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:

• 

  Snow white dream - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By midlife love - November 9 - 10:55 pm

  This gem was the end result of a trade-in after a recent purchase of a mini-van. I can’t say enough about this car. Super reliable and low maintenance. Great interior and exterior. Spoiler, sunroof, remote start, aluminum rims with 18” tires, 6-disk cd changer with XM radio, cruise control, leather/ cloth seats, leather steering wheel, and room for 5. Great car for any age. Sporty and family friendly. Great & fun drive. Super comfortable. 23-mpg city and 29-mpg highway driving 65 mph. I would buy this Super Sport again and again.

• 

  2007 Colorado Is Great - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By JohnC - November 9 - 10:44 pm

  Ive owned this truck for several months and have nothing but good experiences, except at the pump. The ride is great, 5 cylinder runs smooth, and the transmission shifts perfectly. Im not sure about the reviews that say this truck is underpowered compared to foreign trucks with V6s. Its a truck, not a dragster.I have no complaints on acceleration. This is a solid truck. I love the people who complain about design features, jeez, dont you look at a vehicle before you buy it.

• 

  Victory Red 2008 Z06 - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Greg - November 9 - 8:05 pm

  I told my son I was going to trade my 2004 Z06 Commemorative on a new base convertible and he said "Oh, man, dont sell that car. I love that car." Hes a really good kid so I gave it to him (hes very happy), then started looking. I didnt know much about the C6, got a recommended dealer to send me a brochure, decided going from Z06 to base is not cool. He had a red one with 2LZ and a black one with 3LZ coming in within the next two months and I bought the red one. He took pictures of it being unloaded. It is awesome. I ran out of space in Suggested Improvements, so will add: Be sure you know what you get in 3LZ before you order it. Im not too sure about that one for $3500.

• 

  Bought Two - Both Great Cars - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Kizzme - November 9 - 12:41 pm

  Boucht one in October 2005 for my wife. Liked it so well that I bought one for myself. Very comfortable on 1,000-mile trip. Plenty of pep, unless you need to drag race.

• 

  Problems have been DIY easy - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Jeff - November 8 - 8:57 pm

  Coming from owning a Wrangler, I wanted something fun, more comfortable, but still able to be modified to be unique. Other than those that leave theirs stock, the same year/color/body Avalanche can look completely different, which is fun. I didnt buy it because I thought I was going to get good gas mileage, so no complaints there, and the savings in insurance from all the airbags and such has offset that quite a bit. This is my 15th car in the 18 years that I have been driving, and other than my 1st car (69 Ford Mustang Fastback), it has been my favorite. I will drive it till the wheels fall off...then buy another one.

• 

  great car - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By da big dog - November 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car new in 2000, and never had it back to the dealer except for a power window switch that went bad at 185,000 miles. The only mechanical problem that I had was that I lost overdrive around 165,000 miles, but I truly cant complain, I ragged that motor and transmission hard for the life of it,but the engine was rock solid when I traded it. The other nice feature about this car was even though it had soooo many miles on it in such a short period of time it still held good value for a trade in, I would strongly recommend this car to anyone......

• 

  Great Work Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By MAJORRGC - November 8 - 2:00 am

  The Silverado Work Truck is an excellent truck for anyone looking for a no frills vehicle at a fair price.

• 

  Wow, surprized by the # of complaints - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By acrobat - November 7 - 10:00 am

  I am shopping for a new car now. I am considering others but keep looking at the Malibu for the value. I have been very satisfied with my 99 Malibu. It is the first Chev. I have ever purchased. I am in sales and need a car that has room and still be easy to park. I am still on my original brakes. Like the ride, gas mileage and performance for a 20,000 or less auto. My only proplem was a leak under windshield. Fixed on first try.

• 

  I Love My Monte - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Patricia Engelbrecht - November 6 - 6:33 pm

  I believe something happened to my car before I bought it...the front seats are NOT right. The time I asked them to be checked I was told they were normal...but I have checked other 1998 Monte Carlos and they are better. My husband is a big guy and he does not have much room. Besides this problem, I love my Monte Carlo. (I owned a 1985 Monte Carlo before I bought the 1998.)

• 

  Best SUV Ive ever driven - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By martin - November 6 - 5:10 pm

  I got this Tahoe LTZ after trading in my 02 Tahoe. I thought that was a great SUV until I got my new Tahoe. Its absolutely beuatiful, in white with the chrome wheels, grille and in white. The insides white leather seats are the most comfortable seats Ive ever sat in. Already at 2500 miles and Im getting 18.3 MPG with about 70% city driving. Ive owned a 02 Tahoe, 98 Tahoe, and this is the best Tahoe by far