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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  06 SS Impala - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Whit - July 8 - 9:56 pm

  I am disappointed with the gas mileage, in that it is driven carefully back and forth to work by my wife and she is only getting 17.5 miles per gallon. Also I have taken the car to two different dealers with a hard shifting transmission, lower gears, they tell me nothing is wrong. I have owned many cars in my lifetime and I know that this is not what GM was planning for an automatic transmission. The frontwheel drive can be a little bit hairy when in rapid acceleration.

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  7,500 mile follow-up - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By CSB - July 8 - 8:23 pm

  Still happy with this purchase. I have downgraded the mileage mark to "8." I have yet to take a long trip without ridiculous traffic (D.C to Outer Banks NC), but did get 29mpg fully loaded down at 75mph for about a one hour drive. Ratings r based on driving at 60mph on highway? The computer says Im averaging 20.5 mpg in northern VA suburban driving. Dont know what to make of all of the conflicting mileage reports. These Equinoxes cant all be made differently -right? I think I will try determining my mileage the old fashioned way to see if the computer is off. Maybe I have a heavy foot. I averaged 21mpg with my Mazda 6 (4cyl.) Anyway unless you get a Prius, whats 3 to 4 mpg?

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  Awesome! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By ApacheGray - July 8 - 7:23 pm

  I have only driven German cars for the last 25 years - lifestyle change took me to a top of the line Tahoe 3 years ago and while it was a good car, it was too trucky - so was heading back to Deutschland. Until our Chevy sales guy enticed me to drive the Traverse. A month later, I am in love. Have put 2,000 miles on it with no problems. It holds a large amount of stuff as well as 4 humans. It handles well, is comfortable and we are getting 18 mpg in town and the promised 24 on the road. GM has a chance if this is a sample of their future.

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  enjoy your hhr today !! - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By e.n. beatty[canada] - July 8 - 3:45 pm

  A BASIC hhr with a 5spd and a2.2, no traction control, no abs just a plain maroon colored 4door fun car that runs on reg. Gas and gives me a true 30 mpg in the city. Replaced oil with full synthetic and a k&n air filter. Bought it new right off the truck, has 16,000 miles and one visit to the dealer. The hhr has done exactly what I want. It handles great at 75 mph with no wavering behind the big rigs. The steering is sharp and precise however the torque steer is a brute. Behind the driver the available space is amazing. The build quality is on the hi side of good and the paint job was excellent. Overall Im pleased and oh yes I drive it hard and fast no slakkin in the sun. Gas, clutch, gone.

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  50,000 update--pretty good - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By dlz - July 8 - 3:14 pm

  Thought itd be a good time for this. At 50000mi my Av is doing well, with a few problems. This winter the 4WD started kicking out when the wheels slipped and dash read "service 4WD". Later this spring rear parking sensors quit. Both computer glitches, warranty fix. Oil consumption a little high, maybe a quart per 3000mi. Built-in oil life monitor would let me go over 8000mi between changes! All Ive read says this monitor is as accurate as can be so I run it to 10% life and change it. Hwy MPG as high as 19 in warm weather. Paint, fit and finish, interior leather holding up very well, just wipe down those stylin aluminum wheels every car wash. A darn good truck, and Im not easy on it!

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  thrilled with my used malibu lt - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brett - July 8 - 10:56 am

  I bought a used Malibu LT with 18,100 miles on it and have had for just over four months. Car has been great...I have a 100 mile daily commute (roundtrip) and have put 12,000 miles on the car in 4 months. Zero problems. Car has been terrific. XM is great, interior looks awesome and the ride is very smooth if you put up your windows you hear nothing outside. This was my first car purchase and I am beyond happy with it so far.

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  Back in black and no windows - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Dennis L - July 8 - 7:50 am

  A head turner youd think I have the only black panel hhr in NE ohio. I put custom black wheels on it and that is it. Everyone has something positive to say about it everywhere I happen to park. A friend at work bought one a week after seeing mine. Nuff said there, contagious I say! I have to admit I first only bought because I nailed the price. The dealership didnt even fill my tank! I stole it and really didnt care that the only gas left was what I had put in it for my test drive. I dont use cheap gas anyway in my cars (there is a difference in performance), I dont care what you drive. So the HHR has won me over and the vehicle is perfect for my horse duties, the truck stays put.

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  never again !!! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By sucker - July 8 - 2:18 am

  After my purchase I drove the Traverse on a 2,000 mile trip to Washington state via the Calif. coast highway. The Traverse averaged almost 19 M.P.G. highway and almost 13 M.P.G. around town ! This mileage has remained the same after almost 5000 miles on the vehicle and my Chevrolet dealer says that all is fine and all is NORMAL ! The mileage is T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E and what is worse,I cant do anything about it. I continue to pay for a fuel efficient vehicle and ,in reality, cant afford to drive this GAS GUZZLER. Chevrolet is somewhat less than honest with their mileage estimates ! I wish Chevy had this vehicle back and I had a REAL car ! Chevys ads should be illegal !

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  No Spare Tire or Donut .. Really! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By disappointed MOM - July 7 - 10:22 pm

  Lots of good features, but safety and reliability are my main concern, so when I discovered that my brand new traverse, not an inexpensive vehicle, does not include a spare tire, a donut or even a place to attach one, I was shocked. It doesnt really matter that onstar can send help if you have a flat.. If you have no tire, and have to towed, what are the occupants of this 7 passenger vehicle to do? wait by the side of the road? taxis are often not available in rural areas. For this kind of money, I am just appalled that gm would even produce a vehicle without BASIC family saftey items such as a spare tire. Moms, families, beware of the danger of being stranded at all times.

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  GM Junk - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By disappointed - July 7 - 9:48 pm

  Fuel pump went out at 58,000. NEVER buying another GM product. Horrible gas mileage, impossible to work on and mostly dealer only parts. High maintenance for a cheap car.