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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  OH HOW I LOVE MY EQUINOX - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By irret_49_nc - June 24 - 9:04 pm

  I had a 2007 kia, until I found the equinox. I was originally looking at a Pontiac torrent which is a sister to the equinox. I ended up buying the equinox. Its actually wider than the torrent and the front ends are different. We recently drove it to fla for a Cruise and it was a wonderful ride verses the kia. Only bad thing is the stupid plastic cup holders... And no where to lay your phone or smokes but I fixed that problem easily. I bought a small office wire basket at walmart and put it on the dash, now I have space to stash a lot. The radio is great but the speakers arent as good as I had in my kia... But overall I give this suv a 10!

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  Im In Love!!!! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Teach - June 24 - 5:12 pm

  Being a past Honda/Toyota Girl all of my life, I was skeptical about an American car. Test drove the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Pacifica, and finally decided to try a Chevrolet, went to test drive the Equinox and saw the Traverse and fell in love. Once I drove it, I KNEW this was the car for us. My husband and I both recently retired, so we are ready to travel! Rides like a dream, quiet and so comfortable. We love being in our Traverse so much that after three months, we already have five thousand miles on it. Go USA!

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  Nice Car - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By ooscgt - June 24 - 12:24 am

  Overall nice car. I have 28kMi and no problems other than the typical tire pressure monitor sensor. I lowered the car 1 inch with Eibach springs because I did not like the body roll and the noise dive experienced with the original springs. Ride quality suffers a little with the new springs but overall worth it for me as it makes the car look much better and it did help reduce the body-roll and noise dive dramatically.

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  The 2008 Malibu Rocks! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kevin - June 23 - 10:52 pm

  Chevy has done a great job in the redesign of the Malibu. The Malibu has lots of room for tall folks, I stand at 65" and can stretch my legs out sitting in the drivers seat. The telescoping steering column allows me to see the console, a great plus. The gas mileage is great, I am getting 34.5 mpg on the highway. It drives smoothly, is much more quiet than many other auto brands in the midsize class. The LS has a 4 cyl. that does great with acceleration. I purchased the vehicle at 30,000 miles, and it still looks great. No paint chips or fading. I would recommend this for anyone looking at midsize vehicles.

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  Keeper - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By hjallie - June 23 - 8:20 pm

  This vehicle has replaced a 1975 Corvette, which I owned for ten years. Comparison, therefore, is obviously tilted toward a much more modern vehicle. Nevertheless my observations to date have all been positive with a few exceptions. Performance in the new Corvette is exceptional. Ride stability, cornering, cruising or city driving all a plus. The car is quiet, a result of the channeled windows. No heat generated from the drive train either, transmission is in the rear. Temperature control and air condition (filtered) are miles above the old vette’s crank-down windows for air circulation. Entrance is enhanced by automatic seat and steering wheel pull-back, although it is still a

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  Go America Always - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Marvin L. Harvey - June 23 - 5:06 pm

  I really like the color. Heads turn when I drive by. My fuel economy is the greatest. I can park anywhere in small spaces and the acceleration is outstanding. The quietness is great as well as the CD audio. The surround sound is beautiful. I like the buttons on the steering wheel and all the features it displays.

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  Mostly happy...so far - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Walter K. - June 23 - 2:42 pm

  We paid $44K for the 2003 TahoeLT4WD and looking back now the amount surprises me. Not that the truck is not a great value but we have invested in brake pads (twice), rotors (once) and other rear-end parts. There is a leak from the overhead A/C control that spills water (when heavy rain) onto the front passenger. The truck drives powerfully, holds the road very well and eats up potholes and off-road bumps with ease. The interior layout works real well with 4 captain chairs and 2 removable third row seats. We hope to get another 70k miles before any more investment or trade in. I would recommend this truck to anyone with need to travel distances safely with kids and a dog. Its worth it.

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  Transmission problems - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Morteen - June 23 - 1:44 pm

  From day one we have had transmission problems. Dealer said need new transmission but when we appealed to GM headquarter miraculously we found that it was electrical or computer generated problem. We were told this by someone other than the GM dealer. At a stop light when we give it gas the veh feels like we ran over a railroad track. Still having problems. 6/23/2009

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  LOVE THE CAPRICE!!! - 1996 Chevrolet Caprice
  By capricelovr15a16+11 - June 23 - 10:49 am

  This wagon is 13 years old this year and is is still is good condition. It is my grandmas car and i drive it on occasion. It rides like a dream as expected(very smooth) but too bouncy for my liking. It has been having a few problems lately, it wont start, but before it stopped working the injectors were having problems. Like when you felt like punching it (the gas), the engine would stick and out of nowhere the engine will jump and jerk. its 0-60 time is 10.1 seconds(ok for a car made in the 96 year). Overall it is a decent time of fun while driving. I would prefer more horsepower though, it only has 170 hp.

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  All frosting- no cake - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Fritzo2162 - June 23 - 9:42 am

  The HHR looks sharp on the outside. Nice curves, cool retro looks, good paint. However, the inside looks like something out of a 1980s era car. Cheap foam plastic that scratches easily covers every inch of the cabin. The standard stereo puts the speakers on the floor, so it sounds muddy. Windshield is very small, so your field of view is a bit limited. The sunroof works well and the controls for it are well placed. Theres also a handy in-dash storage space that holds an IPod, GPS, sunglasses, etc. There are three poorly places cup holders (which makes a trip in a car build for 4 interesting), back seat is very cramped.