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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  Scary fast, manual Z-51, NPP - 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Ed - September 18 - 2:00 am

  If you are looking for super car performance under 55k this is the right car. The sound of the exhaust with the NPP exhaust mode its awesome. The car is willing to be launched and almost begging you to do it at every light. I like to launch the car when passengers dont expect it, they get scared lol! My wifes sunglasses came out flying out of her head one time. I got the z-51 manual and it is awkward at low speeds, awful to be driven in traffic. If you are getting a vette because of the looks only, get an automatic. A vette is a first class sports car so for me a manual gear box is the only proper option until they come up with some kind of real double clutch flappy paddles like Ferrari.

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  Car works well - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By JB - September 18 - 2:00 am

  My car has not given me any problems. I get regular oil changes every 3K miles. I have almost 60K on the car which is now 4 yo. At least 26 mpg (hwy. Only thing I have had to change is the original tires. Every car is different and each brand will have their pitfalls but so far this one has worked well for me!

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  What a Letdown - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Rockin Royce W. - September 18 - 2:00 am

  I traded in my beloved T-Bird for one of these babies, and I could shoot myself. Yes, the car looks cool, drives well, but built flimsily. Cheap plastic interior all throughout, everything rattles. Lame window controls in center of console. Fabric stains extremely easily..even just water. Havent had it a full year and its already spotted up everywhere. If you buy one, get some seat covers right away.

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  Suite - 2011 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Nick - September 18 - 2:00 am

  This is a suite ride. Not a misspelling, the interior is larger then some motels. I moved out of a Toyota and I am amazed at the quality of this vehicle. Solid ride, excellent handling, fun to drive, easy to maneuver. My job puts me in dozens of rental cars in a year. I drove a Traverse and immediately started looking to buy. It is the nicest overall vehicle I have been exposed to in the last 5 years. GM got this one right!

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  Nice car for little money! - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By SweetMikki - September 17 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car for my teenage son when he turned 16 & the car was 7 years old with 120,000 miles on it. Hes driven it all through high school & part of college & the car has been nothing but great to him! The ONLY thing this car has needed were normal maintenance such as brakes,tires,oil changes. The fuel economy isnt the best for a car of its size. Gets around 23 in the city & 29 hwy & thats a stick shift. Its very comfortable but the interior is cheaply made & things are starting to fall apart but it is 10 years old after all!

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  What a Joy to own and drive - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By new chevy driver - September 17 - 2:00 am

  I bought this used and have never ever looked back and said "Why" This is the perfect SUV/TRUCK for me. I sold my Ford F150 and my older SUV and rolled two cars into this one. What a joy to own and drive. Im getting in the low 20s for overall mileage and could not be happier. I take the covers off the back and get 20 bales of hay in with no problem. It hauls out two horse trailer as easy as can be. The interior room is wonderful great to take a trip in. I love the overall looks of it.

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  Red Rocket - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Dave Henry - September 17 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car sight unseen, and it had a different seat than the one I tested, and also a sunroof, both of which cut into the very limited headroom. The car is a blast to drive, especially since I added the dealer installed turbo upgrade. Handling and precise steering are surprising in a retro wagon. I have major problems seeing out of the car. The roofless/windshield design make me crouch down to see overhead traffic lights, and the center windshield rear view mirror obstruct vision severely. Also, theres a huge blind spot when changing lanes. The 4 speed auto is missing at least one gear, as the turbo is always trying to make up for the huge gaps. Id get the manual trans next time.

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  Got a Good One - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Mike - September 17 - 2:00 am

  The longer I have my Cobalt, the more I appreciate it. I bought a basic LS model at the end of 2007 to get me to and from work. I have a 60 mile commute daily and it just doesnt make sense to wear out a high-priced car so quickly. My car has 49K miles and only one thing has had to be repaired: a wire in the engine compartment that powers the daytime running lights flexed to much and broke. Thats it. The steering column and power steering motor was replaced under the recall, but I never had any steering issues. I do the maintenance on the car myself, which is very simple and inexpensive. The car is comfortable and handles well. Best commuter car purchase I could have made.

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  Think twice before you buy - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jennifer - September 17 - 2:00 am

  2 years ago we purchased a 2006 Chevy Impala. This is by far the worst vehicle I have ever purchased. The car has mechanical malfunctions all the time, some the repair shop could not even figure out. I had to have sensors and other parts replaced well before the time that they should wear out. The paint job is shoddy too. My husband takes very good care of our cars. This Impala has the pin-striping coming off with each wax job. We only use extremely good car care products, like Mothers car wax. I feel the paint job is inferior and not the wax. Not happy I will be paying for this waste of money vehicle for the next 3 years. I have even tried to turn it in as a trade on a different brand

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  Alignment issue - 2010 Chevrolet Impala
  By me - September 17 - 2:00 am

  Drive is good, but the cars alignment drifts and pulls right. i need to tug constantly to left at both slow and highway speeds.