know, more to break later on.)Has a lot of very nice features like auto folding mirrors, and memory seating for more than one operator I wouldnt hesitate to recommend this as an SUV choice. On the other hand, I sure havent seen the "22 and more" mpg that the dealer harped on. Maybe someday...but not now for sure.

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  Better than I expected - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Biff - September 10 - 8:16 am

  Having owned Volvos for ages, I was a little apprehensive about buying a Chevy but I couldnt turn down the deal I got as a GM supplier. The Maxx is a good, solid car. Yeah, some of the interior materials are a little basic and you can tell where they saved a few bucks, but it gets the job done. I love having a hatchback. Really handy. You can put a LOT of cargo in this car.

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  Reliable - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kevin - September 9 - 12:51 pm

  We purchased our 2000 Cavalier in October of 1999. We have 123,000 miles on the car. We get 28 mpg average between city and highway. We have the 2.2 litre engine. The car is very easy to drive and still runs very well. We have had very little trouble out of it. It has been very reliable. No leaks of any kind, and everything works. Still looks good and I enjoy driving it every day. We paid $13,000 for it new and have had the car for nearly ten years. I have no plans to sell or trade my Cavalier. I have owned many different cars from many different manufacturers, but I have kept this one the longest and have found it to be the most reliable.

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  Like it but hate the power sliding doors - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Fed Up - September 8 - 1:57 pm

  We are pretty much pleased with our 2005 Uplander ls except for the power sliding doors. They open when they want to and close when they want to. The power sliding door on the drivers side has had many problems of not closing and opening when it is supposed to so we had to unplug it so the alarm on it would stop going off. Its pretty hard to drive 30 miles with the alarm going off and still be in your right mind when you return home. Also we have a thumping noise under the hood and cant figure out what it is.

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  Sporty at 40 - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By angel - September 8 - 12:53 am

  After driving an SUV for seven years,and the gas prices steadily rising, I had to get a more compact car. This is my first "sports car" and I really love it! I have all the bells and whistles that were offered. I have to get used to driving a smaller vehicle all over again. This car handles really well. People comment that it looks similar to a Mustang or a Cougar.

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  Leased 2 impalas -- 3.4 and 3.8 LS - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ed Liss - September 7 - 10:00 am

  Best cars I ever owned. Tight, trouble/maintenance free. No problems whatsoever. 3.8 handles better than 3.4, which has just adequate power. Lease on both is up 9/02. Looked at new Deville, spoke to current owners and mechanics. All gave thumbs down to Caddy. Looks like Ill be getting 2 new 03 Impalas.

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  Got me wondering! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By ann - September 7 - 9:34 am

  I love the look of my HHR. I do have a few issues with it. I have had more visits to the service department (other than routine servicing) with HHR than any other vehicle I have owned. I had the same air condition problem twice, brake problems, raining in the vehicle, starting problems, outside mirrors stopped working, etc. Maybe I just got the bad one out of the bunch. I now worry about what will happen when my warranty ends! I have talked with Chevrolet & the dealership. No one seems to understand my concerns. I had planned to keep this vehicle for a long time. I am now very seriously thinking of trading it off! I bought the vechicle brand new. Never had these many problems with other cars!