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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  2ndRowMidSeatUnusable - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By mcspat - July 11 - 1:49 am

  Purchased this car in order to carry a crowd. The middle seat of the second row is unusable for more than a few blocks unless a small child is using it. Even a thin person will have the seat belt boring into their hip very uncomfortably. I have had it in to the dealer and they said that it was a design flaw and nothing could be done-- their words exactly. I just went and sat in the 2010 and it is the same way.

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  Update - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By c192ps - July 10 - 9:24 am

  I have now had 3 weeks to drive the car and it rocks. If you can drive without putting your foot in to all the time, the mileage will surprise you mine was saying 26 combined highway and city on my commute. But even when you put your foot in to it, the mileage is not that bad when you compare it to the older muscle cars back in the day. If you dont like talking to strangers DONT BUY THIS CAR, because it is like everyone has something to say or ask about this car. the back seat is suited to kid and not adults,when you add the baby seat the passenger is limited but still usable.

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  So happy! - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By LES - July 10 - 8:40 am

  We just bought the Equinox in June after 4 months of researching MANY crossovers! I love it!The styling is so nice,Ive had 2 different people compare it to a Lexus and Mercedes.No complaints as of yet. Its my first 4 cylinder, so it is taking me a little getting used to that, but it isnt a huge difference from a 6. Roomy enough, love that you can adjust the backseat, remote start, rear view camera (is also taking some getting used to),and the price for this car is excellent! We paid 24,995.00. I also cant understand why editors rated it only 7.5. The new design on this Equinox is so sharp. Had a very hard time finding the LT1 in Black Granite, but it was worth the wait.

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  Continuous Message Popping Up - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By amossbur - July 9 - 10:47 pm

  So I bought my 2010 Equinox LT1 on January 29th of this year. I love it and dont regret buying it. I do have a few problems with it though. About 3 months after I bought it, a message began to pop up whenever I would hook up my iPhone 3G. It would read, "No supported data found. You can safely disconnect the device." It started not even recognizing my iPhone anymore. Now the same message comes up about every 5 minutes or so when Im driving, and nothing is even hooked up to the car! I have taken it into the dealer 3 times in the past 3 months to get it fixed, and they cant seem to fix the problem. I want to keep the car because I love it, but does this fall under the lemon law?

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  Must put back in reperduction - 1994 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Robert Gearring - July 9 - 10:00 pm

  My caprice is one of a kind. If you keep up your maintenance it will never disappoint. Like the camaro I wish Chevrolet would start back making this car. Two of my friends have this car one a 94 and 95 and they think theyre great to. Just thank about bringing it back, it would be a big seller.

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  Cobalt Impresses - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Kormie - July 9 - 7:59 pm

  Fun, neat, car to drive. Had to semi- retire my Shane Mobile (Crown Vic) for something more emphasis on MPG. I am averaging about 29 Miles/ gallon, with about 70% highway driving. I have noticed on the instant mpg, up hills goes down drastically. But so far saving about $100 bucks week on gas. so after paying for insurance, and a $217 car payment, still spending less to ride this one. The info center is neat as it tracks mpg average, Oil Life, and Instant mpg so you can learn best driving practices maximize mpg. Getting about 340 miles on a 12 gallon tank. Im not a music buff, but sound system sounds great. Crossing my fingers and toes.

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  Great College Car - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dash - July 9 - 3:45 pm

  I bought this car right before heading off to college for my freshman year. I had previously been driving a 1996 Audi A6 and it was nothing but trouble. After struggling with owning an aging European car, I decided to spring for a much cheaper-to-fix American car. Got a pretty good deal financing it and I havent looked back. Handles better than the A6 (read: less like a tank) and has quite a bit more "oomph" behind it. The Fuel efficiency is great, I average around 30 highway and 27 city. As someone that commutes to a college 400+ miles away, its great having a car that will always get me there reliably. Made the 8 hour trip 20+ times now and not a single problem. Consider me switched.

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  Bad truck - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By davescustomart - July 9 - 12:51 am

  My Colorado now has 60,000 miles on it, The clutch is gone, the 4 wheel drive just quit working I have rusty water in my oil. The ignition has a mind of its own. The heater works when IT wants to work. Overall BAD TRUCK! too much money not enough truck.

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  Great New Tahoe Z71 - 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Mike - July 8 - 10:24 pm

  We live on NH seacoast and hope to appreciate 4wd, high ground clearance, and remote start for our winters and even some fun for a little light off road. From purchase to the first few weeks of ownership the experience has been great. Power, quality, comfort and room we wanted. Smooth ride and crisp handling. Quiet cabin environment and nice Bose sound. Full option set to compete with any player in the class.Interior and exterior fit and finish is outstanding. Plenty of room for groceries, our bikes and trips to Home Depot and comfort for friends and family touring. Has cruising range and long term comfort for longer trips and V8 highway power when needed.

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  So far.. - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By frumpytuin - July 8 - 7:30 pm

  I have a 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer 2LT with a 5.3 L V8 engine in it. Bought used about 2 months ago with 26,000 miles on it. So far, it was a great deal! The first time I went to the gas station I found out I got 12 mpg for city. I figured out that the oil was just nothing special. Since I put the new Penzoil Oil, & ExtraGuard Oil Filter, the performance improved, then got 13.5 city (drives 2-4 mph over the speed limit). I found out later that my tires also werent properly inflated, so I got the tires to the amount of pressure the vehicle handles, & the fuel range went up! Overall, this is a really nice SUV! I will update this with a new review later & see if this keeps going.