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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  All the Options - Lower $ - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Kimers - July 25 - 6:50 pm

  Lease was up on my 06 4 dr Mazda 3 (loaded) - Had to get my payments down. Saving $50 a month by purchasing the Cobalt. Went with the 2010 2 dr Cobalt LT, black, Olympic Team option, chrome accents, Loaded.My driving habits are mostly city driving.Used to having a 4 dr so 2 dr is going to take a little getting used to. The only option the Cobalt is missing that the Mazda had is auto wipers-Chev sales person said auto wipers only come in Cadillacs. 2010 is going to be the last year GM is making the Cobalt. So if you are ok driving around a car which is going to be outdated right away, even though there are a lot of them on the road, that is why there are such good deals to be found.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Great SUV - July 25 - 5:00 pm

  Bought this vehicle used w/ 21,000 miles on it and have now had it for over 4 years and now it has almost 83,000 miles on it. Have had only two minor problems with it, the push button 4x4 went out and had a problem with the steering shaft. Im debating trading this vehicle, but I hate to so bad. I keep it clean and it just still looks and drives so good. Nothing Ive test drove looks or drives as sweet as my Tahoe. This is a great vehicle. Wish I could afford a newer model.

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  I love this car! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By My BU - July 25 - 4:57 pm

  So after an exhausting search of people movers I decided to get the Malibu. I didnt want new let someone else worry about the depreciation. I wanted low miles and an extended warranty. My malibu is a 2.4 liter ltz. The exterior style is aggressive yet stylish. I love the nose and the rims. The interior with the 2 tone leather is so cool. The heated adjustable seats are amazing... a little firm but comfortable. The radio is awesome. Lots of bass and just loud enough. The lite blue gauges look soothing and the tachometer and sport shifter gives the car a sporty feel. The shifter makes the 2.4 seem quicker but the car is slow to pass A little rough on bumps and the steering is a little vague.

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  Bad Purchase - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Barbara - July 25 - 2:54 pm

  Purchased this vehicle brand new and within 3 weeks the dealership had it for 3 weeks fixing a computer problem. Should have known a lemon but have it for 68,000 miles and it ran hot put 700 in I dont know what because 45 miles later I had to tow it to a dealership that told me $5,000 to repair I refused and called gm repeatedly and they told the dealership to fix it for 1000 had only a few days after they had it for a week the check engine came on and the power Windows messed up. I baby this car so no reason for all this trouble. Gm said it had high mileage that does not hold true for foreign cars t hat get hundreds of thousand miles. I will not purchase a gm car again and neither should you.

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  My First Car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By SoCalMal - July 25 - 12:30 pm

  I bought this car brand new in 04 and Ill be the first to admit I didnt know how to take care of a vehicle. Every oil change was late and a cracked transmission pan later, 88,000+ miles later this gem is still running. The dashboard is weak, but the rest of the interior is decent. Its a bit of a noisy ride esp. if youre on the phone. Ive encounter no problems w/ the electrical components, but the transmission is starting to slip.

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  Chevy hits a home run *look out acura - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Scott - July 25 - 8:29 am

  Traded a 06 Acura and wow, what a much more quiet ride! I had a BMW in the past and the ride rivals a sedan costing 10k plus more.

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  Awesome Truck! - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Trailblazermp - July 25 - 12:44 am

  This is my 3rd Trailblazer. I had a Saab 97x after my 2nd Trailblazer and made the switch back to a Chevy Trailblazer. Awesome vehicle. It provides comfort and excellent handling. Its perfect for towing, hauling, off-roading, and commuting. I feel very safe while driving it. The fuel economy on the highway is decent for the size of the vehicle. Im sad GM discontinued production of the Trailblazer and Envoy. Poor decision. Ill drive it as long as I can. Love it!

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  Good sedan for nearly any usage. - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By rsb90 - July 24 - 3:38 pm

  I have owned this car for almost two years now. It was my fathers car and he had purchased it new and neither him nor myself have had too much trouble with it. Its had one new battery, I recently had a tune up for it and put new brakes on it. It always has been good for trips and for having more people riding with me. I bought it with 80k miles on it and now it has 120k and I think it will last another 120k!

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  Constant lack of starting - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Brett - July 24 - 3:37 pm

  From the get go the car was awesome. Then the lack of starting periodically. Some said the ignition/alarm but I searched the internet and found the problem to everyones trouble was the 1) BCM (body control module) Chevy charge $350 reprogrammed a new one and solved that problem 2) Rotors. Solved that too. Ceramic brake pads. Keeps the rotors cooler on contact. 3) Rack and Pinion. Shot but works like a BMW. Can totally feel the road now. 4) Corners bad-solved with polyurethane bushings to the sway bar. Now the perfect family sedan. Corners like a police car/mileage like a small car. Buy a 2003 on for Onstar 90,000 mile 34 mpg consistently on the hwy. Still a great multi-duty vehicle

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  Best first car EVER - 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jen - July 24 - 11:47 am

  Its the best car I could imagine for a first car. Its fun, and pretty economical, great for A to B driving, and as reliable as anything. The only damage to my car is my fault, and even after rolling off the road and down a hill there was practically no damage at all! ITS A TANK! But runs like any sporty little coupe you can find. The fuel economy says 20-26 but I actually get around 28, living and driving on back roads mostly, and highway. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. But anyways, it may not be the sexiest beast around, but its just as good if not better than one. I wish they still made them, if you ever find one and someone you know needs a great reliable and durable car-get it.