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 older car - 1996 Chevrolet Caprice
  By retirednak - May 15 - 6:45 pm

  My 3rd Caprice. This car has 30000 miles. Just did 3000 mile road trip to Alaska with no problems. Best MPG was 26 mpg at 60-65 mph. Worst mpg was 17mpg at 8-100mph. Too Bad GM doesnt make a full size rear drive car anymore.

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  2008 HHR SS - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Lew Jump - May 15 - 3:01 pm

  We bought the SS HHR a few weeks ago and I have few complaints. The car looks and drives great - I especially like the turbo power for passing and climbing hills. The front bucket seats are made for small, slim people. Im 5 7" and if I was one inch taller, my head would touch the roof. The seat side bolsters bite into the side of my back - not too comfortable on long trips. After a 1,200 mile trip last weekend I got 25.2 mpg but the tailpipe got really carboned up and the oil got pretty dirty. Dealer says "its normal" - which I doubt. Oil was somewhat overfilled from the factory and Im hoping it just blew out, causing the tailpipe (somewhat oily) buildup - time will tell.

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  Not overly satisfied! - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By jay - May 14 - 4:57 pm

  My wife purchased this vehicle three years ago and is still paying it off. This car has had numerous problems from the electrical wiring (turn signals did not work due to wiring issue), Power window button/ switch has problems and has been seen by three different mechanics and the problem has still not been diagnosed. Check engine light will come on and off periodically, carpet near the passenger side door is pulling apart from the seam, exhaust has had small leaks, brakes need to be replaced constantly, not great on gas, runs poor when driving up hill. This car has 130K miles, and is still running therefore if you dont mind occassional trips to the garage, this car may last long.

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  Its OK...But - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By cbassett - May 13 - 2:06 pm

  Ive been trying to figure out what kind of personality disorder designed the interior controls on this car. The bizarre configuration of the heating devices is just nothing short of irresponsible. You have to pull over and stop to adjust the settings. Go ahead and TRY to reset the trip odometer when you fill the gas tank. After sitting there for 5 minutes, you can eventually get to the item that you need to reset. The interior controls just make me mad every time I need to touch them. Ive actually looked at other vehicles available because this issue is so irritating to me.

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  Great car! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Love Chevys - May 12 - 8:48 pm

  I got my 2002 Cavalier from a dealership back in 2006. I still pay notes on it but it has been great ever since then. I have a year and a half left to own it. It has been a great car. In these two and a half years the only problem I had with it was when I initially got it, back in 06, the fuel injection went out and I had to get it replaced. But overall I have not had another single issue with this car. I love it. It is my baby. When I sell it or trade it in I will be getting another Chevy.

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  25,000 miles in one year! - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By sturns - May 12 - 6:13 pm

  I bought this car a year ago with great apprehension. I have heard bad things about Cavaliers and GM. But my fears have been asuaged. This car is a beast! From freeway to stop and go driving this car has gone 25,000 miles in one year and I have had no real problems. It can be a little underpowered and at times noisy, but its strength lies in reliability. It also excelerates well in turns. Good job Chevy! Good job GM!

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  Good and Bad - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By MAnkney - May 12 - 2:23 pm

  I love it - Its fun to drive and roomy. This is the first time Ive owned a vehicle with a hatch and I love it! Looks sporty and should have a good resale value, in-part, because of this. I hate it - I came from driving a full size truck and was suprised its turning radius was about the same! What!?! The gas mileage is ok not great. Fabric on seats stain terribly and you cant scrub them out. Front windshield and back hatch leaks in heavy rain storms and car washes. Drivers window is noisy when on the expressway. Center console laid out bad. Crowded and unusable. Before I got used to the window controls in the center I put my purse on them in the car wash-yes, I got waxed that day!

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  2nd TrailBlazer - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By chevy buyer - May 10 - 3:34 pm

  This is my second TrailBlazer to purchase. The first one I had for four years with vitually no mechanical problems. I love the 2008 and the cosmetic changes to the front and rear end and the wheels! Great black leather interior, sun roof and 6 disc cd. It is really fun to drive and looks good. OnStar is a nice security feature too

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  2000 monte is at least pretty - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By theunbound1 - May 10 - 10:00 am

  car mechanically stable....beautifull exterior design...my prob is the butt- ugle interior...everything is hard plastic and there is nothing really accenting anything..looks like they spent a lot of time designing the body and 10 seconds on the interior. the super-special radio sounds like a singe speaker radio in a tin can and is probably the worst stock radio ive ever heard. i keep bopping my funny bone on the hard plastic center console..and there is no cusion-like grip everywhere there should be. but hey it gets good gas milage and looks really really nice on the outside...

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  Great engine and transmission - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Frank ODonnell - May 10 - 10:00 am

  Nice driving car, engine and transmission are terrific, ECOTEC engine was best of all the cars I drove. Ride is noisy, good CD, mileage, A/C is average.