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:

• 

  Wish I didnt have to sell it - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Paul - April 17 - 1:51 pm

  Developed a rear main seal leak when I first bought it. Panels around the vents began to oxidize from the air conditioning. Love the turning radius. Like the midgate. Sound system is pretty good. Generally got 11 mpg city, but was surprised at the 6-7 mpg jump on the highway.

• 

  A/C controls - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mikey - April 17 - 1:15 pm

  A/C controls do not work properly. When switching from outside air to recirculating air the a/c kicks on. a/c lite stays off. Push a/c button, lie comes on. Push a/c button lite goes off but a/c stays on. Must turn fan knob switch to off to shut off a/c. Chevy division says thats normal. That happens on NO other car that I know of.

• 

  May the best car win? Uh, not this one. - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jeff B - April 17 - 8:45 am

  The 09 Chevy Malibu is a huge leap forward for GM, and it is world better than past GM cars I have driven. However, now that I have had it for 18 months or so, the problems have begun to appear, and the dealer (Royal Chevy in NJ) has been zero help. Now my dash lights dont work and that means NO speedometer. The right turn signal doesnt cancel itself, and it sounds like something is loose in the left front wheel well. Are these terrible, debilitating problems? Nope. But as I also drive a 3y/o Honda CR-V and 4 y/o Mazda Miata, the comparisons are striking. No problems at all with the Honda or Mazda and both drive much more smoothly.

• 

  Front End- steering - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Shannon - April 17 - 1:28 am

  I have 31,000 miles on my Impala. The car was starting to be very rough, even over the smallest bumps. I also noticed driving on the highway that if I got distracted even a small bit the car was heading into the other lane, it started to wonder. It was also impossible to steer in parking lots at a low speed. I took it into the dealership and they had to replace the rack and pinion and the power steering pump, all under warranty. The car rides perfect again. My only concern is this something I will have to do every 30,000 miles. I dont drive my car under any adverse conditions so I hope for the best.

• 

  "No replacement for displacement" - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By JS - April 16 - 9:10 pm

  I now know why the 6.0 L engine was dropped on the LTZ from the option sheet. I read all the reviews posted here and no one ordered the optional engine. I drove from NYC to Florida, and from Savana GA, to West Palm beach Fla. I recorded 18 MPG with the cruise set at 77 MPH. My avalanche now has 75,000 Mi and runs very strong. It has a 4.10 rear axle and I use a K&N air filter. There is a noticeable difference in acceleration when using 87 Octane compared to 91 or higher. At speeds over 70 the engine will run in 4 cyl mode for long periods on level ground. I drive from Queens to Manhattan daily and average 13+ mpg. When driving up in the mountains of NY state I avg around 16. Bigger is better.

• 

  Going to miss him! - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Lynnann - April 16 - 9:00 pm

  I got him in 1998 its now 2010. I never had any big problems with him until this past year. One thing after another is going wrong. But hes old and has 98,000 miles on him and he is starting to rust. The one thing I didnt like about him is getting at the battery. But he was a purchase I am glad I made.

• 

  Big Blue - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By henry hopkins - April 16 - 9:03 am

  I am having a great time driving my Uplander. It rides well and has great gas mileage. I take my daughter to school everyday and she loves it. Her favorite feature are the dual temperature vents in the back of the van. She enjoys sitting on the back bench of the van. The van feels great on the road. It is heavy and handles well. I love the visibility aspect. The engine is very smooth. I also like the manual sliding door. I would tell anyone, dont believe the negative talk about this vehicle. This is an excellent family vehicle that is great to drive! I cant wait to go on road trips!!

• 

  Awesomeness - 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
  By aecmew - April 15 - 6:27 pm

  This car is astounding. Im amazed by its performance. As a daily driver it feels like a regular car. On the track. It feels like a rocket. Out of the many sports cars Ive driven. This is the most sublime. The track is its home but youd never know it when driving it to work. Nav works good, sound system is good, overall ergo. Good.

• 

  Total Transmission Failure - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By lindahat - April 15 - 7:50 am

  I bought this beautiful brand new Malibu LT after driving only GM trucks for a long time. What a great car! But after owning it just short of 3 months, and only 1500 miles, it has had three major problems develop, all within 24 hrs: 1) dash lights went off and on, 2) cruise control engaged and accelerated on its own, going uphill, 3) total transmission failure! The repairing dealership has had it a week and is now taking out the entire transmission for replacement. This car is obviously a lemon and we have asked for our money back! No response as yet. Does GM care about rebuilding their image? We shall see how we are treated.

• 

  97 Cavalier Rally Sport - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By jessicab5808 - April 15 - 7:23 am

  It gets you from point A to B, but it rusts easy and overall i HATE it