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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  Malibu as company car - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By cjt - October 14 - 4:00 pm

  I chose to get an 09 Malibu LT2 for my company vehicle, and Im very happy with it. Ive put over 40,000 miles on within 10 months and never had a problem. It is full of luxury options, and is sporty and comfortable to drive. In the past Ive driven a 03 Jetta, 08 Grand Prix, and then this Malibu. The Malibu is my favorite by far. Overall, it just feels solidly constructed and of very high quality.

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  I love my Monte Carlo - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By ADianeS - October 14 - 3:06 pm

  This is one of the best rides I have ever owned. I had 1999 Mustang and loved it, but the comfort and performance of the Monte Carlo is far better. I love it.

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  05 impala - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By idkdude?!?! - October 14 - 2:22 pm

  I bought this impala about 5 months ago, its my first car. So far it has been a pretty good car, I have had minimal problems with it. I love how roomy and comfortable it is, I have had a full car with 6 ppl in it and we are all still comfortable. I have a dark blue impala with a spoiler and moon roof, performance wise I wish I had gotten the ss (I have the base with the 3.4 v6), the acceleration is decent. Handling is pretty good going 70-80 on the highway, I feel very safe in my impala. The only thing that I have noticed is that whenever I floor it, afterwords you can feel the transmission shifting whenever it changes gears, no idea what it is but it stops whenever I turn it off or on,

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  Heated Seats left me Out in the Cold - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Dr. J. - October 14 - 8:55 am

  I love the exterior my 2007 Equinox. XM radio is a great feature. However interior is full of issues. Heated seats work intermittently. Dont wait until winter to try them. You might be out in the cold. This feature isnt for the duration of the 5 yr, 100,000 mile warranty. Check them throughout the year even in the summer. Right passenger airbag sensor doesnt always work. GM recall for this. Driver side seat mechanism didnt work once for 2 days. Took it to dealership to fix. Chrome center panel reflects sun causing blinding glare when driving. Remember some things are only under warranty for 2 years so dont delay taking your car in for repairs. Make sure its in computer system everytime

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  Best Car Ive Owned - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Eric - October 14 - 8:52 am

  So far I love this car. I had purchased a 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic in July but wasnt satisfied with the feel of the engine so I traded it in for a car I was more comfortable with driving. This is the third car I have owned and fifth one Ive drove and by far it is the best. The only thing wrong so far is when I first bought the car i couldnt fill my car with gas no matter how full or empty my tank was without it activating the automatic shutoff, but the dealership repaired that for free.

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  Never again - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Amalia - October 14 - 12:07 am

  I have owned it from the start, 9 years now. Ive kept up with maintenance and read the owners manual. Despite this, Ive been having problems over the past 3 years that in the past month have come to a head. The problems include a broken water pump, coolant leaks, radiator problems, temperature gauge braking, the window motor failing, a transmission problem that often makes it hard to pull out at green lights, an engine that doesnt like going over mountains, and the blinker wirings loose. Ive brought it to two places that have been trustworthy for family and they cant figure it out. Far too many problems for 65k - was it made on a mon/fri?! Will not buy Chevy EVER again.

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  satisfied owner - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By chev owner - October 13 - 9:08 pm

  I have put 4500 miles on this car in less than 3 mo. Beautiful car. Exterior is as good as any European model. Interior is great. Took awhile to get use to the 6 spd auto trans its ok now. Think the 2.4engine might be a little too small for the tranny. If I was to do again would get larger engine. Fuel mileage not as good as advertised. Only 27-28 highway. Sort of unhappy about the fuel mileage as this is the main reason I purchased the car. I drive 60 miles highway per day. Best ever got was 30mpg. Very few things I would change. Love my chevy anyway.

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  Sweet! - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By ToddP - October 13 - 9:06 pm

  Bought the car new and have never regretted it, even with the baby. Roomy and fun to drive. Chevrolet improved it a year later by adding a V8 option Only change I would make is that.

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  What a change from 2003 - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By PElliott - October 13 - 7:19 pm

  I traded in my 2003 Suburban which I loved. I cant believe the changes! I thought I was already driving a nice ride, but Chevy has out done themselves. It is much roomier, rides like a dream and handles great. I was amazed with the turning radius. I was able to make a U-turn on a divided 2 lane street without clipping the curb. I love the 8/4 5.3L engine. I am averaging 22 mpg. I will admit most of my drive is commute (65 mph). The 2 third row seats nicely fold up against the second row with ease. In this configuration I carried a four tier wedding cake (separated), two large cube ice chest, three suitcases, 6 12 can cases of soda and several loose clothing bags with room left over.

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  electric question - 2009 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jocap - October 13 - 6:37 pm

  my nox is a really good vehicle. I use it like it were a truck, which is what i traded in for it. I had a really bad experience trying to hook a trailer four way plug to it. Now i am trying to hook a 7 prong plug to pull a small pop up camper. I found out that it has some weird electrical system that needs a special something in line. If you dont use it the cars module will blow out, cost around eight hundred dollars to replace. it has something to do with the lights being separate. any help would be happily used.