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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  A Joy to Drive! - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By James G - October 20 - 9:17 pm

  Ive owned my 2LT for about 2 mos. now and am really impressed. The utility, the mpg, the drivability are everything I hoped they would be. The HHRs fun to drive, and stands out among the pack. I seem to attract attention and queries on a regular basis. As the first Chevy Ive owned in almost 20 years, I was a little hesitant to buy, but I think GM at least on this vehicle has done an outstanding job on the little details, something that was not their strong suit in the past. Fit and finish on my black HHR is just beautiful all the body parts are flush and exacting. I would definitely recommend this vehicle for purchase.

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  Happy Happy Owner! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By WOT SNU - October 20 - 1:52 pm

  We love everything about this car. Its the first Chevy Ive ever owned and it hasnt been a problem. The only things that I wish were different is the location of the window buttons, and the cup holders. After a time you get used to them though and dont give it a second thought. Overall a great car!

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  Satisfied Owner - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By Satisfied Owner - October 19 - 8:30 pm

  We bought this van at 72,000 miles. We now have 138,000 on it and it is still driving well. We are ready to dispose of it because we decided to buy an SUV. We are guessing it will drive for another 80,000 miles. We loved the Venture. We have travelled hundreds of miles each time from one state to another. We never had a breakdown. The only complaint is the driver side window gear failed. We would consider buying another Venture again in the future.

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  Great car - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By will buy chevy again - October 19 - 7:52 pm

  Bought this car in Feb and have put almost 11,000 miles on it and my wife and I love it. Great gas mileage and good power from the 3.5 liter engine. Thought I would never buy American after my 96 Oldsmobile but GM won be back over with this car.

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  Could use some improvements. - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By KBJ - October 19 - 3:45 pm

  Bought a 1500 LTZ 2 months ago. Love this vehicle, however, there are a few recommendations: auto up windows, more storage spaces, 3rd row does not fold flat, the active fuel management only goes into 4 cylinder mode when going downhill or on decel. (My Honda Odyssey will cruise at 83 mph in 3 cylinders!) With active fuel management, my economy is no better than with my 03 Suburban without it. Whats up with that? Navigation does not seem to be accurate. My Honda also is better with this. I do love the looks, styling, comfort, OnStar, DVD system except not being able to listen to a CD when kids are watching a movie. Turning radius is greatly improved over older models.

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  First Chevy - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By crawpops - October 18 - 9:03 pm

  Very good gas mileage, nice handling (even in snow). Very high cool factor, lots of complments on the styling. Interior very well laid out(except for window controls). Plenty of head and shoulder room (I,m 6 2"). Very good build quality inside and out. Smooth and quiet ride.

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  Most Awesome Truck! - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By melissa - October 18 - 1:48 pm

  I love this truck so much. It has been 100% reliable and for a V-8 gets excellent gas mileage. It still looks and drives like brand new! This has been the best drive of my life and Ive owned 4 other Chevy trucks(they were great, too), a Ford and 2 Dodges (didnt keep them long!)This is by far the coolest looking Avalanche out there-my opinion. scores a solid 10!

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  SS with some KICK! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By vette-girl - October 17 - 9:03 pm

  Purchsed the Impala SS in October 2005, Looked at the 2006 Charger RT Hemi, but I couldnt get past Mopars poor styling on the front end of this vehicle. I think Dodge is staying with the truck look even in the passenger dept. The grille looks like a Dodge Dakota/Ram. Go for the SS. It can really kick some ____ ! So far we luv our Impala 28 mpg. Not bad for a performance car with some room.

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  Great to drive - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Afurychow - October 16 - 11:12 pm

  We only just bought our HHR after trading in our Chrysler Town and Country Van which I was very attached to, but we no longer need a vehicle that size. I love the HHR, it is so comfortable and fun to drive. I love the interior and the way all the gauges are set up. I was going to go with a tiny car for better gas mileage but the HHR gives me a bit more room with a better gas mileage than my van.

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  At 25,000 miles, a great little car - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By spir - October 16 - 5:39 pm

  This is really a fine little car. I am a professional, but got tired of sending my gas money to foreign lands. The Aveo gets good mileage (27 in city, 37 on highway). Not great, but good. Considering the price of the car, great mieage. The result is a very affordable car that gets good mileage, has some style, and is fun to drive. I am amazed that is has not given me any trouble at all. I drive it a lot. We took it on a 1,600 mile drive recently and it is more comfortable than a larger sedan. My main complaint is the small sun visor, and weak cup holders. I would buy another, great car!