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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  OK Pickup - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By SN - August 14 - 2:43 pm

  Bought new 24 months ago and so far so good. Roomy cab, comfortable ride, and fair fuel ecomomy. Has nice stereo and was reasonably priced. Its my 3rd new Chevy pickup and I think I liked my last S-10 a little better.

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  Should have known better - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mike - August 13 - 7:22 pm

  Should have known better than to buy another Malibu after having problems with an 01 model. With the exception of the steering column recall, this car seemed very good until about 3 years in. CD changer doesnt work. Interior shotty. Power steering started acting up, numerous squeaks. Then the starting began sticking, and the ignition in the dash had to be replaced at a cost of over $500. Finally traded the thing when the entire electrical system went haywire and blew the turn signals. Chevy makes good trucks why cant they make a car? I will never own another GM car.

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  Sport Coupe = Awesome - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Paul - August 13 - 4:53 pm

  I have owned my Cavalier for about one year now. The only maitenance issue I have had is a broken clutch master cylinder. Other than that this car has been great. Also, it averages about 30 mpg (and thats mostly city driving). The 2.2L Ecotec coupled with the 5-Speed transmission makes driving this car a blast!

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  Happy - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By DOT FREY - August 13 - 8:40 am

  I have been very satisfied with my Colorado except the service departments bloopers. They created more problems than the truck would normally of had. It has needed work but I would not trade it for any other. I get an average of 26.9 to 28.6 mpg. I guess it depends on how you drive. I do a lot of hauling with it and have pulled my 10 trailer with no problems. Going up hills, it has more power than expected and here is West Virginia that is inportant for all we have are hills. I would recomend the Colorado to anyone as a small economy truck. the tires stink and were dry rotted so be careful but they gave me new ones after 15,000 miles.

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  Great for the price - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By GregNLisa - August 12 - 9:33 pm

  My wife and I bought this car for her commute 40 miles/day. So far, excellent value. Paid $10k for used 07 LT Coupe/Automatic with air, cruise, tilt, pwr. windows, locks, CD player, etc. 26,000 miles. Good mileage, 35 consistantly on highway, 28-30 around town. Very quiet inside, almost no wind or road noise. 100k mile engine/transmission warranty nice plus. Considered a Civic or Corolla, but nothing this new with a decent warranty could touch the price. Would of had to buy a 5 year old Civic or Corolla to get to our $10k budget.

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  Love it so far - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Steve - August 12 - 8:50 pm

  I love the way it looks, drives and performs. Pioneer speaker system is fabulous. On the down side, sunroof doesnt seem to fit too snug, there is no cancel button for the cruise control, and the built in cell phone is not blue tooth enabled, so I have to buy their minutes at .35c apiece and use a different phone number.

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  Decent Car - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Tom G - August 11 - 5:35 pm

  I bought this vehicle used with 49K miles. Within the first year it was in the shop for 3 different fuel system problems. After that point, it became a reliable vehicle, with only minor issues. It is relatively comfortable, drives nicely and gets decent mileage. Compared to other vehicles, repairs and service work are inexpensive. It is a plain, dowdy car, but it serves its purpose.

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  Had mine 2 weeks - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Keith - August 10 - 7:05 pm

  I agree with most of the other reviews. It is fun to drive. Great on gas. And many features for the money.The remote start will be nice in the winter. Im not an autoworker but I would like to see GM make the HHR at the Morine plant thats going to close next year. I think that would be a good move for GM and the people in Morine.

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  stupendous - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By villman - August 10 - 10:00 am

  I love it it rides very quiet smooth and comfortably

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  Buyer Beware - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Buer beware - August 10 - 9:43 am

  This is one of the most fun, comfortable cars that I have ever purchased from GM. It is unfortunate that the quality is horrible. I have had the steering replaced 3 times, the radio doesnt work properly, the ignition has been replaced, the transmission gaskets have been replaced. The sun visor has been replaced because the glue that holds it together melts in the sun. GM does not stand behind its products. After 22 years of owning nothing but GM products, I wouldnt purchase another one. Nice ride, but horrible workmanship.