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:

• 

  SILVER BULLET - (DURAMAX / ALLISON) - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Big AL - July 15 - 11:36 am

  Traded a great 04 Loaded LS Crew Cab SWB 4x4 W/LB7 D-Max & Allison in for Loaded LS Extended Cab 4x4 W/LLY D-MAX & Allison. Ride is much firmer, but this truck is 10" shorter than my other truck; therefore the reason for the firmer ride. I think the extended cab SWB in the 2500HDs look better than the rest, but this is soley my opinion. My LLY is getting 2 MPG (17.1 HWY)less than the LB7 was(19.2 HWY). Still decent MPG for a 402 CID engine. If you plan on keeping the truck for a long period of time or if you drive many miles yearly, get the D-MAX, either with auto or standard transmission. Overall, it will cost you less at the pumps than the gas engines, will last longer & have a higher resale.

• 

  Nice ride-family SUV - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Texasgirl - July 15 - 10:44 am

  I drive my Trailblazer mostly in town. After switching over to a synthetic oil I improved MPGs from 15.5 to 16.5. I had some front end trouble at 38000 miles. The entire rack and pinion steering system had to be replaced. $1500.00 ouch! Its a good SUV. Currently I have 47000 miles on it and no more trouble.

• 

  Wish it were mine - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Larry - July 14 - 11:10 pm

  Wife traded in her 2005 Tahoe for this truck, it has been great. A couple of minor problems - knob on rear control fell off and piece of plastic in storage area broke, but besides that no problems. Have seen the dreaded "low oil" light once, brought it in. It is currently burning 1 pint of oil every 3K miles, so I hope it does not get worse - dealer said this was common...

• 

  Dream Car! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By gxtol - July 14 - 9:33 pm

  Id wanted a Corvette since I first became aware of cars at 13 (in 1966!). Finally got one at age 50. Bought mine new in Spiral Gray with every possible option. Other than replacing the battery in the first month as a preventative measure and fixing the gas tank (common problem) in the first year, this car has been "bullet-proof". I live in an area where there are multiple exotics, Porsches, Ferraris, etc and my car gets as much, if not more, attention. I love it. Fast, great looking and a virtual time machine making me feel 16 again.

• 

  Amazing power and handling - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By fl_vetteguy - July 14 - 8:27 pm

  talk about fun! 6 spd and 430hp with 10 inch wide rear wheels and a rocking stereo to boot! there is nothing like sitting in the cockpit, looking out over that long hood and curvy wheelwells while running from 3rd to 6th gear merging on the interstate! a truely genuine classic.

• 

  Poor reliability - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Disappointed Owner - July 14 - 5:02 pm

  I bought the car new and discovered the driver side window worked very slow. Dealer replaced motor three times and worked on it on at least 10 visits. Never was fixed! Transmission went out at 70000 miles. Car was never driven hard and perfectly maintained. Numerous problems with emission air motors to the tune of $200 a pop. Had to replace the drivers side hub assembly, (bad bearing), $350. Oil gauge stopped working at 85000 miles. Change oil light very difficult to reset. Rubber seal on back doors had to be re glued twice. Engine runs very well with no problems, have used nothing but synthetic oil for life of car. Radio lighting goes on and off. No Low Fan control for AC or heat.

• 

  Well Thought Out - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By NAVYSSDV - July 14 - 3:58 am

  Has a good road feel and drives well, predictable, positive handling. Mileage around 27 winter and 31+ in the warmer months. Avgd over 35 on a 1000+ mile road trip last summer. Nice smooth powerband but 2.2 wont snap your head back on inclines. Utility is well designed with the plastic floor and sides, rear seats that fold flat. Rear seat leg room adequate, comfortable. Drivers leg room a little narrow but sliding the seat back helps. Telescoping wheel would be a good overall remedy for this. Engine is nice if you do you own basic maint. Oil changes a snap with that top load filter, plugs easy access, fluid fillers, like that. Good daily runner. Economical, practical, comfy.

• 

  Great Family Car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Scott - July 13 - 8:40 pm

  This is a cool moms car. I bought one for my wife for Christmas and she loves it. The car is definitely a head turner. With all the features for the price this car is hard to beat!

• 

  boat driving - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By Boat Driver - July 13 - 8:35 pm

  I got this care with 100 miles on it, new car...but it handles like a boat, you have to push the peddle in pretty dang hard to move the thing (i know its new but wow). also the things handles like a boat, i got caught by a cross wind and i did not move the steering wheel and the car starts swaying on the road like i moved the wheel, very uneasy. plus side is the interior is nice and there is plenty of room...other than that Chevy took a once awesome and fearsome car and turned it into the love boat.

• 

  Chevrolet Rides Again! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By donna - July 13 - 8:13 pm

  Outstanding vehicle! Think before you buy a Camry or Accord because they cant beat this vehicle. 4 cylinder has plenty of power especially when paired with the 6 speed. Turns a lot heads. If didnt have the bowtie on it you would never guess that it is a Chevy.