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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  1LT coupe - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Mahe - August 29 - 6:16 pm

  Just got this car. ~1000 miles on. FUN TO DRIVE. Lots of power, easy to squeal the tires. Best bang for the buck. Got an auto trans, pretty good 6 speed, i think it does as good a job as a manual. Of course you always have the paddle shifters.

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  Not too happy - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Christy - August 29 - 5:43 pm

  Bought my Equinox brand new in Feb 2007 within few months of having it the mirror covers in sun visors broke off on both sides. Chrome around gear shift is like a mirror to the sun & blinds you! Now my breaks grab really hard when Im slowing down, anything below 20 mph & they starts grabbing really hard as if my breaks are bad. AC doesnt really push out cold like it could at times. Recently went to get a transmission flush & was told by 3 different quick oil change places that they couldnt do it on my car since its a sealed transmission, so now Im gonna have to pay much more $ to go to a dealership for the transmission flush. Wishing I had bought a different SUV!

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  Love my Hill-Billy Hot Rod - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By kkingery76 - August 29 - 10:36 am

  I have had my HHR for 1 1/2 now. Very dependable. Great gas mileage. I am just under 5 3" so this car fits me perfectly. My boyfriend is 6 2"- He is comfortable in the passenger seat but he does not like to drive it or ride in the backseat due to the limited height of windshield and limited leg room. Perfect for an outdoor type family, of average height, with pets and a couple kids who live on a tight budget. Not as quiet and comfortable as my previous Lumina, but definitely low maintenance and dependable for a small family. It is fairly plain on the inside but classy on the outside. I test drove many small to mid-size SUVs prior to picking my HHR they are not made for short people!

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  2011 Camaro 2SS 6-speed manual - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By bas - August 29 - 10:08 am

  This vehicle is all that it was cracked up to be. Wonderful exterior styling and lines, a well crafted interior that pays nice homage to the early Camaros and FREAKISHLY strong power to accelerate. 6-spd manual transmission mates well with the engine and is fun to drive. Handling is tight and responsive. Fuel economy is as promised (about 24 mpg hwy). If driven modestly in town around 19/20 mpg. One nice addition for the 2011 - and one which I waited for - is the HUD. Nicely done and it subtly reminds you of your speed and RPM without having to take eyes off road. Gauges, leather and interior lighting are a nice mix of retro and European touches. Well done Chevy! Happy!

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  Solid Truck - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By robnrachel - August 29 - 8:30 am

  Beautiful truck great to drive my truck has the heavy duty tow package so no front end problems 4x4 works amazing very capable truck. very comfortable to drive and lots of power. Would recommend to anyone wanting a capable SUV.

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  Great Performance - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By scottxwinston - August 29 - 3:18 am

  Love this car! It Rides smoother than my Grandmothers 2002 Cadillac Deville. Its very roomy and fun to drive. I feel very safe in this car. It also gets better gas mileage than previous 4 cyl car did. My Impala has almost 170,000 miles on it and its still running great. The 3400 V6 engine is like a tank!

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  Great but the milage - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Steve - August 28 - 11:18 pm

  We bought our Traverse about 5 months ago and love it. With the second row captains chairs there is little difference in space when compared to our previous minivan. The ride is comfortable and quiet, and the power is there when you need it. We use it to tow a 24 ft trailer (3700 lbs dry) - it tows it no problem, but you can feel the trailer behind you. Over all we are very happy with the vehicle, the only complaint would be the mileage. When we first bought it we were getting no where near the advertised mpg. However, now that weve put 5,000 on the vehicle the mileage is improving. I can now get the advertised mileage on the hwy if I drive 60 - 65+ and the mileage drops dramatically.

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  Good SUV - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By adam206 - August 27 - 10:32 pm

  Overall we like the equinox. we have the available rear view camera and we think that is a great feature. when i plug my iPod touch into it tho it doesnt always work and says its safe to disconnected. also there is something wrong it, if you are coming to a stop (or slow down) then press the gas to speed back up it hesitates or something. we took it to the dealer and said they duplicate the problem. otherwise no problems.

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  Terrible vehicle, poor dealer - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By hangman - August 27 - 3:20 pm

  Purchased 1-8-09, fully loaded $45K. From day one problems every few months. Four serious problems. On 2 long trips this vehicle almost left us stranded on the road. Once, it almost caught fire(bad cable connection under hood), rear lift gate left strut went bad and lift gate fell right on my head. GM & Chevy say: Well, it is fixed now and that then end of what we will do.

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  Unhappy - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Martha - August 27 - 2:00 pm

  Ever since I purchased the vehicle I have had problems, first was the automatic doors. For any minor hit on the doors like when going to the market you know how people dont care and they hit your car with the shopping carts. When I turn the car on it doesnt turn on it makes a sound like when the starter gets stuck. It doesnt start until I try for a couple of times before it starts again. I have taken it to the shop several times and i am told nothing is wrong that it is normal for that to happen. I purchased a new vehicle so that I did not have to worry but that has not been true. I wish I would have been smarter and read reviews before making my purchase.