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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  Yes GM can build a great vehicle - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Rob - April 21 - 9:23 pm

  Car has plenty of interior room, looks great, excellent quality. Drives tight, stops quickly. I would recommend this to anyone wanting seating for 5 plus and wanting a good driving, cool looking and great on gas mileage this is the car for you.

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  My great Impala - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Alan - April 21 - 9:03 pm

  Bought it new in 2007. Have had many new cars in my life: imports and Detroit iron. This one is the best. Replaced tires a couple months ago thats it for repairs. Have had zero problems with the car. This is the first time Ive ever had a new car without a warranty repair, and Im picky! No rattles -- everything works. Car is comfortable and gets a genuine 30 mpg highway and has given us 27 mpg overall since purchase. I bought an Impala because I ran them in my fleet at work and was impressed by their reliability and low cost to operate.

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  Nothing But Problems,.. - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Jim - April 21 - 8:15 pm

  Where do I start. This vehicle has so many problems its unbelievable. The sliding doors, ABS, Traction Control, Stability System, flickering lights, brakes, rotors, tires, bearings, hub assembly, cruise control, tie rods and much more. It was great at first and then it just got bad real quick. I have owned 9 Chevy vehicles and this is by far the end of me ever buying another. I would trade this piece of junk in, but cant find anyone willing to give me anything for it. Of course the warranty is over and the repairs just keep coming. Id love to hear if anyone had any success in getting any resolution and would gladly take any recommendations. Im sick of it, but stuck with it.

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  Sll around reliable and fun - 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By silentsquall - April 21 - 7:31 pm

  I bought the car with 214,000 miles on it and it ran like mint. Couldnt even hear it running when you stood next to it. The 5 spd stick was very fun to drive and look at. I owned it for 8 years with little upkeep needed. I put like 1,800 in repairs over the years and it never let me down. And it had spunk, quick off the line and great handling even in bad weather thanks to the front stabilizer bar. Also I was getting around 27 miles to the gallon. Love the car! And would recommend it to anyone.

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  Does anything else really matter? - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By paul wernich - April 21 - 4:55 pm

  Ive put 2,700 miles on my new Camaro so far and I have mixed emotions. Dealership made me a fair deal. Im averaging 23 mpg. I love the looks and comments I get from friends and strangers alike. Now the bad news. Front end scratches easily from rocks/debris on the road. Funny rattling noise coming from a/c vents. Passenger A pillar creaks. Onstar/phone seldom works. Radio/speaker quality needs improvement. Interior scratches too easy. Bottom line, who cares. The car is smoking hot. I bought the silver with black heritage rims and get loads of complements. Ive had guys in Corvettes and Mustangs staring at my car. For under $25k, its a work of art. I love my Camaro, so does everyone else.

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  Just bought and lovin it - 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Happy-Go-Lucky - April 21 - 3:24 pm

  Ive had the Avalanche for about 2 weeks now and I am enjoying the truck thoroughly. Ride is quiet and refined, especially compared to the pick-up it replaced. Acceleration was a pleasant surprise. Despite its size, Ive had no problem maneuvering the vehicle in tight places so far. I do feel the back up camera is mandatory, as I find it essential when going in reverse. Fuel economy is what I expected, but still is actually slightly improved over my smaller former vehicle which I attribute to the 8/4 cyl highway cruise feature, and the ability to run in 2WD except when on-demand 4WD is needed. In short, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship! :-D

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  Good vehicle - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By J - April 20 - 10:31 pm

  Great driving, plenty of room, storage space, stereo, good power, 26.5 mpg on 300 mi trip. Very happy with Traverse!

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Sandra Wyatt - April 20 - 7:38 pm

  I purchased this car new in 2005. The primary driver is my son who is now 22. Other than regular maintenance (oil changes, fuel filter replacement, etc) the car has not required anything except new front rotors. It now has 115,000 miles on it and runs as good as the day I purchased it. It gets 28 to 32 mpg. My son has also wrecked it 3 times. Two were serious accidents and he did not get hurt in either. The most recent wreck was in March of this year when he was hit by a Semi truck. The car is currently being repaired from this wreck. I couldnt ask for a more reliable and safe vehicle. My mother recently purchased a 2009 and said she will never own another Ford again.

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  Great car overalll but could be better - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Rich - April 20 - 9:57 am

  I got this to replace my old pickup, I think its a great car for the price. Went on a 1100 mile road trip, gas mileage ended up being 40.1 mpg on highway. I fit more than I know in the truck during my travel and performance only decreased on hills. Ive had to replace the control arms and wheel bearings shortly after I got so Im assuming the last driver drove it hard. Luckily under my warranty. The thing Im not about is the interior quality. I replaced the stereo to allow iPod integration. The seats stain easily. I feel like I may break some pieces of plastic when I clean. Overall, I cant complain. Ive put ~15,000 miles on it and its a fun car.

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  Owned a short time so far so good - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By richard - April 20 - 5:32 am

  I had just bought this car this year 2010. My old car had taken a crap on me. I went to a dealer ship. With all my bad credit i was lucky to get this car. It had 67,000 miles on it. The car was taken very good care of. No dents or damage to the body. The interior was still in good shape. The car drive nice. It have a lot of room inside. Like the trunk size. I did notice that the front end was squeaking allot. But nothing else to complain about yet.