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 Value - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Anthony - February 13 - 9:27 am

  Ive had my Malibu LT2 for about 4 months now. I am very pleased with the car, even with the 4 banger it still is able to get up and run if i ever need it and for the gas mileage I get 30-31 highway and 26-27 mix with about 60% highway. The leather seats with the suede fabric in the middle is what sold me on the car. It is silly luxury for a car at this price. I also love the hvac and stereo controls. They look good and are very easy to understand and use. I recently had someone try to break into my car by going through the driver side front window and they were not able to break their way through the laminated glass!

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  Great truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By Bob Itzel - February 13 - 2:00 am

  I did alot of looking to find the right truck. Watched the commercial for the silverado,this truck exceeds all of the expectations I had for it. The truck rides better than my Cadillac, and I cant pulls 6 horses with my Sedan Deville. Chevrolet has out done themselves with this truck. Congrats on a job well done!!! The commercials didnt lie

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  Great SUV - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By albertls - February 13 - 2:00 am

  So far so good. Great performer, good looking style. Has performed everywhere as expected

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  "Heartbeat of America" - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Dusty - February 12 - 3:43 pm

  This Chevy truck has the 5.3 liter V8- more fun than I could have imagined- and is the replacement for a 2005 Chevy Silverado that I totalled on my way to work when a 2500# cow decided to cross the road in front of me. It was all about 2 seconds of ABS; 1 second of airbag and I walked away with minor bruises. You bet I got another Chevy truck ( more bells and whistles this time) and I can pound up any of the mountain roads around here without breaking a sweat. Quiet, comfortable for long drives; avg. mpg 20 - sweet truck and a definite "keeper".

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  Beats all other same class competitors - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Arturo - February 12 - 10:36 am

  This Malibu is without a doubt a pleasure to own and drive. My wife and I currently own a 2005 BMW 3 series and 2005 Lexus IS and purchased the Malibu as a third car after test driving a Honda and Toyota, which did not measure up to the Malibus looks, design, and quality. We receive more stares and compliments on the Malibu than from our other cars. Did I say better fuel economy too! This Malibu has now become our "first car".

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  Best 1991 RS Camaro Ever - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Arctic White 91 RS - February 12 - 8:19 am

  The RS is fun to drive. Has F41 suspension upgrade. Nimble and agile for a V8 car from the late 80s early 90s. Mine been super reliable. This car has been thru everything. Purchased the car new in May of 1990. Daily driver for 19 years. 308,500 miles. Original engine & tranny - no issues with either. Basic maintenance stuff, several alternators, one fuel pump, one water pump, one distributor. Brake pads, oil changes and thats about it. If you can find a well cared for one, the 305 TBI V8 cars make wonderful beater/daily drivers.

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  Impala SS: Super Sleeper - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By wfd2 - February 12 - 1:30 am

  I dont think GM has ever offered a car that mixed so much performance and economy in such an attractive package. I was looking for a daily driver with reasonable gas mileage and what I got was a fun to drive sports sleeper-sedan with horsepower to spare. And, the gas mileage is good for 303 HP-- Im averaging 22 in city. Build quality is much better than even three years ago, it rivals some of the German brands. Very roomy interior with nice surprises. Controls are logically placed, clean looking and easy to use. Great XM Bose stereo. Exterior tolerances are extremely good. Improvements galore over recent US brands, right down to the door hinges. GM is trying hard to earn business.

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  A Great Overall Car - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By mindbreaker21601 - February 11 - 8:39 pm

  I just bought this car and it only had around 73,000 miles on it. I love the premium sound package that it has and the great bass from the factory speakers. My only regret is that they no longer make this car.

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  RVing Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By Charles & Barb - February 11 - 10:13 am

  We have driven this truck on flat and in hills to mountains and it has never let us down. We live in a 5th wheel trailer and drive all over this country,on Interstates and dirt ,and this diesel just keeps driving with the rest of the traffic.

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  Malibu - good value - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bill S - February 10 - 10:37 pm

  Have had the Malibu for about 6 months and 6000 miles. Wife & I use the car mostly on weekends & road trips. We both love the car because of the exterior and interior styling, and performance of the V6. Average fuel economy for all of my driving to date is 26+ MPG. Car color is Sandstone Metallic plus I have a pin strip down the sides. My LTZ draws attention from people driving much more expensive vehicles. The headlights are the best of any vehicle Ive owned as the light is widespread evenly (not lumpy lights). Weve enjoyed the remote start a few times this winter. No problems.