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:

• 

  Love The Car - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Marvin - September 4 - 2:12 pm

  I leased the Impala and we love it. Extremely smooth ride. Prior to this Chevy we owner a 2005 Buick LaCross. One of the worst cars we have ever owned. The Chevy was everything we wanted in a car. We will probably lease the 2011 Impala in a few days.

• 

  Not Fun in the Summer - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Malibu10 - September 4 - 10:06 am

  Before summer arrived I thought this car was the best, now not so much. There is a "surging" problem with the transmission when it is hot out and to date GM has not taken this issue seriously. I bought this car to support America, a family member who works for GM and now I am regretting it, too bad because if this issue was fixed the car would be perfect.

• 

  Stylish and Underrated - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By John G - September 3 - 8:16 pm

  I traded a 2008 Prius, thats right, Toyota Prius for this car. The Prius had 32K miles, this car had 24K miles. The Impala now has 55K. This car has been a joy to own with a few issues. I commute a total of 60 miles per day and drive around 550 per week. I average a very fine 23.5 mpg overall. The care runs extremely well and is smooth. I would buy again, but there are a few troubling issues. The car uses a quart of oil every 1800 miles. The dealership is looking into this to see if they can find the issue. Cylinder deactivation works very well. Car handles ok and rides well. Seats are very comfortable for me, but my wife complains about the passenger seat. The leather is awesome.

• 

  Directions on Navigation system - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By donnar - September 3 - 4:54 pm

  The directions on the navigation system are lacking. Whoever wrote the book was taking short cuts from step one to step 5. Leaving you to guess how the heck to get to step 5. Would love to get some GOOD directions on how to program the radio and the gps unit.

• 

  Same Old GM- Junk - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Dave - September 3 - 3:47 pm

  We bought this vehicle and all I can say is I am officially done with American cars, especially GM. This vehicle has been a problem since the day we bought it. The salesman demoed the fold down seat and it split. They tried to restitch it rather than replace it because GM would not replace it. Window motor problems, trans problems, electrical problems and all we get is grief from the crappy service department and GM. We bought the stain protection for the interior and we are now arguing because they have tried to get two stains out that wont come out but nobody (GM or the chemical supplier) wants to eat the price off all new seat covers. Never again, stay away from GM

• 

  Great Car! - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By bwalk1 - September 3 - 1:47 pm

  My daughter purchased this car in March and after recently completing an 8 day 3200 mile cross country trip I have to say this is an extremely comfortable vehicle to drive and I am impressed with the overall quality and performance. The front seats are VERY comfortable, there is plenty of room in the back seat and it averaged 38 mpg on our trip. The car handles great, is very tight and has a quiet cabin. Her car is equipped with a smooth shifting 5 spd and has a light clutch that makes for smooth starts and effortless shifting. The gauges are easy to read, controls are well laid out and the AC worked great even in the 115 degree desert heat. This is a great car that I highly recommend!

• 

  Wow Runs and Runs - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Electroman37 - September 3 - 9:19 am

  I picked up this car with 200,000+ and keep on driving it. Now yes i have put in several things but when it comes down to it - it is cheaper then a car payment. It has alt, water pump, radiator, bearings, lots of brakes and rotors, couple random sensors, etc. This thing is more reliable the my wifes newer ride and it cracked 300k recently!

• 

  GREAT dependable vehicle - 1993 Chevrolet Blazer
  By JT2109 - September 3 - 3:35 am

  I purchased this as my first vehicle. I LOVED IT. unfortunately I ran it into a tree. I tried so hard to save it but it was too much. Ive been looking for one just like it for the longest time. It will NEVER quit running and i had very minor problems with it. Excellent build quality. You wont be disappointed.

• 

  LS & $4000 rebate = Best Value - 2010 Chevrolet Impala
  By LS4ME - September 2 - 4:03 pm

  The base model comes with almost everything you want. V6, power seat, cruise, air, 17" tires, power windows, tire pressure monitor, remote locks, onstar, XM etc. Average 30-33 on HWY at 65 mph Rides quieter and better than a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Sonata 4 cyl has great top end but is a dog off the line until approx 20 mph Malibu does not have a 6 cyl, take that!

• 

  Needs Work - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Trish - September 2 - 2:07 pm

  I purchased this car with 26K miles on it and now has 70K. It has had a starter issue since purchase keep saying nothing wrong and wont fix. Lights burn out constantly, now the body control module has gone out. Great fuel economy, smooth ride, fun car, just has to many problems for the price I paid. Im hoping the body control module solves all the electrical problems going on because I could not even drive the car while waiting the last 3 weeks for the backordered part to come into the dealer. Also this part can only be installed by the dealer because of programing my cheaper mechanic can not do it. Im not thrilled, most likely will go foreign next time around.