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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  Love/Hate relationship - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By mdr - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Love my Traverse! Except the fact that it has been in the shop over 4 weeks this year. Timing chains(stretched) replaced twice, timing chain tensioners (weak) replaced, emission problem fixed, fuel injector fixed, shrill high pitched noise when radio/cd/dvd is on that tech cant seem to duplicate. Feel I have a lemon but really love my Traverse when it is running decently! Just do not feel I can rely on it. :~(

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  Good car for the price - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Gohia - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Bought the Impala with 32,000 miles on it have had to replace the tires which is normal with any car with currently now in Oct. of 2010 78,000 miles on it. Runs pretty smooth I am about to get the brakes replaced so that will be the first costly maintenance. Other than that no real complaints.

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  Tire issue? - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By cindy - October 12 - 2:00 am

  I fell in love with this car. Running wonderful, no issues, however, I am beginning to question the Pirelli tires. Front right feels like its flat or I am driving on a washboard, or that it has a flat spot most pronounced in morning, dealer found nothing. Am taking it back to dealer yet again tomorrow,to keep until they fix it or replace the tire.

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  Need better paint - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By DENNIS - October 12 - 2:00 am

  I love the car. People stopper everywhere we go. The power is awesome for a stock 6 banger.So far the only problem in 4 months has been the paint. To soft or not enough coats. Chips and scratches, water spots bad.Major problem. GM should on up to this one. Other that that love the car.

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  Equinox and Escape - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By tjack129 - October 12 - 2:00 am

  Recently traded wifes 2008 Escape for new 2010 Equinox. We both liked and enjoyed the Escape. Good V6 mileage, decent ride, reasonably quiet and good quality for Escape. The New Equinox is however a much better over all package. Much more quiet, smoother ride, more room. My only long term concern is gas mileage for the V6 Equinox. Not as good as Escape in early driving. Long term quality is another unanswered question but it looks good early. Equinox is fun to drive, handles well and is quite comfortable in LTZ trim. V^ performs well and tranny shifts perfectly so far. Remember...this is not a Caddy or BMW, so dont expect it to be but for $35, 500 not a bad small ride at all.

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  Great overall car with some flaws - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Chad - October 11 - 2:00 am

  C6 LS3 Corvettes are arguably the best sports car value for the money. No other manufacturer can give you the performance, reliability, comfort, fuel economy, design and value that Chevrolet provides. Ive owned my Vette for ~ 1 yr and cant be happier with the experiences thus far. The car has unbelievable amounts of HP and torque. The ride is quite comfortable too on par with most sports sedans / coupes. The interior is a little sub par when taking into consideration the MSRP when new, but Id recommend not purchasing new if you want to save some considerable money. The seats are a little flimsy, but for daily driving or simply cruising, the seats are more than adequate.

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  Not What I Thought it Would Be - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Rockin Royce W. - October 11 - 2:00 am

  I mostly bought this car because of the cool retro style, but it kind of goes downhill from there. Theres lots of cheap plastic all throughout the interior..everything rattles and buzzes. Wheels are noisy. So- called "chrome" on door handles is starting to peel off like tin foil. No where to put trash. Lame design for window controls (all in the center of the console, not on the doors themselves). Glove box barely big enough to store a map and a couple of fast-food napkins. Cloth interior stains extremely easily, even from water.

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  Amazing Multipurpose Vehicle - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By max solano - October 11 - 2:00 am

  This started as my Monday through Friday vehicle. In the 18 months, and 65,000 miles I have owned it, it has become my weekend car as well. The sports car and the truck have been relegated to the back of the driveway. This HHR SS serves as a daily driver and a weekend hauler. Great acceleration and great gas mileage if you stay out of the turbos maximum boost. Noisy cabin at speed and entirely too much plastic used in the interior, but still FUN to drive. Have only had one issue with the clutch slave cylinder, but Chevy covered the repair under warranty. Other than that,the vehicle has only had oil and filter changes. Changed out the Michelin tires at 45k miles, Contis have improved ride.

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  Traverse is junk ! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Chris Robinson - October 11 - 2:00 am

  For the past 6 mos, have had nothing but trouble. First the dealer said nothing was wrong. When check engine light came on, they had my car for 3 weeks straight. Then timing chain problem turned into transmission problems. Now, you cant accelerate quickly because the tires spin. So much for traction control. the dealer has replaced the software in my transmission 3-4 times now. i would NOT recommend this garbage of a vehicle to anyone. Its no wonder GM went bankrupt, because their customer service really blows. I have spoken to GM numerous times about these issues, but they dont seem to care. Looks like my GM buying days are over.

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  Headrests stopped me from purchasing - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Laura Grantham - October 11 - 2:00 am

  I thought I had found the perfect vehicle to replace my 2003 Suburban. Not towing anymore so I could get by with a smaller vehicle and have been shopping around. I drove the Traverse today and it is beautiful and rated 5* in the crash tests. Also a smooth and quiet ride. Problem is I simply cannot stand the headrest. They only adjust up and down and need to be moved back because they push the drivers and passengers head forward in an uncomfortable position. Its the same on the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia, which are built on the same platform. GM, fix this problem and you will have a star on your hands, otherwise youll have unhappy customers and lose sales.