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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  100K and still going - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Peter T - January 2 - 10:50 pm

  Just passed 100K in Dec. 09. Had a bad ABS sensor this last year and the goofy cup holder under the stereo console has been broken almost since the initial warranty ended. Sometimes you have to touch the starter several times to start it but my wife and I have heard the same sound as others attempted to start their GM cars when we walked by. For a low end auto we have been absolutely pleased. This was our first new car in 15 years of marriage and as we traveled from SC to FL to IL to AZ to CA we have been very glad the majority of problems have been as expected ( brakes, tires, etc. ).

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  Good - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By smp429 - January 2 - 8:43 pm

  I purchased an 08 cobalt in 2009 with approximately 29000 miles. I do about 90% highway driving and get between 31.5 and 32.5 mile to the gallon which is so much better than my jeep. The car is fun to drive and overall has been great to own. The only draw back is that one of the hubcaps fell off after one month.

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  Cute, but glad I got the warranty - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By TheGirlWithTheMalibu - January 2 - 8:17 pm

  I researched for about two months before purchasing my 2004 Chevy Malibu. I found the Malibu to be the best fit for me, a traveling college bound student. The car its self handles very well and I always have fun driving it. The fuel economy isnt the greatest, at 23 mpg, but not worth complaining about. Shortly after I bought it, I realized the windshield wiper fluid didnt work when the button was pushed and the seat didnt work. Im having issues with it starting slowly. Although Im not sure if this is do to the car, or the Cleveland cold weather. My sister got stuck in the passenger side because the door wouldnt open from the inside. Great car, but Im glad I got the warranty.

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  Practical suburban vehicle - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By almontgp - January 2 - 5:18 pm

  This has been one of the best choices made for my transportation needs. Actually, I purchased this with my wifes impending need to upgrade her Prism (8 yrs old). We make daily trips of 40 miles, often hauling miscellaneous things such as feed bags, plantings and assorted small gardening equipment. The route is on both paved and unpaved roads. This car (?) is a perfect fit of utility and grace. The litmus test: my wife now drives this 100%! ) That outcome means we will purchase another - literally - because as expected, the Prism has seen the end of trails.

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  2500 8.1 - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By mikesbrunn - January 2 - 11:40 am

  I have just passed 96000. miles. The only maintanence has been oil and trans fluids. I have never even had the brakes done. I use this to tow a 24 ft box trailer with an antique car, weight is 11,000 lbs. We have been thru the Rocky Mt 3 times and this truck pulls effortly. I would buy a new one but no 8 liters are made anymore.

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  Uplander is Junk - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Unhappy Uplander - January 1 - 10:30 pm

  We purchased this Uplander in June and the first door issue was in July. We had just bought the van so we thought it was something we did. In Nov. we started having lots of problems. We had it in the shop 10 times for the doors before they fixed them. The traction control went out and was replaced. We had to have it aligned around 29,000 miles after ruining the tires. This van is a piece of junk. I dont think Chevy cares. This is probably my last Chevy.

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  New Truck - 2010 Chevrolet Colorado
  By whitedl - January 1 - 3:07 pm

  The Colorado I purchased has chrome accents and running boards. With the 17 inch aluminum wheels and metallic paint it is very sporty and looks good. The ride is smooth and the 5 cylinder engine has plenty of snap. The leather interior is nice, the only thing I do not like is the console area and heat/AC controls. For as nice as everything else is that part seems a bit cheaply done.

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  Overall Excellent, couple of quirks - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Dave S - January 1 - 1:19 pm

  Amazing that people complain about gas mileage on a large SUV that pulls almost 9,000lbs. Ive had my Tahoe for 6 years and will never sell it (Ive never kept a car longer than 5 years). ZERO repairs, only maint. The ONLY thing that REALLY bothers me is my Onstar was ANALOG and was canceled a couple years ago by GM with no opportunity to upgrade, even if I paid for it. It WAS one of my favorite features. The most surprising characteristic...the ride! It rides like a car on the highway, very smooth. Power is awesome, and since I avg. 75 on CA freeways, mileage is normal. The AUTO 4wd is superb, trany strong, and the Vortec engines are bulletproof. One of the best vehicles Ive ever owned.

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  Followup of first review 9 28 09 - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By walkabout - December 31 - 4:56 pm

  Drove from Massachusetts to N California. First day drove to VA and got 26.5 mpg, with optional V-6 engine. Drove total of 4300 miles across I-40 then up into Co. on into AZ, across UT, NV, and then into CA. Trip average MPG was 22.5, with a fully loaded vehicle. I love this car, and had to pinch myself often. The V-6 engine performed well. In the higher elevations the trans had to work hard and shifted often to keep higher speed up but did well. Never felt beat up after driving 500 miles a day. Driving at night on SR 50 in Nevada was a kick, the interior lights were really cool set up dim. XM radio so nice, we never played anything else. Americas Loneliest Highway, well, pretty fast.

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  Excellent mileage,otherwise average. - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Duroch - December 31 - 3:03 pm

  Anything electronic is troublesome. (Daytime running lights only work if it is foggy. Oxygen sensor died.Heater controls intermittently quit.) Heater became weak in year two. No mechanical problems after 6 years driving.I get up to 34 mpg(Can) and I am usually loaded.