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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  2005 Chevrolet Malibu LS 4 dr 3.5l6cyl - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kelly123 - June 21 - 2:48 pm

  Just had my Malibu 2 weeks. So far I really like it. I had to bring it back to the dealer for a steering rack. Hope that fixes the noise. We took a 200 mile road trip and I got 36.8 miles per gallon. Back and forth to work (about 70% highway) I get about 31. Im fairly pleased with that. I think the onboard computer is right on. What people dont realize is that you have to check the Department of Weights & Measures rating on the pump when you get gas. ou dont always get a gallon for a gallon. The closer it is to 12, the more accurate. I always try to fill up at stations that are rated at a 10 12. I find that the cars MPG computer seems to be really close then.

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  Chevy showing its true colors! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By natron2 - June 21 - 12:53 pm

  After having put over 15,000mi on my 06 SS, I have a few amendments to make to my original review. The power from the Bose speakers is causing an obnoxious buzz in the sheet metal in back. The tire pressure monitoring system is hypersensitive and alerts me when the cold weather makes the air less dense. The grounding cables on that system have been replaced once and need it again. The seat pads have further compressed and become less comfortable causing me to buy a memory foam cushion and if it werent for the power and looks, I would have traded at 10,000mi. Im still impressed with the fuel economy after all these miles but I look forward to my next car which will not be a GM product

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  S-10 Truck - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By Tom - June 20 - 11:53 pm

  This truck has been and continues to be a good little truck. I use it for hauling and driving back and forth to work. It now has 141,000 miles on it and I have not had to do anything major except for replacing the transmission a few years ago. I was very disappointed in the way this whole issue was handled by GM. At one pont they said they would stand by what they sold and I ended up with a different person and the whole thing was stopped and I ended up having to pay $2500 out of my pocket.

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  So Far So Good - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Haysucka - June 20 - 4:23 am

  Traded in 2-door Civic, for this car. So far it runs good. The dash looks nicely grained, and wood grain finish looks good also. Big difference in fuel consumption. Front bucket seats lack thigh support, dont understand why there is no glove compartment light. There is some lag in shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. Driver front door sounds like it is binding. Rides good, a lot of features for the money, love that remote start that came with package. Wish that you could have more selections for fan speed. Thumb wheels can be somewhat of a pain. A lot of power, dont think i will buy it out at the end of the lease. Might go to the Chevrolet Malibu next.

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  Talk it up! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By stewart savage - June 19 - 10:24 pm

  I bought my HHR in May `06. I am pleased with the overall reliability and performance of the car so far. We took a trip on mother Day weekend. Leaving metro Detroit, we didn`t refuel until we were in Louisville, Ky. Love It!

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  We Love Our HuhHer, the Jurys Out. - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Rose4HHR - June 19 - 5:30 pm

  Well...I love driving when I can steal it from my hubby, but Ive noticed some brake squeal and he drives it mostly on the interstate. Hes not a brake man. I took Huh-Her as we call it to the shop (not dealer, I dont trust them-sorry) for an oil change today and asked if it could need brake pads. Their response? "Uh-Oh!" Not lets sell you some stuff...they explained theyve had a slew of people with some serious issues, mainly rotors and encouraged me to return to my dreaded dealership to resolve the issue. The dealership denied it at 1st, but when I stated I would research and report they gave me a card for the 1st time and stated they would "take care of it".

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  My 2006 Cobalt - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By smb - June 19 - 9:41 am

  I bought this car new, when my 2001 Malibu went into the shop for the what seemed like the 100th time. Anyway after dumping over 8000 in repairs into this Malibu, I reluctantly bought the Cobalt since I was not impressed with GM. But this car didnt bring my confidence back, after 2 months of ownership my drivers side window wouldnt go down I took in and a couple days after getting it back the door handle fell off, and the whole inside door panel was loose after they had taken it off. and never could get back on right. And to top it off this car lost half its value in 12 months, not good.

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  Love my Equinox - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mikey - June 18 - 12:29 am

  For the money it is the best midsize crossover vehicle period. Easy entry exit. I have a bad lower back. Great view when driving. Very comfortable. A lot of room. Great engine, transmission, brakes. Prefer old style steering. Electric steering is kind of numb, vague. Not good road feel like traditional steering. Would like to see 6 speed automatic and engine with more horsepower and torque. I get a lot of compliments. Mine is ruby red.

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  Good little SUV - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Dman - June 17 - 8:37 pm

  I own the ZR2 off road package Blazer. I would have to say its the best looking compact SUV ever made and its the LS so it has the nice over head screen and a power seat and power door locks and power windows and a alarm. I havent owned it for too long but it runs fine and it has over 107,000 miles on it

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  1st time Tracker - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By 1st time Tracker - June 17 - 3:40 pm

  I bought this car for my daughter and we both love it! The gas mileage is OK compared to Jeep Liberty and really fun to drive. Cheap to insure compared to others. This thing really goes!