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:

• 

  Fantastic! - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By linder - August 27 - 8:37 am

  Ive owned my Camaro for a year now and am VERY happy with it. No problems at all. Runs great, looks fantastic, fun to drive. Im seeing more and more Camaros on the road, but I still get comments in the parking lot or at the gas pump. Ive had no trouble with the paint, the finish is fine.

• 

  Do not buy this to tow anything - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By john davis - August 27 - 8:21 am

  I purchased 2008 SUV 2 weeks ago. I read reviews. GMs claims were that this car would tow 5200 lbs and up depending on rear end. My boat and trailer weigh 3600. Now to tow on flat interstate highway it will not tow in fourth at all at speed limit without dropping to 3rd gear and 2nd gear on an incline. We contacted gm. They said there was nothing wrong and to tow in third gear 1300 miles to Florida down and 1300 back even though 2 states are mountain states and it would be in 2nd gear at least 1/2 of the time. This is very hard on whole drive train and would diminish the life of vehicle. Their 4.2 6 cyl. is rated at 291 hp at 6500 rpm but max rpm is 4500 how can you research like that just sick

• 

  Big Disapointment - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Sad - August 26 - 10:49 pm

  Have always bought Gm product and the have always treated me well but this thing is a joke. The mileage is a joke at 15 mpg. I get 21 from a full size truck and Tahoe! As for the towing capacity it is the same as my wifes Escape. What a joke! The thing is falling apart. The roof leaks, the headliners and carpet are shot! Cheap plastic that breaks with little effort. The front turn signals keep getting corrosion in the plugs and have to be cleaned month after month. I do not abuse my vehicles in any way. This thing is junk!

• 

  I Still Love My Malibu! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bellemom - August 26 - 9:12 pm

  When I decided to buy a new car, I went back and forth between the Malibu and the Accord. I cant express how happy I am that I stayed loyal to the GM brand. My husband suggested I wait to write my review until I owned it for a longer period of time. I was ready to rave after week 1. Well, its been well over 2 years and I am still raving. Its so fun to drive and I still look at it and think, Thats a great looking car - inside and out. I have gotten many compliments on it. The ONLY things are I dont like about it: gas mileage not as great as I would like, and not sure how comfortable it would be on a long distance drive. The seats could probably have a little more support.

• 

  2010 Chevrolet Camaro - Not so good - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Kathy Spomer - August 26 - 1:25 pm

  This car has been a nightmare. We drove it home from the dealer on May 28th. 1 month later it was back as the passenger side airbag sensor had to be replaced. One week after that it was back again the passenger seat belt had to be repaired as it did not register and caused the chime to go off. The final blow was when I picked it up and the antennae no longer works. No XM Radio and after several calls to the dealer and now GM it has been 2 months and they cannot find the parts and tell us to do whatever we have to do! New car and no radio. What happened to GM? I had a Camaro and a Corvette so I have been dedicated to Chevrolet and GM. Not anymore!

• 

  Small package with big storage - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By AMAZED - August 26 - 2:31 am

  Drove one and fell in love with it I am 6 ft 4 in and play drums the drums etc fit perfect with room to spare 37.8 mpg at 70 mph I had a vibe and Honda fit and would take this over all of them

• 

  New Camaro - Grade F - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Chevy Guy - August 25 - 6:43 pm

  I must have owned 10 camaros in my lifetime and am so disappointed with what Chevy built. I know they were dealing with heavy financial issues and competing with Ford and Dodge, but they should have taken more time to do it right. The front end is way cool, but thats it. Almost looks like to replicated a 67/68 Quarter Panel and used the rear roof line off a Cadillac CTS and squished it with a corvette rear bumper. The 2011 convertible is even worse. There is a drop in the quarter panel right after the door and simply looks terrible.

• 

  Purple electrical nightmare - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Betrayed chevy owner - August 25 - 1:43 pm

  I bought this car ignorantly in may after totalling out my impala. I wanted another impala but couldnt find one for the price I payed originally. I found this purple equinox that I had to have but then I realized my eyes are bigger than my patience. The doors leak, the ac works when it wants to, it starts when it feels like it, the radio changes stations at random, the cd player has to be pounded on by your hand to work, last night the headlights started flickering and went out and now only the drivers side headlight works and only on bright. The lights on the dashboard randomly dim, have to be hit to work again, and Im not done yet...

• 

  Love this vehicle - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By newowner - August 25 - 9:47 am

  So far, owning this vehicle has not only saved me money on gas, but has allowed me to take my family more places. Even though some may say that the interior is small, I feel that the space is great for the vehicle. The performance for the 2.2 L engine is great, I know no power but you dont buy a car like this for performance. I from Indiana to Ohio which is about 500 miles round trip and it is a really comfortable drive. All in all I would definitely recommend the Cobalt to anyone that is looking for a reliable vehicle and likes to travel alot without being hurt by gas prices. I put $20 in gas and by the time I filled up to come home I only put $12 to top off. Awesome car!

• 

  Timing Chain - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Timing Chain - August 24 - 7:03 pm

  I fell in love with this vehicle from the first time I seen it. We didnt even test drive it because it was in the show room and bought it off the show room floor. The vehicle has less then 30,000 miles and I knew something was wrong with it. Ive had it to the service department 4 times since the end of June and finally they told me it was the timing chain. After 8 days at the service department they called me today and told me the timing chain was on back-order and it could be up to 6 months before they could get one in. They told me that GM said I could drive it and if the engine blows up they will just replace the engine. Hows that for customer service?? Very disappointed with GM!