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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  Good Bang For Your Buck - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Heavy Chevy - April 1 - 5:46 pm

  Owned an 08 Dodge Avenger that could have been a good car but it was time for it to go so I researched the Malibu extensively before contacting a dealer. I really wanted a six cylinder engine but was pleasantly surprised by the 4 cylinder engine power so I didnt see the need to spend the extra cash on a six. This car is a great buy and good value for the money.

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  Love it - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By D - April 1 - 4:07 pm

  Bought my Cobalt 3 months ago and love it so far. Im averaging an incredible 32.5 mpg on my 92 mile/day commute. Not the most comfortable inside but Im 63 and 220 lbs so any car would be uncomfortable. Better mpg and horsepower than Corolla/Civic etc so if you take it for what it is theres no better car in its class. Highly recommended for a commuter

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  wondering if - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Janet - April 1 - 11:54 am

  Yesterday after my vehicle had been parked it would not go into gear. You could feel the gear shift slipping, not engaging in any position. Checked/full of transmission fluid. Only has 36,000miles. A gentleman asked if he could help, said he worked for a chevy dealer, said the belt slips off of the gear shift and this is a very common thing. Also said that chevy dealer would tell you you needed a new belt, but that it can be put right back on, as a matter of fact he did it right in the parking lot with a pair of scissors. Has anyone had this issue with this vehicle. Otherwise we are very satisfied with our TB, no issues other than this

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  worst car - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By danny olsen - April 1 - 9:46 am

  I bought my cobalt last year and ever since i have had problems with it i had to replace the radio twice cause it always said (lock or error) the power steering went out the ac started licking the bolt joint on both front wheel broke of there is still a knocking sound in both front wheel and i had a recall last week about it but the warranty is over now. That is for sure the last time i will purchase a GM product. IN SHORT STAY AWAY FROM THAT CAR. WORST CAR EVER.

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  Mamas Beast - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By CopperNcorn - April 1 - 5:26 am

  Bought this maxed out LT with about 15,000 miles, now has 99,000. Tows 30- foot travel trailer easily with 6.0L gas V-8. The 4-wheel steering is handy, but dont use Burb much now as am worried about costly repairs and it gets 12mpg, maybe 15mpg on long trips, 12mpg on long trips with the trailer. I cant believe the depreciation, especially when gas hit $4 per gallon - terrifying. Will drive it until the wheels fall off. Wife loves her Burb, but its so costly to operate. Probably logging less than 5,000 miles per year now.

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  Love It - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By RedSmith - March 31 - 9:33 pm

  Plenty of room. Great for car poolers whose kids have backpacks. Ample legroom, headroom, and cargo space. We love the styling. The dash is a bit disappointing, as the RPM indicator is almost as big as the speedometer, and markings on the controls could be more user friendly. The Bose stereo sounds very good. We have the sunroof up front, and the kids have the moonroof in back, which they definitely like. All the room plus the moonroof give an open feel in back that helps on trips. My wife had to hit the breaks hard when a truck in front of her dropped a dresser while doing 70. It stopped fast and straight. We are very pleased overall, and feel good we bought American.

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  2010 Camaro SS/RS Fantastic Ride - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Tony - March 31 - 9:26 pm

  Wow!! What a great muscle car. This is a very cool modern day muscle car. The power is incredible and the braking is excellent. I really like the interior design. The steering wheel is very cool. I have been a Ford guy most of my life and currently have 2 older muscle cars. The new GM Camaro is just all around cool and fun!! Best looking ride on the road at this time in my opinion. If you like attention get this car. I got the Victory Red SS/RS 6 Speed Manual with black leather. No sunroof. This ruins the lines on the roof. I also like the XM radio and the interior ambient lighting. The interior of this car looks awesome at night. Finally the front halo HID lights are nice and look great.

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  Buggy - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By colopete - March 31 - 7:28 pm

  Bought the car new and have found it to be a fun car to drive, it handles pretty well although the torque steer under hard acceleration is pretty amazing. No issues with any of the major mechanical systems although it could use a better suspension as the car will hop pretty badly under hard acceleration off the line. Very irritating minor quality issues -- particularly with the interior and while it is not an expensive car, should not be happening in todays quality driven environment. GM missed the mark overall and we most likely will not buy another GM product for many number of years due to our continued irritation with this car. Wont say stay away, just buyer beware!

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  I wish I had this car brand new - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Tina - March 31 - 7:16 pm

  I bought the car used with 110 k and put new tranny in @ 115,000 k. Its needed front end work pretty much regularly. Ball joints, etc etc. The 4X4 is great! I got really good gas mileage until the fuel pump went out, now its the standard 16 mpg.(was getting about 21mpg before!) The interior has nice luxury features. My favorite being the auto shut off of any light or anything plugged into the charger so the battery doesnt die. Blazer now has 150,000 plus miles and the radiator is rusted all the way through to heating coils etc. Have really had limited problems and been very reliable considering the lack of upkeep on maintenance due to financial difficulty.

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  Disgusted - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jacqie13 - March 31 - 1:38 pm

  I bought my trailblazer LT may 2009 already I have electric problem no front lights dealer says he doesnt fix them my gas tank gauge stopped working in October 2009 and they said they cant fix it now my stabilizer is malfunctioning and yes you guessed it they cant fix that either what was the purpose of buying a warranty for $1750.00 and it doesnt cover anything