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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  Very Happy - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By SA - July 7 - 9:07 pm

  I purchased this as a pre-owned vehicle to supplement my prior truck on account of a growing family. It has been excellent! I am pleased that its value still exceeds what I paid for it. We recently purchased a travel trailer, and it tows with an ease that makes one feel a trailer is not present. The only repair I have had is the power window motor on the passenger door - a common problem with GM trucks.

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  Love my Cobalt - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Latona - July 7 - 4:47 pm

  I love my new cobalt! The vehicle was much better than I initally thought. My Cobalt is fully loaded with Black leather interior, Premium Pioneer sound system (with a sub!),heated seats, Onstar, Bluetooth, HUGE sunroof. I like the fact that my Chevy makes it easy to keep your car up on maintenance as well. I know my tire pressure, coolant levels, oil level, gas mileage and more. I never paid attention to that stuff before, I always had my husband take care of it. The trunk is also very big. We are very Pleased with our purchase!

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  Super car - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By Bill - July 7 - 4:17 pm

  Drove to Atlanta and back, was quiet, comfortable, and got almost 32MPG average with 200 miles on the clock! I am so impressed with all the safety features, standard equipment, the style and comfort for a small vehicle. I rate it up with my old M-B 190 and C 220 for comfort and solidity.

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  Good MPG for V8 - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By steve - July 7 - 3:47 pm

  I bought this car for work. The Trunk is great, I have to carry a lot of equipment and it is nice. I have the SS which has the V8. On the highway it get 25-26 avg MPG. It switches from 4 cylinder to 8 cylinder smoothly, which a was concerned about before I bought the car. The Ltz owner I read the review must not drive but to his mailbox and back to get 17 avg. My 2004 GMC has better avg MPG than that (in the summer).

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  Awesome Truck - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By RayRay - July 7 - 1:04 pm

  Upgraded my Silverado to an Avalanche and so far, no disappointments. I love this truck. Smooth on the highways and plenty of power. A great looking truck with a luxury car feel.

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  American manufacturing feat - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Alex Povolotski - July 7 - 10:58 am

  This vehicle deserves more attention, keeping in mind it has recently won in the family mid-size sedan competition. Its a real feat of American auto engineering. Just take all the controversy surround the GM company away and think of the vehicle as a piece of machinery. The design is outstanding, both external, and internal. The fit and finish is at par with many Japanese manufacturers. The cabin is accommodating and the drive is comfy and noise-free. The six-speed auto transmission is a marvel of engineering. In fact, GM went ahead and beat Toyota to it. Toyota followed with its own 6- speed soon after though.

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  So far, so good - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Guardfamily - July 7 - 10:53 am

  We bought it because our family was growing and we needed a little extra room for the family car. Weve been really pleased with how well its done so far. We recently took a roadtrip to the mountains and I averaged 28 MPG with the AC on. Usually I get 21-22 in the city. Just a few downsides. So far, we are pleased with the purchase.

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  Great for fun, work if U can afford gas - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Z71 - July 7 - 10:46 am

  This is the best car I owned so far! The versatility of this vehicle is exceptional. Great interior and exterior designs for work and fun. I got it with the Z71 pkg. special grill, running boards, sunroof, DVD/CAM, DVD based Navigation (which is not preferred), towing kit and every things else. Black color is very nice but too hot for S. Florida. The bed cover is great and you can keep things in it with no worries. When the seats are down you have room to put drywall 4x8 and keep it enclosed. This is amazing! I was very happy with it and proud driving it but had to give it up because of fuel costs.

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  The Kid-Mobile - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By Dale - July 7 - 10:25 am

  I purchased this van because I had 3 kids under age 10! We have used it for all the family stuff including vacations to the Grand Canyon & Mt Rushmore. It has carried band members and deer. I plan to keep it for another 47,000 miles!

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  Great SUV - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By rush - July 7 - 8:40 am

  I went to the dealer looking for a truck. This stylish SUV was next to the trucks. My wife and I immediately were drawn to this vehicle. We liked the innovative storage system and rear sliding seat. After driving a fully loaded LT model with leather seats, we had to have one. We have not been disappointed. It rides like the same price range sedans and gets comparitive gas mileage.