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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  So Far So Good - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Tom - December 25 - 11:26 am

  Have less than 300 miles on it so far. Love it just as much as my 1981 Corvette I owned many years ago.

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  Wheres the fun? - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By DGP123 - December 25 - 10:02 am

  A great car in every sense but difficult to find the "fun quotient". The paddle shifter is not nearly responsive enough. There is a definite lag between gears when upshifting. Downshifting is better but not great. I regret having a vehicle with 400 foot lbs of torque that will not lay rubber in any gear. Perhaps the standard transmission is more responsive. To date I have not found a place to drive this car to its limits. I would dearly love to have access to a track where I could test the advertised top end of 186 mph but alas that is not the case. Its not nimble enough to drive in the canyons and the run flat tires are a disaster - a lotus would be better. I waited a lifetime but.

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  Let me sum it up - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By TCH - December 24 - 8:43 pm

  Ive had my 05 LT for 6 months/8K miles. Yes, the gas mileage could use improvement. Yes, the fabric material on the seats is horrible, they stain so easily. And, yes, the turning radius stinks (steering is very loose. However, its seems to be hit or miss for a lot of Equinox owners when it comes to reliability and vehicle problems. So far, Ive had 0 problems mechanically, it runs smooth and is fun to drive. The back seat comfort seems to be an issue for some, but I have 2 child seats back there, so I cant comment on adult comfort. The stereo, controls, features..all good. I am suspect of the overall build quality, but for under $20K, what do you expect?

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  Bad luck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By bclocke - December 24 - 5:12 pm

  I bought the truck because I am a huge chevy fan. My prior vehicle was the S- 10 and should have kept it. I have had the Colorado for a year and had it to the dealer 6 times for repair, twice for the same thing! It has cost a lot of wasted time. I would strongly recommend using caution when buying a first year model!

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  Chevys best kept secret - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Paul Wernich - December 24 - 4:26 am

  I was ready for a new car and wanted to spend less than $15k. The Cobalt was a no-brainer. The 2 door laser blue coupe looks fantastic and I got it with all the goodies I wanted for under $14,000. Ive owned it for a few weeks and I have only a couple of complaints. The doors are long and locking/unlocking them is awkward, power door locks should have been standard. No armrest, whats up with that? The interior of the doors are all one color, light gray. Adding a darker gray to the door would have looked sportier and hidden stains better. Window crank handle fell off in my hand after only a few uses, just snapped it back on and all is well. Gas mileage seems OK, a few more mpg would be nice

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  Simply put: a good value - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mark T. - December 24 - 2:00 am

  Its about as good a deal as you can get on a decent midsized car. I would advise people looking to buy a Mally to go in after theyre trying to get the new model year cars out there, youll get a great deal. IF YOU ARE BUYING USED, I would advise you to go after a low-mileage Malibu. The Edmunds rating for 99 Mallys is real low, yet my car has been a dream (22K miles). Ive only had to fix: front brake rotors, burned out tail-light (twice), broken seatbelt buckle. All under warranty. And thats it! My Mally has been everything Ive asked for and has never, ever failed me. Love a Malibu and it wont let you down.

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  One of the best vehicles I owned - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By candymoreno - December 23 - 9:28 pm

  I really liked the smooth rider and it is really quiet going down the road. I have never been strained by the van. I have had regular maintence to keep up on the worth of the van. Nothing out of the norm. I really like the design of it and I dont have the power doors. I like that I control the door opening and shutting.

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  Up to par with any import! - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By YankeeCowboy - December 23 - 11:01 am

  Bought the car with intentions of fixing the rust and moding the car with Z34 model parts. Did some of this. The car is very reliable and quick, I recently took a newer model Trans Am off the line at a red light. Unfortunatly Im now buying a newer car because Ill be out of college and looking to move. The engine is still great. The Buffalo winters just took its toll and there is body and frame rust, and the rack is leaking power steering fluid. If I didnt need a car to move south Id be keeping this. Unfortunatly now my stereo system in the car is worth more than the car is. She handles great in the winter! I treated her well and she only got the best. Full synthetic oil and 93 octane gas

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  wow, i love it! - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By arvill hicks - December 23 - 9:23 am

  i think chevy finally has a winner. i didnt like price at first, but the more i drive this vehicle the more i love it. big, lots of power, it will get up and go when you need it. long trips are great. when you get there, feels like you havent been anywhere. looks very good. the inside could use some work, but it will do. i have received nothing but compliments on the vehicle from people who ride in it. i love my trailblazer!

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  It depends on what youre looking for - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By vikingjedi - December 23 - 4:00 am

  The 90s style Camaros look great, especially the convertibles. With a V8 engine rumbling it makes you feel like a king. No doubt about it, they are fun cars to drive. Looks can be deceiving though. The RS Camaros are not true sports cars. At 170 HP they are fairly slow. They arent practical either. Poor gas mileage (around 20 mpg) and horrible handling in rain/snow make them very dangerous to drive for even the most experienced driver. Repair costs are through the roof for the older models, which is pretty frequent. A new convertible top will cost close to $1000 to get replaced which is usually necessary about every 5 years