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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  Pretty darn good for an American truck - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By yarom - June 1 - 6:03 pm

  Moved to this LTZ vehicle after 3 successive 7 series BMWs. It is day and night but it is also a pretty positive surprise. This truck drives well, has plenty of power and the luxury features (NAV, DVD, power everything) do work properly. It actually looks quite good externally and other than the gas mileage and lousy sound system (Bose premium), I have no bad thing to say about it so far. Hauling capacity is astounding.

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  Malibu LT2 - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Carrie - June 1 - 4:00 am

  Just bought the Malibu LT2 and love it! The interior is classy. The exterior isnt as boxy as prior models. Love the interior lighting. The sound system is good and Im enjoying the XM radio. The amount of trunk space is incredible. I really love this car.

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  05 Classic - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By Chips - May 31 - 1:47 pm

  I use the car for a carpool of 4 persons. I get between 26 and 29 MPG hauling about 775 pounds. I drive it conservatively. Hope to get about 7 years of driving with it. Ive had engine oil gaskets replaced under the warranty.

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  Worked out well for me - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mergatroid - May 30 - 10:26 pm

  I purchased my 2002 standard 4 door at an auction in Oct 2003 with 9000 miles. I previously had a 90 and I put 105,000 miles on it before selling it to my nephew whos still driving it. I wanted an inexpensive commuter car with good fuel economy. It has been that. I currently have 46,000 miles and the only non-routine repair I have had was the fan resistor pack replaced under warranty. I wasnt expecting a luxury or sports car, I just wanted reliable, economical basic transportation and the Cavalier has been that.

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  My Camaro - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Iv_z28 - May 30 - 1:35 am

  This car is all about performance, so I guess it is not for everybody. I didnt think I would keep it for 8 years, but here comes 2007 and I have no plans to sell. With minor mods it is still faster than 95% of street cars, it has nice fuel economy [especially for 350hp V8, at 28 highway mph only the lighter Vette can touch that], it is pretty reliable (for me the only major item over 8 years was ignition sensor, $400), and being hatchback it is also suprisingly practical and roomy and carried a lot of stuff for me, from Christmas trees to chairs. Ah, and dont forget why people buy it - LS1/LS2/LS3/LS4/LS6/LS7 is the best engine and found its way into everything from Mazdas to Porsche.

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  Its OK - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By birdman - May 29 - 12:29 pm

  The truck is real nice, but it is a Chevy and everything you have read about Chevy turning its products around is wrong. Now it is better than the 06 model. but still does not come close to the Japenese. I have the sunroof and it rattles like crazy. I took it back to the dealership and was told nothing wrong and I would have to deal with it. So I have $45k rattle trap. The interior is very nice, plenty of room. I guess its about preference. I looked at the Toyota Sequoia and the Chevy does have a better interior and more room. But the quality is still not there like Toyota. Its all about what you want, but dont be fooled, its still a Chevy.

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  Favorite Vehicle - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Dave - May 29 - 5:31 am

  I regret having to sell this truck mostly due to the gas prices nowadays. Me being over 60 tall, I really do appreciate all the room this truck offers. I have not yet had any type of major engine problem (only replaced the water pump and alternator recently) and the engine still runs smooth. I really encourage anyone who does not have to drive long distances regularly and have kids then look at getting one too. Especially if you live in a winter or rugged enviornment.

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  I enjoy this car better than my Tahoe - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By pointerlover - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I really like my trailblazer. Its fun to drive, peppy and pretty comfortable. I do think the styling could be better and the instument panel is hard to read. Kind of reminds me of a Camry my sister has.

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  2008 Impala LT - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Manny Barriger - May 27 - 2:06 am

  The vehicle was purchased in February of 2008. I like the looks of the all black, with the cherry wood dash. My transportation has been predominately in the city, which gives me about 24-24 mpg. I have taken the car on one trip across the state of Wisconsin from Milwaukee to LaCrosse. The ride was good, and the vehicle got up to 32 mpg on the trip. It may have gotten better, but we had it fully loaded with 3 people and about 450 lbs worth of stuff. That is what I find neat about this car, its full size and the ability to get mileage that competes with the small compact foreign cars. The other thing I like is the oil life indicator, I get about 5,000 miles between oil changes.

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  Kaleighs review - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By kaleigh - May 26 - 6:15 pm

  I have owned this car for a few months and I do like it, but the gas mileage is not what I was told or expected. I love the appearance and the look to the car especially for what I spent! I have a few concerns.