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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  Sporty look, but not fun to drive - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mel - January 8 - 10:38 am

  Bought this in Dec. 06. I have always had this knocking sound. Cannot figure out what it is. For the past 6 months, I have had a hesitation when I try to start it. On several occasions I didnt know if I was going to be stranded or not. Took it to a mechanic, he acted like nothing was wrong because no lights were on. Also, cd player quit working about 1 year after I bought it. Finally, there is a problem with the gears shifting. Almost seems like the transmission is going out.

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  Very Disapointed - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Courtb86 - January 8 - 9:37 am

  I bought this used - 1 owner before me. Drove great at first - loved the car - then this year everything just crapped the bed at once. The transmission went. I love Chevy but I will never own another impala again, my cavalier was more reliable than this car.

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  Squeaking Brakes - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By Donna Miller - January 7 - 6:10 pm

  Since weve bought our HHR, the brakes squeak when applied to slow down, very annoying, the car had 29000 miles on it when purchased. Ive read other complaints of the brake system and it needs to be dealt with. From bad rotors to brake pads, says GM uses less than adequate parts. What is the deal?

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  Nice car, depending on your expectations - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By BarkyDog - January 7 - 5:04 pm

  The Aveo seemed far more comfortable and easier to drive than competitors. I bought the Aveo for my wife for her local commuting to work without her having seen it or driven it beforehand. She absolutely LOVES the car! Its cute and its fun to drive. Dont judge the Aveo by what the (usually negative) "experts" reviews alone say. There appears to be more negative bias toward this car than deserved. Test drive one and compare it to the Yaris, Fit, Rio, etc. for yourself. You may not need or want certain features others may offer. This was the right car for us, considering what we expect from it. We got it for less than the dealer invoice price, plus an additional $2000 off.

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  sorry chevy - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By sammckenzie - January 7 - 2:28 pm

  Ive had nothing but trouble every since I bought this car, with security system, service traction system window motor broke, cat converter had to be replaced at 60000 and roars when turning right, security system leaves me stuck at places for 15 min.In my book this is the sorriest car I have ever bought, they should recall all and destroy them!

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  Great SUV/Truck combo - 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By San Jose, CA - January 7 - 12:07 pm

  We bought our 2009 Avalanche to replace a 92 Chevy Blazer & 97 Chevy truck. The AV was a perfect fit for us with 4 full size doors, cargo capacity and towing. The AVs 5.3 liter engine has more power/torque than the 5.7 liter engine in my old 97 truck and gets better overall gas mileage. We tow 5,000(+) lbs of boat/trailer/gear and the AV has no problems handling the steep Sunol and Altamont pass grades in the S.F. Bay Area. The ride is more SUV-like than truck, and while the AV looks top heavy it actually handles the corners pretty well for its size. But if youre not used to driving SUV/trucks the AVs large turning radius can be scary/frustrating in tight parking situations.

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  Totally Impressed!! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jessica M. - January 7 - 10:33 am

  I enjoy my trailblazer & I am totally satisfied with my purchase. I think the overall performance is amazing. I was truly impressed when it came time to drive through the snow & it handled the weather just great. I found this truck to be very reliable so far, and I feel safe driving it besides the regular maintenance my car has not been in the shop for anything else. I couldnt be anymore confident that this was a great buy!

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  BEST VETTE YET - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dave Torres - January 7 - 8:17 am

  I recently purchased an 08,z51 package and I love it.Ive owned 4 vettes one being a 69 with 327 which I loved,but this baby is my favorite.I can complain about anything,its great that. All American Chevy has taking the vettes to the next level,awesome...

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  Sporty - 1996 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Robert Souza - January 7 - 1:39 am

  Nice ride not bad car at all fun to drive just replaced tranny got a good deal on one at $300.00 first convertible that I have ever had yeah Gm could have put a better dash on other than that lousy plastic one that cracks over the years.

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  P.O.J - 2001 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Aiden - January 6 - 6:55 pm

  The transmission jerks when I try to speed up, I have to floor it to get up any hill at a minimum of 40 mph. The heat takes way to long to warm up compared to other vehicles Ive driven. The gas stinks, I think a Hummer would be better. This car is big and bulky on the outside but I have to sit weird and lean the seat all the way back to have any room (No, Im not a fat person and Im only 61) and this car, for the msrp and being the last year it was made as a Lumina, is worthless in trade in and private party value.