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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  love it - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By lilcowgirl - March 17 - 3:20 pm

  i bought it with about 150,000 miles on it,the 2nd owner had already replace the tranny & maybe one more thing. one of the tires is wearing a little on the outside so im having the front end looked at, which isnt going to cost anything to fix.i went from driving something small to driving it & the suburban was a big difference but once i got used to driving it i loved it.in fact every time i get in it,i dont want to stop driving it because i love driving so much. has plenty of room & i cant wait to go fishing. i would recommend this vehicle to anyone wanting a vehicle to drive for the family,its fun to drive,it has lots of room & lots of power. i hope to be driving it for a long time.

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  Cobalt - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Kelly - March 17 - 2:36 pm

  Bought my cobalt and was in love with it. Couple months in my window washer motor went out. At the same time my door locks kept locking and unlocking. I had bought an extended warranty Thank God! The a/c motor went out my struts needed replace along with the sway bar and bushings! My car spends more time in the shop than at home. My car locks me out whenever it likes and they say there is no problem!!! My husband demanded I buy Chevy when I went looking for a car I should have stayed with FORD. Now there is a recall on the steering. I wish I could afford to trade it in

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  Great for a big family!! - 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
  By jayna - March 17 - 1:51 pm

  I bought this truck last year because we where expecting a new baby and needed more room. I LOVE this truck. It drives great and you can barely hear the engine running it is sooo quiet. I have had no big problems with it. Its great for hauling stuff too. I had to move my husbands 800 series bobcat and it pulled it so nicely. I could barely tell I was hauling it.

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  new us cars what can they do! - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By jens arendttorp - March 17 - 11:35 am

  29.8 mpg is all I can squeeze out of it even with a lucas additive in the fuel a good driving car as good as a Toyota Prius maybe even better, but poor fuel economy compared to my old Toyota Tercel wagon with on-demand 4 wheel drive, which is handy during winter months

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  FANTASTIC CAR - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By KenN - March 17 - 7:28 am

  I bought the Cobalt and love it, I keep reading its uncomfortable but I think its very comfortable front and back seat. It is very peppy on road and fun to drive, if you read the manual on Auto. transmission and use the half pedal deflection on passing it flys. Interior is mostly plastic but that makes it very easy to keep clean, seats are comfy with plenty of adjustments height, back, head lets face it its a economy car but I love it. Doesnt feel like a small car and looks sharp.

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  Happy but a few issues - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Nick - March 17 - 6:18 am

  Well I purchased my vehicle used with 26k on it, thus far I love it as it replaced an 08 Pathfinder. Nice pick up and performance. Spacious and comfy on long rides. I have had some issues thus far such as passenger door lock actuator, idler pulley, and now an oil leak. All of which have been or will be repaired under warranty. If not for these issues it would have been 10s across the board.

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  Much Better. Now refine it! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Richard G - March 16 - 10:17 pm

  I purchased the 6 cylinder LTZ version of the Malibu and was impressed with its styling, quality, and the price. GM has finally built a car that is on par if not better than its Asian competitors. Remember I said a car and thats the Chevy Malibu. Fortunately for GM Toyota beat itself which only leaves Honda and Hyundai to contend with. The Malibu is quick and dangerous off the line which great horsepower and nerve racking torque steer and wheel spin. Horsepower and front wheel drive system are not good bedfellows. The interior quality is good and the exterior design is very good but could use some tweaks. The engine is quiet but does groan nicely. Overall I recommend this car.

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  Watch Head Gaskets - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jim - March 16 - 5:06 pm

  I rated this car on 4/28/09. During routine oil change at dealer, they pointed out the head gaskets & crank gasket were leaking on 3.5 liter. It was all replaced under warranty and they gave me a loaner. The honeymoon phase is over. It is still a practical vehicle with awesome hwy. mileage. I find the quietness of the Impala therapeutic for my commute home. Its an almost "Zen-like" feeling of peace when I tune out the chaotic world in my car with XM radio. Even with radio off, its just a quiet and solid car.

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  Poor quality with no fix in sight - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By gafamily - March 16 - 4:13 pm

  We purchased this practically new (promo car with 2000 miles). For the first year, I was extremely pleased. However, then problems started and have not stopped. We have had numerous repairs made to the suspension and drivetrain of this vehicle, including bushings, struts, tie-rods, etc. The power doors also have been worked on several times however I cannot say they have been repaired because the problems always come back. I feel that, after reading several reviews, this is a common problem, but neither Chevy nor their dealers have an appropriate solution. The doors will open or close randomly, alarms will sound saying door is open when it is not, and many other problems.

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  NASCAR IMPALA - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Nascar Impala - March 16 - 12:08 pm

  While the few car magazine reviews of this car give it less than stellar reviews, this car is a great cruiser and can be driven as fast as a car needs to be driven! Passing is a blast. While some reviews call the suspension tuning "boat" like, Id strongly disagree. I believe it handles very flat and also takes road bumps well. Very good mix. I have yet to cause the front end to push taking corners way to fast. The seats do limit your cornering as they have no side bolsters. Since most seat time is cruising, this is an acceptable trade off. Gas mileage is good also....except if you are using it for the V-8...which is why I bought it!