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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  wont buy another one - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By sandyc44 - September 11 - 2:00 am

  Bought this brand new and after 3 years the radiator had a leak and the fluids from the radiator and transmission were mixing so I needed a new radiator and transmission $4000. Neither the dealership or manufacturer would back it up. The instrument cluster went out after 2 yrs, speedometer doesnt work. Lots of rattles. It is fun to drive but now that its over 5 years old with 140k+ miles its very loose. Back rear window motor went out. Very expensive vehicle to buy and maintain. I had an all wheel drive Passat which handled better in the snow. Never had this many problems with any other vehicle Ive owned.

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  Head Turner - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Russ - September 11 - 2:00 am

  This car does everything you would want a car to do. When driving you will notice a lot of people looking your way. The car is surprisingly more quiet than most of any sport cars I have ever had in the past. Also has very good response for maneuvering around corners and curves.

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  Superior SUV - 1995 Chevrolet Suburban
  By T5258 - September 10 - 2:00 am

  Purchased to replace a rusty 90 Bronco...what an improvement!! Itll take 3 people, their dog & a weeks worth of luggage with room to spare (ask me how I know). With just under 200k, it runs, stops & shifts like new. I guess 60 years of refinement will go a long way...Ive owned the aforementioned Bronco and an 87 Grand Wagoneer, the Suburban combines the best features of both in one SUV!!16-18 mpg with the 5.7 V8 is great in my book, plus a ridiculously well-appointed interior AND go-anywhere 4WD?? Make mine Chevy please!!!

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  My HHR - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By bonnie2008 - September 10 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I went to a local dealership to look at the a HHR we liked what we saw and we got a fantastic price, our HHR only had 19 miles on the odd and we paid only 13.500.00 for this model. We couldnt be more happier with what we now own. We havent had one leak we own a 5speed we have great car and we love it

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  A Lot of Bang for the Buck! - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By PDXEquinox - September 10 - 2:00 am

  Ive have roughly 5k on my 2010 Equinox. After driving the Honda CRV, the Toyota RAV, The Hyundai Santa Fe, the Ford Escape and Edge and the GMC Terrain, I decided to purchase the AWD 2LT V6, Chevy Equinox. The Equinox was the best deal and the most comfortable to drive. I am overall very pleased with the Equinox. The one downfall is the MPG. I have not been able to get over 22mpg town or highway. It seems to me that the the reported MPG is not very accurate but what one would expect with a V6 AWD SUV.

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  Ugly but .... - 1994 Chevrolet Corsica
  By themarine84 - September 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car just to get me bye while in college and fell in love with it. I have put more than 50k on it my self and have only had to replace the water pump and the O2 sensor. This car has really decent interior and comfortable seating for everyone. The gas mileage on it is pretty decent for a 3.1 6cyl as well. I will continue to drive this car as long as I can. If they still made them I would get another in a heartbeat.

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  ouch - 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
  By steve bruni - September 9 - 2:00 am

  i bought this car cheaply, as a project, but o boy. after spending $6000.00 in parts and repairs plus countless hours of my own labor, it is in the shop, 3rd one counting chevy dealer who could not find the cause of intermittent surging and stalling. after replacing every ignition part from the opti to coil plugs wires alternator on and on, when it runs its like a dream, but how many times can you go out and need a tow before you give up? if this guy cant fix it - hes had it for 3 days now, by tomorrow, Im off to a dealer to lose thousands on a trade-in and buying a vette. at least when i blow my money Ill have a real car. by the way, this is my 6th and last-worst camaro. lol

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  My New 2010 Corvette Coupe - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By David Magen - September 9 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Corvette. The first, a 1979 bought new was beauty. Black w/ Oyster (white) interior, including steering wheel. It was a hot car car to own in my early 20s. The quality was terrible.It was very under powered My 2010 Velocity Yellow w/ebony interior so far is a delight. With the 430 h/p engine its as blistering fast as I can handle. While there are a couple flaws in the paint, run marks by the door handle openings. I love it. This is the first time I have a stereo upgrade- and Im glad to have it. There is a fair amount of road and engine noise- a sweet noise though, and with the top (smoked clear pannel )off there is wind noise The quality of the stereo is welcome.

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  So far, so good - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Carol - September 9 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my 2007 Cobalt LS when it was approx. 1.6 yrs. old. I was very nervous about buying a NA car and it took me about twenty-five years to buy another one. So far, Ive been very happy with my car. Im very proud of its appearance. I dont expect it to be completely problem free now, but so far I have just had the oil changed. The dealership has been very good to me. Im okay with the standard door locks...less to go wrong...and Im not in a hurry. If this one does well, I will buy another NA car. I love the way the back end of this car looks. For the money...its been great.

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  A Great American Made Car - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By MichaelB2009 - September 9 - 2:00 am

  I was in the market for a new compact gar with Great MPG. When I went to Vegas in 2008 I rented a Toyota Corolla, Then in 2009 I rented a Focus for a Week then My next Trip I rented a Cobalt, Each one I rented for 7 days & I put on close to 1000 miles in the week going to the Grand Canyon and Red Rock Canyons. Even drove through the Dessert. The Toyota is a death trap,the accelerator stuck on me. The Focus (Mexican Built 1.8 engine) is not as fast and struggles to get up. to speed and has noisy acceleration. The Cobalt 2.2 is the fastest 0-100 & Top Speed hands down. I drove it hard & it impressed me with 32 MPG with Auto Trans.Paid about 11K with all Rebates combined & my 4K GM Card Rebate