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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  2 thumbs up - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By paul - October 11 - 4:06 am

  Recently bought the 2005 LT model. The car is excellent, smooth on the road, lots of interior space and is fun to drive. In the short time Ive had it Im getting about 26 mpg city and 31.7 highway. Prior to buying, I had read reviews giving the car high ratings, and reviews saying the car is so-so, and that Honda (Accord) and Toyota (Camry) have nothing to worry about when compared to the Malibu. All I can say that after comparing all three and now owning the Malibu, the Malibu can easily hold its own against the Accord & Camry.

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  Comfort and Versatility - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By JohansenRJ - October 10 - 4:15 pm

  I was looking at 07 Silverado crewcabs. I did some research and realized that the new Silverado does not have 4 wheels disc brakes (the 00 did)a nd a long list of stuff that I wanted (XM, steering wheel mounted controls, 5.3V8, alloys, etc) were standard on the Avalanche, but optional on the regular pickups. Additionally, theres no provision on the regular pickup for securing the cargo bed. I bought the Avalanche LT1 with Bose and locking differential, all the stuff I wanted, without a bunch of stuff I couldnt care about. The styling is great and the ride is super comfy. Gas mileage is about what you would expect for a 5500 lb vehicle...about 14-15 in the city, 20- 21 on the road.

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  Chevy SSR 2004 - 2004 Chevrolet SSR
  By S. NIELEN - October 10 - 2:57 pm

  Vehicle is equiped with 5.3 l /auto trans /seating is kind of tight on outboard sides for a big guy like me (250lbs)and hard to get hand to seat controls with door closed. It could have more acceleration which was addressed in 2005-2006 models with 6.0 400 h.p engine however I have driven all three models 5.3 w/auto and 6.0 w/auto feel near the same but 6.0 w/5- spd is a real rocketship. Braking and handling are excellent reminding me of a Corvette except for the seating position which is more upright. This is a sunny day car and its curb appeal is excellent

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  I really love this car. - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Michael - October 10 - 10:13 am

  The styling, accessories, feel, and comfort are great. I do agree that the braking and handling need some improvement. But all in all, Im very happy that I bought this car.

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  DH Jensen - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Don Jensen - October 9 - 9:20 pm

  Enjoy the truck, could have power,feels solid, handles well, leather seats increases comfort, seats are larger, could be more back seat room, would prefere back seat to lay flatter that would give more room.

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  Efficient, fun ride. Cosmetic issues, however. - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Alex Hammond - October 9 - 10:46 am

  Got this car with around 30k miles on. Everything has been fine with the car up until about 165k miles where some interior and exterior cosmetic issues began to happen. The paint on the hood, roof, and front bumper began to either fall off or fade. Not sure if this is due to sun damage, bird poop, or factory quality but I have seen many other Cavaliers with the same issue. Also, the dashboard piece near the window has cracked horribly and the faux leather cover around the stick shift has ripped. Although these things come with age, the dash should not crack like it did. Overall good features are that the car is amazingly comfy, fun to drive, and offers good mileage. The downsides are the cosmetic issues, horrible placement of temperature and directional AC knobs, and headlights.

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  Velocity - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By CR - October 8 - 1:23 am

  Change your life driving experience on the road. Style oohs on the street. Some defects, but overwhelming a winner.

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  Not fancy but good value - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Dan - October 6 - 10:50 pm

  Not a fancy car but great value. 65k miles and only replaced starter (03), alternator (07), 2 tires (06), brakes (06), and AC (06) so far. For the price I paid its great.

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  Love it, Hate it! - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Love it, Hate it! - October 6 - 3:36 pm

  Wow, what to say. We love our new Tahoe 3LT. It has treated us right and we have never abused it and keep it clean and perfect. Its so comfy and great to drive. I love the new styling. However, we do have problems and its all stupid little things! Okay, here we go! 3rd row needs to fold flat, come on Chevy, everyone else is doing it. We have had problems with the remote start. It starts and then shuts off after 30 sec. The rubber gasket around the sunroof has started to fold and come off for some stupid reason and now rain and snow can come in. The gasket around the rear hatch has folded as well. The trim/molding is starting to come off. Noises from the AC, and blows fast, then slow. Its jacked up these problems keep happening. Our Tahoe has been nothing but cared for. No abuse and barely driven. Shoot, we have only used the sunroof a few times.

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  to somewhat stressed. ( HELP ) ME TOO - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kristy0108 - October 5 - 7:00 am

  Back on 4/22/2010 another concerned Chevy owner mentioned engine noise and getting louder I am experiencing. I myself own the same model and I have brought this to my dealerships attention and also to Chevy customer relations. My engine is making a constant ticking noise I never owned a car so loud before the engine sounds like its 10 yrs old? Chevy is like "oh well there is nothing we can do about it" its just the way it is? What? This a brand new car. This car should not be making any engine noise its especially loud when accelerating. The dealer said its the fuel pressure regulator and there is nothing they can do? I am deeply disappointed in Chevy gm. Please help