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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  Excellent All-around - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By sillycat - March 27 - 2:43 pm

  Have been driving this car for over a year now. Love it completely. Considering its weight against Camry and Accord, the gas mileage is super at both highway and local. The body style is stunning. When I was waiting for green, I got people on the next lane complimenting the car several times. The interior is better than Japanese cars also, in my opinion. Options are cheaper too. Engine is from Europe, very reliable. Car runs very smooth after a year. The only complaint I have is the trunk entry is a little bit narrow. I can not even put my laundry basket in.

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  I will own nothing BUT an Impala SS! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By elalewine - March 27 - 1:31 pm

  I have had my Impala SS for about 2 years now, and love it, love it, love it! It is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned! It has been reliable, comfortable, and fun! I like the sedan look and the interior is also very nice (I love the sunroof). I am at about 27,000 miles and have not had any problems, whatsoever. I am looking at the 2010 Impala SS and cant wait for that to come out! The trunk space surprised me as to how LARGE it was!

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  1 FAST IMPALA - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By 1fastimpala - March 27 - 12:14 pm

  This is one great all around car. You can easily obtain 27 mpg on a highway trip, but combined your looking at 20- 21 mpg(still not bad for a v8). When I was purchasing this Impala I was also looking at the 08 Honda Accord 4 cyl. They were almost the same in price, but a huge decrease in Insurance on the Impala SS. I couldnt believe it. I have had no problems with this car. Chevys are great quality cars.

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  a hoss - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By jim - March 27 - 12:03 pm

  Bought used 89,000 miles. Now have 205,000 have had no problems except brakes. Am on 4th set of brakes and 2nd set of front rotors. Interior not of great quality too much plastic. Have had to put Freon in a/c only once but discovered has a large capacity. Replaced battery once. Do not like screw terminals they vibrate loose. Has 44 gallon tank gets 18 mpg on hwy and 14 city. In terms of bang for the buck I feel I for once got the better deal. I will probably replace once I get to 250,000 and have really fallen in love with the Nissan armada. I think the suburban has been overpriced for the cheap interior but give it an "a" for the past 6 years

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  39 Mpg right from the Start! - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By buffalo Balt - March 27 - 10:56 am

  I looked at a few different cars in this class and ended up buying a great Cobalt XFE. The interior door panels are in need of new materials and and a better design. The Chrome door handle and storage are great but the Plastic is so rough you can grate cheese on it. That is the only dislike however about this great car. I looked at an 09 Corolla and that interior looked extremely cheap and was full of bad plastics & poor fitting panels. The cost of the Corolla 5 speed was 14,500 rock bottom price. The Cobalt with all the same equipment plus onstar and XM radio was $11,000 before tax. PLUS the Cobalt is getting 39 mpg in mixed driving &ts not even broken yet. The Cobalt is the way to go.

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  Happy to own, sad to let it go - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bowtie for Life - March 27 - 7:26 am

  I love this truck. The only reason I am getting rid of it is to get a 2008 Chevy Extended cab (growing family). If you like a quick powerful truck, this has all you need. 5.3L. It is comfortable and fun to drive. fuel is about 16 mpg. i have ridden in all models and to me (comparing same year models) there is no comparison, this truck is heads and shoulders above the rest. whether you are brand loyal or not...you will buy this truck if you drive it.

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  Chey Aveo 2007 Review - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Nancy - March 26 - 11:03 pm

  I like this car. It was cheap. I wanted something inexpensive that was good on gas mileage and reliable. Paid $8,100 out the door. No air conditioner, but it has a lot of good features that years ago would have been considered an upgrade. Very reliable and so cute!

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  So far so good - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Cher - March 26 - 4:48 pm

  Only had car for a few weeks, so I will write another review in a year. I may not know much about this car yet, but I do know that the gas mileage is fabulous. Better than any 4 cylinder compact car I have owned. However, that only goes for the manual transmission LS models. The manual transmission is fun to drive, it shifts smoothly and the engine is peppy. Great if you need to pass someone. The trunk is roomy but the back seats are not. Overall I do like this car.

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  great car for a college guy - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By spencer - March 25 - 11:56 pm

  I bought my cobalt the night after my high school graduation, I bought it for $11,988 with 15,389 miles on it. But the night I drove it home, when I hit my very well maintained gravel driveway, I heard a loud thud coming from the steering! Well the dealership replaced both steering shafts but now 17,000 miles later at around 31,500 miles the same shaft need to be replaced! It all was under warranty but now I am worried about it going out at 45,00 miles (not under warranty!) but over all it is a very flashy car, especially with a loud exhaust! (gets the cops attention). I love the stereo and the interior design! And I am getting 26.5 mpg driving around town and I once pulled 35.6 on a road trip!

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  Hated Chevy, But Now.. - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Crystal - March 25 - 10:57 pm

  In 2008 I purchased a 2007 Chevrolet Aveo. Never-again. I had it into the shop 15+ times in a single year. I swore Id never buy another GM car until I laid eyes on the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS Coupe. I was drawn by its style and yellow color. After test driving it and looking at the specs, my boyfriend and I decided wed give GM another try. WONDERFUL, idea. I love its get-up-and-go power and handling. XM is awesome as is 1 free year of Onstar. This car has been completely reliable and I enjoy driving it. The price was reasonable, and the fuel economy is excellent. At 20 miles on the odometer when I first purchased the car I was getting 30mpg and its still going up. Great car.