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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  Loved it, hated to get rid of it - 1997 Chevrolet Astro
  By Chase Franklin - June 23 - 5:31 pm

  We have put more trips and miles into this van than any other weve ever owned. Being a travel hockey family whose player is a goalie, this van has held all four of us and on more than one occaision three additional players, all our gear and clothes. Fantastic room. It has performed equally well in summer travel as well as traveling the snow storms and rain in the upper midwest. We never felt that we had to pull over and sit a night somewhere due to a winter storm. If you are looking for a quality used vehicle - this it!

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  Getting Disgusted - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Christine - June 23 - 5:29 pm

  I bought my Blazer new. I liked the 4x4 look to it, and wanted another SUV. I have had to warranty replace the CD player. Also warranty work on stabilizer bar. My exhaust also kept running after I shut vehicle off. Dealer finally fixed. Water leakage in rear side windows, repaired once, just started leaking again now in"07. Water runs all across header and drips all over inside rear. Oil cooler lines also were leaking, water pump too, and ball joints. Luckily this was all repaired under warranty. The carpet wore through just after one year by the gas pedal. I have driven two Jeep Cherokee Sports before this purchase, never had any problems. Will probably not buy another Chevy SUV.

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  Trailblazer LT - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By :] - June 23 - 12:25 pm

  This SUV is fun to drive and handles great. The mileage stinks. It gets around 15 mpg so it seems like I am always at the gas pump. The interior design is cheap looking.iI would be nice to have the wood trim like GMC and the new 2007 Chevy Tahoes and Suburbans have. The build quality is poor. It sounds like the windows are down when they are all up and about a month ago the it got stuck in drive and would not move to R or P(park)so that wasn’t good. The sound system is good but it makes everything shake/rattle when the bass is on. Other than that this SUV is a good buy!

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  Cobalt Supercharged Power - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jdogg - June 23 - 8:20 am

  The car has been very fun to drive and a head-turner on the road. Excellent handling and overall performance for the price. Much better than driving an embarrassing Dodge or Ford

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  Expect more from the Malibu - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Hans - June 22 - 10:56 am

  After driving the new Chevrolet Malibu for three months I feel that it is truly a better car than I expected. It is comfortable, quiet and has good road handling characteristics. The fuel economy is good and the 4 cylinder engine is very smooth and quiet. I found the Malibu by accident when renting it for a trip. I am happy I did before buying another foreign car.

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  Chevy Owner - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CHEVYOWNR - June 21 - 11:36 am

  1st Chevy I ever owned. Absolutely love the sporty look, but definitely was impressed with its overall performance. Great deal for the money!

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  Econo car - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Lawrence Pemberton - June 20 - 10:57 pm

  This is the second Cavelier Ive owned. Both were bought new or near new and have exceeded my expectations for an economy car. Ive owned other economy cars, Mitsubitsi, Chevette, Honda, etc. with less than favorable results. I get 30 to 37mpg with a 5 speed manual transmission, and have driven on several vacations with no excessive driver fatigue. Ive had no mechanical problems, and generally trade after about 200,000 miles. My only negative comment is that I do get tired of shifting in city driving.

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  One tough truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Ryan - June 20 - 3:46 am

  I went from a 1975 IH Scout, my first truck, to the 2500HD. So it rides like a Cadillac, to me anyway. I like the ride to be a little stiff, it makes me feel connected to the rode. For those who say it rides too rough, did you test drive it? And do you realize what this truck is intended for? Get a 1500 if you want a smooth ride. The 6.0L is very strong but I would like a little more "get up and go". The interior quality could be stepped up a little also. The turning radius is decent and stock exhaust is throaty. Definitely recommend this truck if it serves your purpose.

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  First Lemon in 8 Chevys - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Dan - June 19 - 6:10 am

  Bought 10/09. On 10/30 had it in for brakes and belts squealing, 1/12/2010 had it in for the lights dimming while driving (was told the alternator was charging), 2/8 Chevy bow tie decal was replaced because paint peeled off, 4/7 had bow tie replaced again due to peeling, 4/20 right rear shock blew out and had it replaced, 4/26 the fuel tank pressure sensor went out and had to be replaced, 4/27 took to body shop at 8am to get body rubbed out due to the "orange peel" finish all over the truck, 5/5 had to take back again for "orange peel" they missed several spots on the first attempt and left the tailgate covered in swirl marks from the buffer. Had it in twice for On Star misreading.

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  My Cobalt Coupe - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Dave - June 17 - 8:40 pm

  The Chevy Cobalt LS coupe is an awesome car! I bought mine in late 05 and it came with everything except a sunroof and the supercharger but even the basic models of the Cobalt are fun cars to own. It has great acceleration for a 4cyl. and the Ecotec engine is very dependable. So far the most mileage I have gotten out of a tank of gas is 359 miles but the average is 280. It also has several after market parts for those who enjoy modifing. I highly recommend the upgraded 7 speaker Pioneer audio system, it packs an awesome punch. Overall this car is a great car and I highly recommend it.