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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  Hope it floats - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dachismom - July 20 - 11:28 pm

  I purchased this car after driving a Focus for 9 years. I had it for 5 days and then it rained. I thought I WAS IN A BATHTUB. It has been at the dealer for over a week waiting for parts to come in. I think I know why I got such a good deal. Hopefully it floats.....

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  Lots of problems - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By severinep - July 20 - 4:46 pm

  I bought this car last year and it had 91,000 miles on it. I am close to 100,000 now & had lots of problems. A spring in the clutch system was broken making it impossible to switch gears with the pedal. $1,100 to fix this and the auto-repair guy had never ever seen this happen. Sensors are bad and keep sending check engine messages or check fluids when everything is fine. Now I have another $500 in repairs because the muffler is gone and the transistor that regulates the fan for heat/AC is dead. I could change that myself ($25) but it is impossible to put the blower motor back since it uses special plastic screws. Only an auto- repair shop can do it.

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  Yeah! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By richard klein - July 20 - 3:13 pm

  My first corvette, everything I thought it would be!!!

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  Love it - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Mapanch - July 19 - 11:56 pm

  Bought this TB used with 30,000 miles. Have had nothing but good luck with it. I beat the hell out of this car (muddin and taking my toys out) and still have had zero problems with it (knock on wood). The I6 is an awesome engine, can hardly feel any difference when towing. The 4X4 is mountain goat strong - go anywhere. Comfortable for long trips, even to sleep in for a few days. Massive amounts of interior storage. All in all a good truck. Traded in from a Nissan Xterra - this is on par with an Xterra. Just a whole lot cheaper due to GMs crap resale value. Ground clearance stinks however, had to put a 3" lift on it - althought 98% will never leave pavement - still good offroad

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  Fun Yet Functional - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Lang - July 19 - 8:36 pm

  Ive had this car for about 18 months. I purchased it as a bit of a compromise. It has many nice features, had some zip, yet also had front wheel drive for northern winters. Turns out, not much of a compromise. Driving this car never fails to put a smile on my face. When you step on the gas, youre gone! It is by no means a high performance sports car. You can quibble about numb steering and other pretentious car guy stuff, but it has great muscle and a fun factor. The average guy, of which I am one, will have a great time with this car. A real plus, especially given $4+ gas, has been the mileage. I get 22 around town and more than 26 on a recent 1200 road trip.

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  Many Problems - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By 56lowe32 - July 19 - 6:21 pm

  I bought this car from the original owner and have had many problems. The seat recliner handles have broken 3times on each side(they are junk). The AC works fine until it has been used on the highway and then you come back into town and have some stop and go driving. The radiator fan shifts to a higher speed and the noise is extremely loud. Difficult to hear each other inside the car. When this happens the shifting from 1st to 2nd gear is very hard until the car cools down again. Have replaced the fan clutch 2 times. The other day I drove off the highway and about 8-9 miles stop & go before the shifting and noise became somewhat better, not normal until car was off for 1 hour or more.

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  09 Aveo Automatic - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Oregonaveo - July 19 - 6:07 pm

  Just purchased the 09 Aveo 5 w/ auto and air package. So far I am happy with it. With the cash 4 clunkers and employee pricing I am paying $8000 including Title and Registration.

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  Never, Never Again - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Jen - July 19 - 12:59 am

  In 2005, I was expecting twins we already had a 5yr old so we need more room and we like the way the uplander looked..more like and suv than minivan. bought new because I didnt have time to have a vehicle in the shop. This must have been a lemon..just a few month after purchasing I had repeated problems with doors (huge inconvenience with twins)and they continue to be a huge problem. also had charging system worked on, still not right and numerous other problems during the first 6 mths of ownership...at that time we tried to get the dealership to replace this junk with something of equal value but they did nothing and GM didnt care when I emailed them and called them...they had their money

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  great value - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By codger - July 18 - 8:47 am

  replaced 2000 Jaguar S Type 3.0. Needed more leg room and a larger trunk. Miss my memory seat & steering. The build quality is as good as any import I have owned ( Jaguar, Volvo, Infinity etc.)

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  Unlike other reviews! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By The Passenger - July 17 - 8:39 pm

  Everyone talks about the driving but as a passenger Ill review other things. First of all the dash is well put together. Buttons and stuff is very easy to use. Then theres the ride and interior. Its comfortable and quiet, but the captains chairs can be uncomfortable some times. Then theres maintenance. The Traverse is easy to clean. Ours is Black with an Ebony leather interior so it shows the red dirt. But it comes off EXTREMELY easily. Also even though its big, cleaning the roof and windshield is easy too! So overall, a great car!