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!!! - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By speedy0001 - April 5 - 7:29 pm

  Great family car the performs well and the reliability has been great. The cargo space is the same as some suvs with a sticker price of half.

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  05 Colorado 2.8L Crew Cab LS - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Phase700B - April 5 - 9:25 am

  We purchased this Colorado as a Chevy program vehicle from the dealer. It had a great option package, is a crew cab LS and has both OnStar and XM radio. The clincher was the Granite Blue color which makes the truck look upscale. It hauls my 1500lb boat trailer & also a small utility trailer with no trouble. Its not a rocket,but very surprising in what it can do for a 4cyl. Around town we get 17-19mpg and hwy 24-26mpg. Lower numbers are for winter driving, higher reflect wind or hwy speed. I drive 65-70 hwy. Love that it came with power windows/locks, AC, OnStar, 6CD/XM Radio, locking differential, and traction ctrl. 06 and later can not get these last 2 options on 4cyl crew cab LS.

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  Great Little Car For The Money ! - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Limo Mike - April 5 - 3:24 am

  I have had my Cobalt for just less than a year now and I have to say I am very pleased over all. First off I got a great deal. The car is definitely more than I had expected. I find it fun to drive and very comfortable even on long trips. The car is gorgeous from the outside and the interior is very nice for a car in this price range. It has just enough power to make me happy. If I wanted a race car I would not have bought this. The handling should be more that adequate for most drivers. The ride is much softer and more forgiving than most cars in its class. Overall I think it is a vast improvement over the Cavalier it replaced and a great value for all that you get.

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  Overall decent car, but easy to love. - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Dan2832 - April 4 - 11:40 pm

  I bought my Cobalt brand new in 2005, so Im sure by now Chevy has tuned the model up some. But overall it is a decent car. I would have tried to get rid of it but they do grow on you. The ride is good and the handling is great. You would expect fuel economy to be better from a 4-cyl. though. The worst parts about it are the interior design and room. The backseat isnt comfortable or roomy at all and the trunk opening is tight. Headlights are average and on long drives it can get uncomfortable. Worth a look though.

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  Lumina Solid Performer at a Nice Price - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By LuvMyLumina - April 4 - 7:14 pm

  Purchased this 1996 Lumina used in 1998. Best car purchase ever! The Lumina is a smooth riding, nicely equipped vehicle that didnt break the bank. I only wish Chevy still manufactured it as I would love to purchase another one. This vehicle has been reliable and durable even with being parked outside in the coldest of Midwest winters and the elements that come along with them. The only drawback is the small area of rust on the driver side rear quarter panel. This vehicle still looks good and performs well even though it hasnt been garaged for several years. Chevy definitely got it right and would do well to bring this model back into its lineup.

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  My Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dina - April 4 - 11:43 am

  I love my Malibu, however, I have had numerous little things go wrong. One would be the steering, which I was re-imbursed. Then the stereo. My CD is stuck in my player, and I have found out many people have this problem. It is going to cost me $500 to fix it. As far as snow driving, it rocks! Durablity interior, rocks! Comfort is good. My dash makes a lot of noises, such as vibrating noises, this is agravating. Overall 1-10 I would give it, a 6 or maybe 7. Pretty good.

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  Only one problem here. - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Brian - April 3 - 4:54 pm

  I havent owned a Chevy since the 80s and this car is my first SUV. I love everything about this car. Comfortable for me 64" with good leg and head room, excellent acceleration, quality interior, stylish exterior. Low road noise, and after 15,000 miles in 15 months no mechanical problems. I like the roominess and the cargo space. My only beef about this car is the lousy gas mileage. The rating says 15city/20hwy but I get about 14 MPG anywhere I go.

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  Fun 2008 Chevy Aveo - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Rich - April 3 - 10:05 am

  Bought a 5 door hatch in the LS trim in March of 2008. Did lots of research on the car and found it to be as advertised. Gas mileage is roughly 30 on the highway and about 25 city. Not quite as good as I would expect in a vehicle of this size. Aerodynamics are questionable as the vehicle is boxy and this probably leads to some loss of mileage. I took the car on a trip to a surrounding state and found that it did surprisingly well on the highways, even on a very windy day. Cruise control would be a nice addition for higway driving. The interior is surprisingly roomy and 4 people can be fairly comfortable for short hops. This is an excellent commuter car and has some nice features.

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  Not bad but a lot of repairs - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By maddiesmom - April 2 - 7:14 pm

  We got our 2000 Blazer with a V6 vortec it has 86,000 miles on it. We put 16,000 on in 8 months. Our engine light has been on since about 1 month after we got it. Weve had to replace the front drivers side wheel baring twice, our blower moter is going, sounds like a bird in our dash. Now we are having troubles with it lagging between 1st and 2nd gear. Garage said it was most likey our tranny. Passenger seat is very hard to move back and forth. The center arm rest is all dented in, cannot put a child car seat in the middle of the back seat. Head lights are very hard to see with at night. We also had to replace something cant remember the name, but it makes a loud humming noise when starte

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  A Great Vehicle - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By A normal guy - April 2 - 6:23 pm

  The 1998 Blazer is one of the most reliable cars you will own. I own a 4 door LT 2WD. Mine now has over 160,000 miles and it still rides great! Its comfy(it has leather seats with electric adjustment), gets pretty good gas mileage (16-20), and is fun to drive! However, the best part about this car is its reliability. This thing hasnt broken down on me one time in 160,000 miles. It has lasted through many trips, and still works good. Its a great car.