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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  One mean little car - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Fallenmoon - February 6 - 7:01 pm

  Bought used in early 2009. Handles well, corners great, and has some serious cumption. Has heated leather seats in the front which are a nice addition in the winter. The short range fuel use leaves a bit to be desired (22mpg), The long distance fuel use is great (41mpg at highest avg. was 38mpg over 1500 miles). The Interior is Black with silver high lights. Leather heated front seats with plenty of leg room (unless your really tall). My car being a sport has as lower profile that can cause issues, namely the lower grill can pop out. But other then that Its rather sleek. Over all the car feels like it was put together rather well, Handles like a dream and looks good too boot.

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  nice car - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Ken - February 6 - 5:43 pm

  This car has been a very good car so far. It has 19000 miles on it and it is a 2008. Some of the editors review i totally agree with. The interior is a little on the cheap side but the seats are incredibly comfortable in the front even on long trips. I have the xfe and the gas mileage is superb. The braking mentioned by the editor has not been an issue but i dont drive on a race trac. The tires have done extremely well in the snow this winter. Over all really good car. Extremely comfortable and smooth on highway trips

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  It Keeps On Going - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By ddrhj - February 6 - 3:01 pm

  This is my first and only car, but it has been a great one. After 115,000 miles, its reliability and performance are still wonderful. The fuel mileage has hovered around 30 miles/gallon over the life of the car and the maintenance has been extremely minimal.

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  200k no problems - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By mike - February 6 - 1:57 pm

  I had a 2002 and put 200k on it b4 I sold it. Never had a problem other than a plugged sock in the fuel pump from dirty fuel. never rattled, squeaked. flexed. I towed the heck out of this truck and changed oil at 10k to 12k miles. after about 200k was using 1 qt in between changes. I now have a 2007 w/ 130 and its even better.

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  quality built truck - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By mike - February 6 - 1:49 pm

  This is my second AV. my 2002 had 200k miles when I sold it and never went to dealer for anything. My 2007 LTZ 2 wd now has 130k and only been in once for a cam sensor ($150.00) and recall for battery drain issue. Like my 2002 its as tight as the day I bought it. no rattle,squeaks or flexing. I tow and haul often and does fine. I have the oil changed every 10-12k w/ synthetic oil and changed brakes at 104K and trans fluid at 100K. Thats all Ive done. I hear people talk about American cars and just dont understand where they are coming from. I think its just largely perception of poor quality.

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  2000 Chevy Malibu - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Michael in Atlanta - February 5 - 10:26 pm

  We bought this car in October 2000 and now at 107k, it has finally died. So many problems every 10,000 miles. Will not miss this vehicle. Wasted so much time and money on the vehicle. Not only will we NEVER purchase any GM product again, if we ever won one on a game show, we would sell it immediately or drive off a cliff. Good riddance to this piece of junk vehicle

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  It all started so well... - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By tbonme - February 5 - 9:29 pm

  When I bought the car I loved the gas mileage and the way it moved. Then about a year after owning it things started going down hill. First the serpentine belt lost a huge chunk and had to be replaced. Then the AC/heater started to (and still to this day)only come on when it wanted to. Last week the driver door lock fell into the door, and before that the driver window decided to not go down and finally though it has a new battery and all fuses checked out the clock changes time every time you turn the car off.

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  Taken a beating. , , - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Pleased no doubt - February 5 - 6:36 pm

  Well I bought my truck with 7 miles on it. I now have 43,000. I have made many 6 hour drives from southern Ca to southern Utah and vice versa. Good power going up Cajon Pass. I have played in the mud with it, done donuts, figure 8s and drove like an idiot and it has handled well. Gas mileage is good, dependent upon the driver. I have used my truck for moving furniture, carrying wood etc and it has hauled it well. Best thing is, it still looks like new minus a couple slight scratches from driving through the Utah brush. Preventive maintenance is the Key!!! Stock stereo is the only downside, but keyword, stock. It has been a worthwhile vehicle in my opinion. Thanks for listening.

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  2008 Chevrolet Colorado LT 4dr Crew Cab - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Pete - February 5 - 4:40 pm

  The Z71 PKG is a must have. It gives the truck a better look and better visibility when on the highway. Ive put 22000 miles on the truck and was a little disappointed with the gas mileage until I put a Tonneau cover on the bed which increased the gas mileage to 20.4 mpg. Ive had no brake issues or any mechanical issues. Truck has popped into 4-wheel high twice when I was making a higher than normal speed sharp right turn into my driveway but, I cant say for certain that I didnt accidentally bump the 4H button. Anyone else ever have this happen? I wish the 3500 pound towing capacity was higher and the gas tank range was greater but, all in all I love the truck. OnStar renewal s/b less $.

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  2005 Chevy Colbalt 2 door - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By 2005 Chevy Colbolt - February 5 - 2:26 pm

  I have owned my chevy for 4 years and have had numerous...repairs..a/c went up leaked all over my floor, front struts replaced twiced, sunroof button replaced to many times to count, door lock on driver side went up had to be replaced, knocking noise coming from rear end(scary) interior is JUNK! Paint on radio and door handles chipped, key wont come out after shifting/pressing brake or restarting car, rotors are terrible....now my steering feels like it is going up....chevy wont do anything to fix even the minor items.