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 Pleased - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Jeff - April 8 - 2:44 pm

  I ended up with the red jewel v8 because I was unwilling to wait any longer for the ordered white v6. Im so glad I did because its the first question/observation that everyone makes about my car (big engine?). Once I tinted the windows, this car became one of the most awesome looking cars on the road. The blind spots that people talk about are real so dont buy this car if you cant drive proficiently with mirrors. Its also fun to remote start the v8 and watch bystanders jump out of their skin! My true test of a vehicle is that if something unforeseen happened to this car tonight, would I take the insurance check and buy it again tomorrow - WITHOUT A DOUBT I WOULD BUY THE EXACT CAR AGAIN!

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  Quality of the rims - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brenda - April 8 - 10:39 am

  I purchased my car in April 2009. Since that time Ive needed to buy rims twice. Im not a wild and crazy driver. I travel normal roads with plenty of other cars traveling the same. I have an older Malibu and loved it completely. This one the quality of the rims is a real turn-off. I find it impossible to believe my car is the only car that has problems with flimsy rims. I really hope others will comment so I can see if its an isolated problem or one others just have taken in stride.

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  Very nice car - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By packerfan - April 7 - 4:34 pm

  I am a 78 year old driver and being a salesman for many years driving a new car every year I have had a lot of experience with different cars. Driving this little car home was a great experience. I got it Jan 25, 2010 an so far have 1700 miles on it. Gas mileage is excellent 26 town and 33- 35 using the cruise. Great car for the money!! Fun to drive!!!

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  Chevrolet has cheapened the Impala - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Charl - April 7 - 12:01 pm

  I was very disappointed in the newer Impala as I owned a 2005 and loved the vehicle (my fault for not researching). Chevrolet has left out many of the old standards of comfort and the gas mileage is very disappointing. We have owned at least six Chevrolet cars and Im sorry to say I will think twice about purchasing another.

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  2010 Black Angel - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Nancy - April 6 - 8:49 pm

  Ive only had my Camaro SS for 2 weeks now. But all I can say is OMG! The performance is awesome. Build quality is fabulous. Some of the reviews mention the limited outward visibility however, its not that much worse than the mustang or challenger. Not a deal breaker in my opinion. Ive always loved good ol American Muscle and this car exemplifies that to the nth degree. Chevy is finally putting out well built vehicles and it shows. If you want a 69 buy a 69, otherwise take the new camaro for what its worth, a great combination of old and new. 2010 Camaro = HOMERUN!

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  Piece of Junk - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Joe B. - April 6 - 11:13 am

  I cant believe this thing. At 28k the glove box door completely falls off. At 37,000 the rear A/C line completely rots away. At 41000 both front hub assemblies need to be replaced. The gas gauge never worked right from day 1. Very poor quality. Engine and tranny have held up so far but Im getting rid of it. Chevy should be ashamed to put out such junk.

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  Outstanding everything - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By r weber - April 6 - 10:40 am

  The crossover has superb engineering and style inside and out. Plenty of pep,quite and smooth ride,great fit and finish,ON_STAR,Bose radio with GMs new nav system, LTZ very sporty, nice cockpit feel, Many creature comforts and very high tech.

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  2004 Impala - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Paula K - April 6 - 7:16 am

  I have owned many different vehicles over the years, but my 2004 Impala that I own now has been wonderful. It had 51K miles on when I bought it, but it has been completely dependable. Living in Minnesota with the sometimes extreme weather conditions, it has always started on the first try and gotten me thru to where ever I was going no matter what the road conditions. I have driven it to Florida 4 times and the gas mileage averaged out at 39mpg on the open road! I have had to replace the water pump, tires, a gasket, and the dash computer chip but I love this car. I hope to have many more years with my Impala! I know I can depend on it.

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  Not a good choice - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jay - April 6 - 1:03 am

  My parents bought me this car when I graduated but I wish they went with something else. Ive owned one for 3 years and now selling it. It is very reliable and doesnt have many mechanical problems at all but the entire interior design is made from cheap easy to break materials. Even the seats are VERY uncomfortable for driving for long periods my back would actually start to hurt after 3 or so hours and id have to get out and stretch, the cup holders are ridiculously placed right behind the cup holders. Dont expect the CD drive to last long either. Not to mention what car nowadays doesnt have power doors OR windows??The brakes also stink on wet roads, the steering is loose.

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  FIRST TIME COLORADO OWNER - 2010 Chevrolet Colorado
  By B.J.N - April 5 - 6:42 pm

  We wanted a 4wd crew cab the full sized trucks were way to expensive for what we needed a truck for so we found this truck and test drove it it was quiet smooth and has plenty of power it had all the options we wanted plus a rebate .We had a 2006 sierra regular cab and think our new truck rides just as good plus has many more options being an LT2 very happy so far