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 this new car - 2011 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Roger - October 3 - 2:00 am

  This is a perfect car. The back window is a little hard to see out of while backing but the rear view mirror camera helps with this. I feel safe and sound with the On-Star. XM radio is a blast. and the kids love the DVD. Best thing about the car is the room of a mini van without the look of one. Plenty of power also and have not towed yet nice to have the package. and for its size the MPG is not bad.

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  2009 Cobalt LS #2 Automatic coupe - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jim - October 2 - 2:00 am

  Loved the first 2009 Cobalt I bought in January, bought a second one. Different color same equipment. Same ride, same great mileage, this one has a spare tire and spoiler- luxury. 36 mpg hwy with the automatic- measured on fill-ups, not the trip computer in the car (which shows 33.8 avg.)

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  Works for me - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By wolfmanjoe77 - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Bought this equinox used it had 26,000 0n it now has 53,000 an running like a dream. Just had to do the 50,000 mile maintenance, transmission flush, new tires, an brake job. 800 bucks an thats all Ive spent on this thing since iv owned it. Do oil changes every 4000 miles its been to the mountains an to the ocean with nary a problem. Guess Im one of the lucky ones from reading the reviews. Ive been getting pretty steady 22 in town an 27 on hwy mpg. Mines an lt model.

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  Problems - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By chase - October 1 - 2:00 am

  We looked at all crossovers before buying the vehicle and decided we liked it best. Then the problems came. We have had it in the shop 4 times now. First one of the rear seatbelt latches was broke. Then on a trip to the beach the driver lumbar went out with it inflated all the way. That was comfortable! A couple of months later check engine light came on took it to the shop and after everyone in the world looked at it they determined the timing chains had been stretched. Dont really know if thats possible. Currently its in the shop for the engine skipping while driving of coarse it never does it when they drive it. Wish I could trade it. Who knows what will be next.

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  Like It - 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By John83 - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Got the new Tahoe to replace my problematic Chrysler Aspen in July. So far the truck has done really well, smooth and quiet ride, leather seats are comfortable, not too bad on the off- roading sector either. I use this vehicle a lot for long distance trips and it is one of the most pleasant drives Ive ever experienced. Better mileage would be nice, though what can you do with a 6000 pound car boasting an 8 cylinder. Interior is perfect, with minor flaws. 3rd row seat not folding into the floor has been a traditional trait of this vehicle and I dont understand why GM keeps it that way because it is a repetitive nuisance. Exterior looks bold and intimidating. Overall, a way better truck.

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  Reliable - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By cory - September 30 - 2:00 am

  Very reliable car. Only issues have been changing the oxygen sensor, but other than that it runs great and is fuel efficient.

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  Worth it - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By great car - September 30 - 2:00 am

  i bought this car with 40k miles in 2004 and have had some of the same problems as others. coolant leak, but i did a total flush and leak repair and have had problems since. some electrical problems flasher, cigarette lighter kept blowing fuse. i now have 139k miles on her and i have no real complaints. i think this car has been a great car and i still feel like i can take long trips with confidence. so far this year i have taken it to south fl from north Carolina 5 times without any problems. I get about 30 mpg on high way and not sure city but around 24.

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  What a piece of junk - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By buyersremorse - September 30 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car back in Jan 2010 to use as my daily commuter car. I was comparing to Fit, Versa, Yaris, and Accent. I picked the Chevy because of the low price and lots of incentives. I must say now that i am truly regretting it, I should have spent more and bought the fit. You really do get what you pay for. This car struggles to even get to 40 mph and the 4 spd auto is just lackluster. The check engine light came out 4 times in the 20,000 miles i put on it. Dealer keeps telling me the gas cap is loose and i know i clicked it at least 3 times. Gets 24 mpg overall and that is pathetic. Interior looks and feel cheap, cant hide the fact that its a cheap car. Already lost 5 grand in value, very sad

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  One of the best - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By BE - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I just put 4000 miles on the Traverse, driving 10-12 hours at time. It is a great vehicle and handles well. GM could not have done better. Glad I did not buy anything else. I have had people stop me and ask me about the Traverse, I tell them I love it and would buy another.

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  Dont Buy One Unless You Are A Mechanic! - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By Beeka79 - September 29 - 2:00 am

  Worst vehicle my family ever owned, bought our van w/ 33,000 miles and never imagined we were buying a money pit! It has been a few years since we got rid of it, but I remember a tranny rebuild, intake manifold gasket failure, a bad compressor, ABS problems and others w/ brakes, power locks, wiper motors and blinkers going out constantly. Traded it for a Honda at 60k miles. Would love to give GM another chance. But this van failed my expectations. Bad bad memories of this van!