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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  2008 Nightmare Malibu - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Melody - March 10 - 11:43 am

  Purchased in May 2008, first shop visit was in May 2008. At 26K miles, the TRANSMISSION has been repaired! I have had numerous problems with this car, I have a LONG history report that I would post up if I knew how. Steering column, clunking noises, transmission, back bumper popping out, side panel popping out, squeaky brakes, etc! & today at 36,042 miles, the check engine light is on so the car is in the shop yet again! I just picked it up on Saturday at 29,800+ miles & last night at 36K "Bing" on comes the check engine light. Ive had it with this car, too many problems! I was in love with it at first, but now it has become a nightmare! I am a very unhappy & unsatisfied customer!

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  The Best Car Ive Ever Owned! - 1991 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Gerry - March 10 - 7:47 am

  I had my RS Coupé built for me in 1991 (5.0 V8 with 5-speed manual - an NO T-tops!), and have been in love with Mr. Toad ever since. It was delivered with absolutely no defects, has never broken down, and has always been an absolute joy to drive, it drives like a go-cart, and, on one of my many cross-country drives, regularly turned out almost 30mpg ... not bad for a big lump of Detroit Iron V8 - and, despite its age, still has the beatings of most other cars on the road! Admittedly, I have "only" 139,000 miles on it, but that means I should still have another 19 years of life left in the engine & clutch before I need to replace them. My only problem has been the a/c unit developed a leak.

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  Ok but not great. - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jen - March 10 - 7:43 am

  I bought it brand new and did my homework. The car looks nice, but it does have some issues. The gas mileage is awful and you have to fill up at least once a week. Now they have the new hybrid out with better mileage which is what I wish my car was getting. The car does not retain its value at all. I am trying to trade it in and can not seem to get a decent price for it. I have had to replace the brakes two times in 4 years which seems a little ridiculous. The car does have a lot of room, but I found that I never really used it. I got it for the snow as I live in New England, but the light body style of the exterior makes me slide everywhere. Wouldnt probably purchase again.

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  Believe all of the good stuff - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Ron M - March 9 - 7:37 pm

  I bought my Av new in 2004. GM should have named it the Transformer. There isnt anything I cant do with this truck. I carry full sheets of plywood and sheetrock (and it stays dry in the rain). Ive carried firewood, gravel and anything else a regular truck does. Ive gone camping with four others in the passenger compartment, my four wheeler in the back, two canoes on top, towing four wheelers and gear on the trailer behind. I live in Maine and the Av keeps me cool when its in the high nineties and toasty warm when its forty something below. It stays on the road during a blizzard like a bengal tiger on its next meal. I will own this Av forever. Really. I still own my 72 Dodge Demon.

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  Most Reliable Vehicle Ive Ever Had - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Philip - March 9 - 7:26 pm

  I purchased this vehicle with 65k on the clock, and it is hands-down the most reliable vehicle Ive ever owned. I added a lift, different shocks, Tahoe springs, and other stuff, and it drives even better. Real body-on-frame construction, and low range make this a great vehicle. Parts are cheap, and there are plenty of them, so junkyards have tons of salvage parts as well... very pleased with my vehicle!

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  Good Choice - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Hehn - March 9 - 10:23 am

  Purchased 2009 LTZ V-6. The V-6 has outstanding performance. Mileage is avg 19. The fit and function are top notch. It has too many features to list. The Malibu is a smooth, quiet 1st class automobile. I would stack it up against Honda, Toyoda, and Ford any day of the week. I have 1800 miles on my Malibu. Changed the oil recently. Filter is reachable from top of engine compartment.

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  GAVE IT UP AFTER 10 MOS. - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By LEON - March 9 - 2:31 am

  After 10 mos and more rattles than my old 99 Chevy. I decided when the front end began to squeek and rattle when going over light dip and bump, I knew then with all the other rattle with the back seats and rear tire storage tire area, this vehicle wasnt going to be the car for me. Also the power wasnt the best even going up a incline such as a raised bridge incline and definately was not meant to mountain travel as I found out twice. Overall its a South Korean made economy car, good gas mileage for flat road travel, cramped inside spacing, and the cup holder well, what were they thinking?. Tired of wind up cars and poor workmanship.

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  Cost Per Laugh Still Going Down - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Ziggy - March 8 - 10:16 pm

  Got all the toys V8/2SS/RS, 21" black rims, black ground effects, hood stripe and sun roof. Its not yellow or red (its silver) and yet people see it coming from a mile away. And OMG its a kick in the pants to drive! With properly placed mirrors, there are no blind spots when driving down the road. But when backing out of a parking spot, hopes and prayers work best because you cant see squat. And it takes a little practice getting it into a tight spot in the garage. But who cares!!! Did I mention how much fun it is to drive? I went to a coffee shop close to a police station the other day and by the time I got back to the car, cops were circling and gawking. Now THAT was fun!

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  LOVE IT! 112k miles & still going strong - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By JamieinIA - March 8 - 1:30 pm

  We purchased our Impala in 2005 when it was less than 1 year old. 5 years later and over 100k miles later its still a phenomenal vehicle. It is comfortable and roomy. The ride is smooth and engine has a lot of get-up! The stereo is great. Most importantly, it has been a wonderful, reliable family car. We have had zero (non- normal) repairs. Despite the fact that I personally like the look of some of the Nissan and Toyotas more Im pretty certain my next car will be another Chevrolet (Malibu).

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  My favorite car weve ever owned! - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By dr86 - March 8 - 8:42 am

  We bought our vehicle about a year old. We were very excited after a very awful ford focus problem. We were told it was our dealers sons car. It was luxury and fast sporty kind of car all in one. Best of all we have 3 small children and it fit all the car seats in the back seat! We loved the way it drove. Very smooth ride reminds us of a buick bonneville. Very peppy and seems as fast as our 04 Mustang GT but its not. Over all we enjoyed this car and never would have gotten rid of it until we found out the dealer lied and underneath the vehicle in the crumple spots had been crumpled. It had basically been in a wreck and totaled. However, it still ran great with these issues.