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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  Very dependable car - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Will - August 19 - 9:11 am

  Only one small problem in 2 1/2 years of ownership, one tire switch monitor keeps on going out but zero other problems after 41000 miles. As a frequent car changer every year or two but I foresee keeping this car for at least 2-5 more years.

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  Nice but not like my prior 1997 c/k1500 - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Dianne - August 19 - 7:44 am

  I wished I never traded my 1997 CK1500. That truck gave me hell of problems but was worth the 5.7 performance engine was issues were cleared under warranty. Not the fuel costs though. I put over 300k on that truck and decided to buy the 2005 Chevy Colorado with many of the bells and whistles to satisfy driving needs. Well, I made several complaints on the craftmanship build of the metal of this truck. It flexes way to much IMO on the highways. Got just thank you but Colorados are safe. Other than that, absolutely no mechanical problems, or body. Fuel cost vs my 97 difference is 3 gals per commute day. Performance, you can live with it for near v6 type engine I got.

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  More Improvements, are you kidding me! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Vette_Adrenaline - August 18 - 4:44 pm

  2004, black C5, 8k miles. This is by far the best car I have ever owned. Handles great, The horsepower is excellent and gas mileage to boot. On a recent trip I averaged 31.5mpg. I was blown away. I kept pointing to the dash and laughing to my wife. This was totaly unexpected. Im 6 ft 2" tall and this thing is comfortable, the HUD and all gauges are easy to see at a glance. All adjustments easily reached. This is now my daily driver and not a day goes by that I dont get home without a smile on my face. If you dont fall in love with this car, then there is something seriously wrong with you.

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  Did the editors even drive this car? - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Exodus I - August 18 - 12:15 am

  This car is exceptional. I have owned a lot of cars in my life, including a 1968 Camaro, which is the only one that compares to this vehicle in performance. This car has literally saved my lie on several occasions. I dont drive a high performance vehicle to show off, Phoenix roads are dangerous. When I tell my car to do something, I expect an instant result. On at least three occasions, spit second performance has avoided serious accidents. She is asthetically appealing as well. She always turns heads, a nice bonus. She leaks a little in a car wash and the stereo needs upgrade. Everything else is amazing. I am giving this to my son and getting the 2009 when available!

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  2009 2500 HD Diesel 4x4 - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Randy - August 17 - 11:13 pm

  Pulling power is awesome and driving it makes you feel young and sporty. Fuel it about 20-22 mpg at 72 mph and around 18 around town with 3:73 gears. I get a lot of compliments on looks and size of the Z71. Paint quality is much better than the ford I traded in.

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  SS turbo Quite a Car - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Pizza - August 17 - 9:00 pm

  Overall the new SS is an amazing car for the money and outperforms many cars with much higher price tags. Its really fun to drive. Finally they got it right, everything you would expect in a SS labeled car. Not for those who just want a little sporty car, youll soon be bothered by the many clicks, clunks and less refined aspects of this performance car. Fuel mileage sold me on this car and Im not disappointed, averaging 27mpg mixed driving. A cool feature lets you see your instant mileage approx when trying to stretch those mpgs.

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Skiingpapa - August 17 - 8:32 pm

  After 20 years driving a full size fan I was unsure about moving up, in fuel economy. Wow! Our Uplander was that and more. From the outstanding ease of entry, the comfortable seats, room, and features. Easily the best vehicle I have ever purchased and no visits to the dealer to correct anything. We took it on a 1200 mile trip with f5 adults, food, luggage, and a full car top carrier and averaged over 26 mpg. Safe is the word with this vehicle ABS with skid control, side air bags and ease of handling this Chevy it awesome. The styling gets very high marks from everyones first look. A Ford owner wished that his company a vehicle with the ride, features and looks.

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  Great for the money - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Michael - August 17 - 7:54 pm

  Great car for the money. Honest! Weve got the manual loaded with the sunroof/moonroof. Not the most fun car Ive ever bought but a great one. I needed a cheap car that got good gas mileage. I wanted a hybrid but figured that extra $8-13 grand would buy a lot of gas at $4 a gallon. Ive owned this for 10 months (took in once for a sensor, fixed that day) and only have 7,500 miles. If you drive it gently (Yeh, not my style either) youll get the estimated mileage or slightly better. Ill never call this a "fun" ride, but Ill always call it a smart ride. Need more fun, room, or "style", then spend the money. Need around 200 or-less miles a week and real economy, give an Aveo a look.

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  Great - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jason - August 17 - 11:53 am

  It was awsome truck to drive I drove 80 miles day up and back to work I have 114,000 miles on the truck and runs like i did when first got it.

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  The Malibu is an excellent car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By paul videtich - August 16 - 10:26 pm

  I would like to know how the public is being fooled about poor mileage from GM cars. I set the cruise at 55 and get 38 mpg on the instant mpg readout and at 70 mph I get 35, aprox. 26 in the city. and this isnt a tiny car. Plenty of room and Im 6 ft 2 in. Beautiful car, absolutely quiet. A great ride. An excellent car at a great price. I highly recommend to everyone to test drive a Malibu.