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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  Warranty Hog - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jackt - June 21 - 8:10 pm

  Bought Malibu LTZ V6 in June 2009. The car is very comfortable on road. It pushes badly on fast sweepers but I do not normally drive that fast. The power is a bit above adequate. The trunk opening is truly dismal. The "A" pillars offer a huge blind spot. Visibility is also poor to the rear. For me the visibility issue is the worst feature of the car. Four items have been replaced on warranty: right rear door window gasket, the steering column, power steering rack, and the intermediate steering shaft. The piece above the mirror that holds the sun roof and garage door controls had to be reattached. The V-6 in my 92 SHO was MUCH smoother the Malibus

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  Love it! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jduval - June 21 - 1:13 pm

  I bought this car used with 65,000 Miles on it a year ago. Since then the only problem I have had was an evap leak. Nothing too severe. I changed the stock Radio threw in some better speakers and some subs in the trunk. Car is very fun to drive with the 5 spd. Very reliable with good pep when you want it. The A/C drains power when on and I have the very common fuse that burned out on the blower motor.

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  2006 Impala water pump going out - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By LT2 - June 21 - 1:13 pm

  I enjoy my 2006 Impala. Unhappy with a water pump going out at 80,000 miles. Thats just not right. Also, had to replace gas cap and some gas sensor. Thats just not right either. Those things should be under some kind of warranty/recall.

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  Camaro Pride! - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By rdgomez - June 21 - 12:20 am

  Ive owned my Camaro 2LT for 6 months now and is still fun to drive and I never get tired of looking at it. When first driving this Camaro, it is extremely important to adjust all mirrors accordingly and mind the blind spots. The forward blind spots are especially nasty when driving in a parking lot full of crossing pedestrians. Other than that, this baby is a blast!

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  Below average in fuel - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By JOBY - June 20 - 8:36 pm

  I really like the performance but performance never give happy after buying. Now I am rethinking about Asian cars are best in fuel economy. One full tank ultra gas give me only 200 miles in city and highway driving, I am not too much crazy in diving but some times I accelerates bit. I am very comfortable with this vehicle except mileage.

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  Great Car for the Money! - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By louise - June 20 - 1:09 pm

  Okay so there are not many vehicles out there that you can buy new for the price that you pay for the Aveo.If you want a nicer vehicle for the same price tag then you better look in the pre-owned section and chance purchasing a car that someone else might of dogged.The Aveos interior was a surprise to me, it was way more comfortable than I thought it would be. yes I purchased a 2LT so obviously trim level will have some type of factor but I test drove an LS and the interior wasnt bad either.My boyfriend weighs about 270LBs and is tall and he stated himself that he sits in comfort.The Aveo I purchased did come with armrests without extra cost to me, and lastly I feel secure when driving it.

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  Cant afford it anymore. - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Broke - June 20 - 12:45 pm

  In the 2 years I owned this car, I had to put in over $4300 in repairs. Power window regulators, Intake manifold gasket, struts, strut mounts, struts again, brakes twice, steering box/rack. Both rear door handles (exterior) broke off, one by my daughter. Not my best car ownership experience. GM man for 25 years. I give up, so now I drive a Nissan.

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  I miss my Equinox - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Vic - June 19 - 11:01 pm

  I guess Im in the minority here, but I wanted to spread some "good news". I had my Equinox until today when I traded it in on a mini-van because I just have too much "stuff" with my kids. I bought the LT model and I never had one problem with this truck. The back seats are amazingly comfortable and leg-roomy. The gas mileage was between 22 and 23 mpg on the highway. This SUV has been one of the most reliable vehicles Ive ever owned in 25 yrs. Never stranded me. Always started. Drove great in varying weather conditions like snow and rain. I had 65K miles on mine and only changed the oil ever 3K miles.

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  Great mid-size sedan - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Malibu2010 - June 19 - 10:53 pm

  I bought this 2010 Malibu 1LT Diamond Edition in May 2010. Before buying this car, I test-drove Ford Fusion, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, etc. Malibu had best performance and comfort when driving for the price. After owning it for a month, I got over 27 MPG with combined high way and local driving. I am very satisfied with the 2010 Malibu.

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  A true GT Sports Car! - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Ray Davidson - June 19 - 8:08 pm

  One of the best sports cars Ive owned. This is a true GT sports car. It has great performance and engineering, handle with any exotic, very good gas mileage, and yet you can daily commute with a smile on your face with each drive. GM has done a great job with the reliability of the Corvette. Become a student of Corvette history it is an American world class icon in automotive and racing history. A Corvette is not a car for everyone with this much power and handling comes "responsibility". With that said, those who have the wallet, and driving maturity to own a car like the Corvette will experience extreme driving pleasure. Always wave to other Corvette owners youre in a great club.