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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  Aveo 08 - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By smallcarlover - June 17 - 6:24 pm

  I love my 08 Aveo LT. Ive never gotten less than 32 MPG, and on road trips its 35 MPG. Its never failed me but I am careful to have all of the recommended services completed on time. It has a lot of pep for a 4 cyl car, and it is very comfortable. In 2.6 years I have put two sets of tires on it and the odo reads 67,800. I plan to keep it.

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  Very impressed with the LS - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By bryankm - June 17 - 4:49 pm

  I can honestly say, for a new vehicle this is the greatest value I have ever purchased GM has really come a long way in a short time. The vehicle has a great ride, smooth over bumps, quiet interior, comfortable seats and all with good performance and fuel economy. The 2.5 L/4 Cyl coupled with the 6 speed transmission is a surprisingly effective combo so far I havent found the acceleration lacking and the fuel economy for a vehicle this since is a pleasant surprise. I never had OnStar or XM stereo in my vehicles but I do enjoy having both available to me and will renew. I am very happy with my LS AWD and would gladly purchase the same vehicle if given the choice again its a great value.

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  Traverse LT1 - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Sharon - June 17 - 2:15 pm

  We love our Traverse. However, my husband is 6-6 & we had to have the footrest removed which leaves a hole in the floor & 2 bolts sticking up. GM is trying to come up with a fix which seems to be pretty easy - create a flat cover instead of the foot rest. The foot rest takes of 3" of leg room. We bought the vehicle because we were told the foot rest could be removed without any problems. Just trying to get the fix completed. 100% satisfied otherwise. Our sales person was wonderful.

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  Turns Heads - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By SYNERGY - June 17 - 1:59 pm

  To all those worried about previous poor reviews, do not worry. This car is amazing. Before I purchased, I read some reviews about faulty paint, couldnt be further from the truth. I bought the SI Synergy Green package and the car looks amazing. To prove the paint point, the main road by my home began new paving the day I brought the car home. There was road debris all over and raised manholes. It was inevitable that small asphalt stones would kick up, NO DAMAGED AT ALL. Also, the 6-cyl has a lot of kick to it. Id recommend forgetting the sunroof, it is actually an eyesore when opened (doesnt hide in the roof). Oh, it took all of about 2 minutes to get used to smaller window views.

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  AC/Heater - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Laura - June 17 - 12:40 pm

  I bought my 2008 impala over a year ago and am pretty happy with it. The only thing that i dislike about the car is that the heater doesnt throw heat continuously when the car is in park. Bad situation if you ever get stranded on the side of the road in the middle of winter. I also noticed that the car has a really bad blind spot in between the area where the windshield and the drivers side door meet. The lighting inside the car is also pretty bad.

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  Great sports car... - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Tulsaace33 - June 17 - 10:34 am

  This has been so much fun compared to my BMW. Insurance is cheaper, more like a sports car and def. has the power!

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  Cant wait to get rid of it - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Beve - June 16 - 10:22 pm

  Purchased the car new. mirror covers over visors are cheap, they have broken twice and passenger side is rarely used. Have had issues with stabilitrack over and over, had issue with fuel line ($600), air conditioner has been the biggest issue. I live in Texas and when it is 100 degrees outside, A/C is vital. cup holders are cheap, the leather on the seats feels like vinyl. Had to replace battery after 2 yrs 11 months. WTH? I am not happy and am looking for a replacement. Unfortunately I am upside down on the price. :(

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  Cobalts are JUNK - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By PA Cobalt Owner - June 16 - 7:26 pm

  Was happy with the car for the first couple of weeks, but since it has been nothing but a headache. All sorts of problems including door locks trapping us in or out of car, serious vibrations when driving, cheap and fast-wearing interior, manual tranny problems, leaking sunroof, and headlight issues.

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  Bittersweet - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By W.C. - June 16 - 5:44 pm

  If I had to pick one word to describe this car, it would be “bittersweet”. The sweet is the European look, from Opel designers in Russelsheim Germany. The 5 star NHTSA Ratings and many standard safety features. The price also compares well with other vehicles in the same class. The bitter comes from the engine’s lack of low end torque coupled to a transmission that is constantly down shifting to maintain traffic speed. On hills, it is not uncommon to have sudden downshifts to second, then third gear, sending the engine to high revolutions, which drops fuel economy to city driving rate or lower. I dont believe the Korean 6 speed would be any better.

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  heluva truck - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By Daniel - June 16 - 3:49 pm

  I bought this truck on 7/20/2009 and its been a joy to own ever since. I bought the truck for $6,000 and it had 83,000 miles on it. The only problem Ive had on it is that CO2 sensor got moisture in it after a heavy rain and as the weather got warmer the moisture went away. The truck is very fun to drive and Im hoping to own it for a very long time. This is the first vehicle I have ever owned and i love my s-10.