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 for tall drivers - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Lou Gebler - November 9 - 2:00 am

  Being 66", finding a comfortable car is tough. I tried most of the crossovers and bought my Equinox because I loved the room it gave me. Even with the front seat all the way back, passengers behind me have plenty of room. Its a great car for longer drives. Ive been very impressed with it, except the mileage isnt as good as advertised. We also own a 2010 Hyundai Tucson which has a lot more pep than the Equinox but isnt nearly as comfortable or as nice. Chevy has so far impressed me with this car!

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  You get what you pay for :) - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kka89 - November 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Malibu with the only issue of needing new intake manifold gaskets. It would run hotter than the half mark when at idle, but go back down when driving. Within the first week of owning the car (I am the third owner, previous owner military)the power window switch for the drivers side window went out. I can no longer roll down my window. My ABS light comes on sometimes and my Theft System light acts up. I also cannot install an aftermarket CD player without a special kit. I only paid $1800.00 for it and cant complain too much. Im trading it off for an Nissan Xterra and more than likely wont buy another American car again.Ive had nothing but bad luck with them.

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  2011 Chevrolet Traverse, Super SUV! - 2011 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Robert Hudson, Jr - November 8 - 2:00 am

  I have owned several SUVs in the past from different manufacturers foreign and domestic, and my New 2011 Chevy Traverse 1LT AWD is the best SUV/Crossover I have ever owned. This vehicle accelerates very well from a dead start, to passing slower vehicles in highway traffic easily. The interior space and ride are exceptional. The driving, cornering, and overall handling in this vehicle. The instrumentation is situated very nicely. The Bluetooth, OnStar, and automatic starting features make this vehicle the perfect fit for our needs. Great for tailgating too!

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  I love it - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Me and my new BU - November 8 - 2:00 am

  I just brought my car. I am in love. I was going for an 08 2lt, however i left with an 2011 1LT with a sunroof in blue.

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  Everyone needs to understand - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By jd - November 7 - 1:00 am

  in 2004 and 2005 the classic was a rental car built by gmc. So they were not used gently. There will be things you have to fix. If your check engine light comes on it is usually a bad egr valve. I bought this car to get me by til my lawsuit against auto nation is done. general motors does not care about customers and this will be my last general motors car

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  All bad rewiews correct steering - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Toyotafan - November 7 - 1:00 am

  I bought the car for my wife since her 1996 Ford Taurus was on its last leg. So we drove a used Malibu. Seemed great compared to what we had and a decent price. 1 month later the steering had a knock in it when you turned the wheel parked or at low speeds. Very common problem in many Chevy trucks as well. Dealer ship did a quick fix, and 2 months later it reappeared. Now if I want piece of mind for a real fix $500. Chevrolet has gone down hill with products over last 10 years. Do not buy this car unless you have no other choice. Great power from engine is only good quality about it.

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  Great American Car - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Red-Line - November 7 - 1:00 am

  This is my first Corvette. I am over 60 years old. This is just the right age to get a critter like this! My Mag Red convertible has all the vim and vigor youd expect from a C5, and with more than 50,000 miles on it, it has lost nothing. I decided on the 04 C5 because it is the last of the generation you know, long and sleek with all of the bugs worked out! This cars acceleration will snap you back into your seat and give you the sense of a fighter pilots thrill.

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  Unsafe for passenger safety - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Tom - November 6 - 2:00 am

  Despite good safety rating, these cars consistently do not provide passenger airbag protection for passengers less than 120 lbs. If you are less than 100 lbs on the passenger side, you can guarantee that the airbag will be off. We took the car back to the dealer 3 times, averaging 4 days each time - and they claimed nothing is wrong. They DO KNOW that these seat sensors were set too high, and there is nothing they can do to fix it. Not only have we experienced this in our car, weve driven rentals of 2009 and 2010 heritage, and the same problem exists in these other years. The service manager said "No problem exists because the computer did not register any faults". Ha, ha, ha. Stupid!

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  Gottaownone - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By blkbuty - November 6 - 2:00 am

  My second suburban and basic maintenance has done the trick. Reliable 4wd only needed in the worst of winter here in the Midwest, but have had it in very tough off road conditions in Utah and Colorado. No worries through creeks and extremely rough trails. Not the ground clearance of a Tahoe because of the extra length. Great space, comfort, Bose sound. Power good enough for a vehicle this size. Wish I didnt have metal bumpers starting to rust. The body, however has none. Factory tires lasted to 65k miles versus 50k rating. Factory brakes fine to 73k miles. I expect to drive this 5 more years with no problem, then Ill get another.

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  Love Hate Relationship - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By FirstSUV - November 6 - 2:00 am

  We bought this big SUV for our big family, and having that much space is great. But when things keep breaking down, breaking off, and breaking in general, all of the things youve always heard about Chevys becomes true. Oil sensors, transmission -- whats next? That being said, it is fun to drive and looks really nice. Not sure that makes it worth all of the headache.