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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  Car of the Year - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By KenU - June 25 - 1:05 pm

  I have driven this car for about 1200 miles and other than a slightly annoying rattle from the trunk floorboard I love it. Having driven a Saturn Ion, the first thing I noticed was the quiet and smooth ride and the ease of using all of the bells and whistles (OK, toys) that come with the LTZ. I would recommend this car to anyone considering a purchase of this class.

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  $34,000 car, where are amenities? - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By New Owner - June 25 - 11:14 am

  Love my car, but didnt realize until got it home, no passenger side power seat - what? and No programmable garage door opener--I consider these standard equipment on a mid-priced car. I got the LTZ and added granite paint, 18" wheels, audio/navigation system, I just assumed that it would have a power passenger seat and programmable door opener. I was driving a Buick Rendezvous that had all these amenities and seats that folded flat

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  Like the Cobalt a LOT - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Lori Lou - June 24 - 6:05 pm

  Have had the Cobalt almost a week now - averaging over 30 mpg already in my commute (17 miles each way). It has a lot of nice features for an "entry level" car. Got the chrome package, love the Bluetooth and OnStar. Adults can sit in back seat - even with my seat back for driving! Manual seat has lumbar adjustment and pumps up and down for height adjustment - NICE!

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  Lumina-tor - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Chevyman - June 24 - 4:40 pm

  This car has been with my fire chief since it was brand new, Im a volunteer firefighter. Once i turned 14, Im 18 now, he sold it to me for $750 with 145k miles. It has 230k now i love it, i take care of it i expect it to last another maybe 100k. Its very reliable, dont like the gas mileage that much and the interior but thats about it. Handles great, looks great, drives great, everything! Also one of a kind white with tinted windows, and flames on it! Not the best flames but hey, $300 job!

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  New Car - 2010 Chevrolet Impala
  By Seadog - June 24 - 3:07 pm

  We bought this car new and we really like it. I had heard they were noisy inside but this on is very quiet. Great ride and I love the trunk. Have not taken any long trips yet but recent 100 trip gave us a nice quiet and comfortable ride. Have only had it a couple of months but very pleased so far. I really like the style and looks of this car

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  Excellent little car - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By alaska - June 24 - 2:53 pm

  Have owned this for the past 2 1/2 yrs and it has never given me any problems at all. It has been completely reliable transportation. The only thing I have done to it has been regular maintenance and purchased a new battery only because it still had the original one. 4whl drive has been excellent and no need for snow tires and has driven on pure ice roads. More than enough power and still great on gas with the nice v-6 Suzuki engine. Maybe there have been some lemons but overall I can say this has been one of the best cars I have ever owned besides my Toyota truck and Saturn car and I would have to now rank this car along with them as well. Never heard of the tracker till I read a review.

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  Can be better - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Shirley - June 24 - 12:25 pm

  I bought a lt sedan winter Olympic team Canada edition 2 months ago. Love all the options it comes with. The exterior has chrome package and spoiler which makes it look nice. I expected better gas mileage but it doesnt seem to differ from my old 1999 z24. Power wise, I find my cobalt lacking it when I accelerate. Perhaps its because I was used to z24. However, I do love the quieter and smoother ride. I did notice some defects in the interior and exterior. The craftsmanship could be better. With the money I spent on it, I expect to see no flaws.

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  Uncomfortable Camaro! - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Charles McDonald - June 24 - 4:30 am

  Car is uncomfortable, no lumbar support, blind spots, doors and trunk needs realigned. Car hurts me to drive, car sets to low on ground, satellite radio fades in and out to much. I contacted general motors about trading vehicle back and they told they could help me even though they had a previous commercial telling the consumer that if you were not 100% satisfied they would buy it back. These were the words from the CEO. I called them on that and they told me it had a expiration date and of course it was expired. So now I am stuck with a uncomfortable car that hurts me to drive and is dangerous because of the blind spots !

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  Solid rig, no problems at 200K - 1992 Chevrolet Astro
  By grayliner - June 24 - 12:08 am

  Runs like a top at 200k. Everything works and is original. Original motor, running gear and transmission all quiet and strong. Even the flimsy exterior handles are okay.

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  4 years and going strong - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By John in Colorado - June 23 - 9:57 pm

  I have now had the Colorado for 4 years and 26,000 miles. I have had no problems with this truck my complaints are more related to design and engineering. This truck has a lot of little flaws that I believe could have been worked out by engineers with a little attention to details. For example: You cant put down the drivers sun visor without moving the rear view mirror. Then you need to adjust it back. Please! Also, when its very cold (Im in Colorado) the windows dont work properly or dont work at all until the interior warms up. Once again, whats all this testing I hear they do to vehicles. Theres much more, but too little space.