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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  Poor passenger comfort - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By D - August 28 - 1:11 am

  Ive only had the vehicle for 3 weeks and wish we would not have gotten it. There is 1 cup holder in the back for your passengers (anyone with kids know thats not going to work very well.) There is no arm rest in the front passengers seat or in the back. The one in the front can be purchased at an additional charge of course. The mirrors have a strange reflection in them, You feel like your looking through a glass filled with water. The fabric is about as cheap as you can get its already got little fuzzies on the seats & its got less than 200 miles on it. There is very little storage in this car. I Wish there was a 30 day satisfaction return on vehicles, this one would have been returned!

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  2nd 08 Malibu in town - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By blue08bu - August 27 - 8:16 pm

  This is my 3rd Malibu 66,71,08. People keep asking me "is that the new Malibu?" Chevys unlimited ad budget must be working. Nothing but compliments on its looks. I had a choice for a lease car between a Pontiac G6 & the Malibu. I never have ordered a car without driving one first much less without seeing it. Boy am I glad I chose the Malibu sight unseen. Since it is a lease vehicle my company speced it out with the 3.5Lt.V6 , 4 Speed auto & hydraulic steering (cant get it this way "retail"). It looks great, rides great & drives great.

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  First Truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Lisa - August 27 - 7:33 pm

  I was skeptical about getting a truck, but after driving this one I would recommend it to anyone. The ride is smooth and the gas mileage is way better than that listed on the sticker. The resale value is also excellent.

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  Love My Uplander!!! - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Lovin it! - August 27 - 6:00 pm

  We recently upgraded to an Uplander from our Chevy Venture, due to high mileage. We love everything about it and are proud to own a Chevy! One thing that impressed me was how much leg room there was in all three rows even with the captains chairs in the middle. Plus the seats are nice and solid, so you dont sink in to them when you sit in them. The DVD is great for long trips and the fuel economy is GREAT! We love our Uplander!

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  to hell and back....... - 1991 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Max - August 27 - 3:47 pm

  Could this be the perfect car? i saw my vehicle in a friends front yard for 550 dollars, with 98000 miles on it. now it has 203000 miles. what went wrong during my year and a half of ownership? nothing really! the only repairs ive had to make was spark plugs (looked like they were never changed!),a new radiator(i drove it too hard one night), and a new water pump and belt. and these repairs were far and few in between. i even drove this car in the cold winter of 2008 WITH NO ANTIFREEZE and it started and ran EVERY TIME!!! chevy should design all of their cars like this one. and the water pump didnt crap out until 150000 miles AFTER i got the car. that is damn good considering the age.

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  best money I have spent on a car yet - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By joe - August 27 - 2:13 pm

  I see some people had bad experiences here, you cant make everyone happy. This is an amazing car for the price and mine has over 129K miles on it! I have had autos from domestic and foriegn makes and our Equinox is incredible. The GREATS: ON STAR!!! Handling, int. space, handling in snow, exterior looks, exhaust sounds sporty. The GOODS: fuel MPG, pick up, rear seat comfort, easy to work on. Nice sound features The BAD: Front leather seats not comfortable on trips, road noise, int. plastic losing coating. OVERALL: the car is $25K with leather and all wheel drive!!! What do you expect?? We have had no problems,and this one we love!! ps.Our Honda needed a new motor and Nissan 2 trannys so...

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  Out the door trip - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Alan J. McTaggart - August 27 - 1:39 pm

  Took my Traverse with only 180 miles on it out to South Dakota on a 3,600 mi trip with absolutely no problems four adults and luggage everybody as comfortable gas mileage averaged 20.9 for the whole trip. More mileage on the vehicle the better the mileage. Could not have been happier with the vehicle.

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  Dont buy GM - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By JuliaG - August 27 - 10:10 am

  I have owned this car for less than a year (less than 70,000 miles) and it has had more than $3000 in repairs. The most recent issue for me was loss of power steering while on the highway. Its obvious to me that GM was aware of this safety issue, having issued a recall for the same year/make/model, although not including my VIN and they are not at all willing to assist me, although the dealership offered me a 10% discount on my bill. I will never again purchase a GM vehicle after the poor customer service I have received and vehicle quality I have experienced.

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  Great mileage - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By idlework - August 27 - 8:03 am

  Great mileage...loved it so much we went back to dealership 4 months later to buy another for daughter in college. EXCELLENT Mileage on highway. City MPG fluctuates. Both cars had service engine light come on at 70,000 miles-both O sensor. Daughter hit herd of deer at 50 mph, car lost but she was unhurt. Small but safe. Hate the tires that come with it from manufacturer--both cars needed replaced within 15,000 miles. Heat and air nice. Got hatchbacks and everything fits when seats folded down! Put a 5 ft Xmas tree in there every year...also bought 6 ft kitchen counter top at Lowes and it fit!

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  155xxx and still going strong - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Bert - August 26 - 11:46 pm

  I bought my blazer about 2 years ago, and havent had any big problems with it. Sure Ive had a few small ones here. and there. It has 155xxx miles on it. Any car you have is going to have there problems. I drive my Blazer year round. On, and off road. It has been a really good suv so far. It runs great, and drives really well. Gm does need to make some improvements to the interior but over all I have had good luck with my blaze. 155xxx, and still going strong.