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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  Bad bowtie! - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By ChevyDemon - July 28 - 8:29 pm

  I have had my 02 3.8 liter camaro for 4 years now. I drive it hard. It is a great looking car and amazing to drive. After a long or bad day just take the T tops off and stomp on the gas and a smile will always come! I plan on keeping this car until it rots!!

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  Very Nice Alternative to MiniVan - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Laurie - July 28 - 6:31 pm

  Ive driven mini vans since the early 1990s and this vehicle is the next best thing for space and comfort. Actually had my heart set on replacing my 5 year old AWD Toyota Sienna, which was a lemon, with another Sienna, but the Traverse won. Lots of cheap plastic finish features in 2010 chevys, fords and toyotas we test drove. Gas mileage about as expected around 20 mpg. I chose fwd instead of awd to save $2000 and higher auto insurance for awd. Hoping I dont regret it. Relying on stability and traction control to get through northern US winters. On Star and satellite radio are a new treat for us. Nice features. I think Chevy did this one right and they must too, warranty is best Ive seen.

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  Better than a C5 Corvette - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Erik - July 28 - 4:50 pm

  Traded in my 2001 Corvette and this Camaro is driving much smoother with still the same grip.Good leather seats and nice interior,could be a bit soft touchier dashboard but fits well.The power is good for a six speed automatic 6 cylinder with open air filter 10 hp more. Like the paddle shifters on the steering wheel to keep the motor in his rpm to power up! Drives 30 mpg on normal driving conditions,not bad for a 315 hp machine.

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  Great littel gas saver - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Lisa - July 28 - 2:57 pm

  I just bought my Cobalt with 35,000 miles. Im already impressed. I drive quite a bit and this car can drive forever on one tank of gas. I love the exterior.

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  Never again - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Texas Sam - July 28 - 1:55 pm

  I have bought many new GM products and have been pretty pleased but this 07 Tahoe is the biggest bag of crap I have ever owned. Every month my dashboard gets another crack in it, AC/heat does what it wants to do, power seats are a joke at best, wires for rear defrost have come un-soldered from the window, it locks and unlocks when it feels like it, a new battery every 9 months to a year and the latest is $2k spent repairing the rear end because of incorrect ring and pinion alignment. This bag of crap has only 45k miles on it. Way to go gm! Never again!

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  300,000 miles and still going strong - 1994 Chevrolet S-10
  By Brad - July 28 - 12:24 pm

  Bought the S10 in the fall of 1994 because I just relocated to Northeastern Ohio and I needed four wheel drive for the winter. I have never been left stranded by this truck and beyond routine maintenance I have had no repair issues. I would recommend these trucks to anyone.

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  Awesome car! - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By AWESOM CAR!!! - July 28 - 12:06 pm

  I bought this used car at 180,000 km and it is in perfect condition, love the 4 spd automatic, great gas mileage lots of fun to drive very reliable and love the design. regular oil changes and maintenance this car has never skipped a beat. With original everything this 9 yr old car shifts smoothly and drives great. I would recommend buying a cavalier over the competitors.

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  Great Little Crossover - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Thompson - July 28 - 11:52 am

  We have had the 2010 Equinox LTZ since 7/20/2010 and my prior vehicle was a Silverado 2500HD. Great looks, engine has adequate power. Fun to drive. Im short and what Ive noticed is the drivers seat is deeper than my previous so its not comfortable for a short person. Also the console arm rest is back too far for us short people to comfortably use it. The headrest tilts slightly forward so if you have a ponytail it hits you in the back of the head. What was Chevy thinking when they put the door locks in the middle with the radio controls? Bad move there.

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  Good Quality - Built in Canada - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Preacher - July 28 - 10:53 am

  From day one, this car has performed extremely well. The fit and finished were good and remain so. I have now driven this vehicle over 116,000 km and repair bills have been almost non- existent. It did required a new battery after 90,000 km but with regular minimal maintenance, accompanied by regular Synthetic Amsoil oil changes and filters, I place it among one of the best cars I have ever owned. When the Lease expired, I bought the vehicle and it is everything I imagined an Oshawa built vehicle to be. Service at Park Lane Motors is excellent and customer oriented. I can hardly wait for the next generation of Impala to come off the Assembly Line hopefully built in Oshawa, Ontario.

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  Great! So far! - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By 2NDNOXOWNER - July 28 - 12:32 am

  This is our second Equinox. So far so good. Exterior and interior are great. Modern features and sleek look over the previous model. Although, model seems much narrower and smaller toward the rear. Its a real eye catcher. Not sure why expert reviews have rated the 2010 model as average and plain. When it comes to performance and driving impressions. Please, this is a small/SUV not a high performance vehicle with HP and a sport-tuned suspension. Dont think any SUV can provide such a comfortable ride along with the features for this class or in this price range.