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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  Stay Away! - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By JJ - June 21 - 10:38 am

  Multitude of problems. at 80K the intake gasket failed ($1000.00) at 90K, AC compressor clutch failed ($800.00) at 100K front end work ($600.00) corosion everywhere. Way to go GM - NEVER again will I be sucked into your vechicles to purchase. I have a 1998 Honda with twice the kms that still runs, drives and looks new and worth 5x as much in resale.

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  Very pleased - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By joedeemac - June 21 - 8:58 am

  After driving a 97 Lumina over 110,000 miles with absolutely no trouble and excellent gas mileage I decided to try the Impala. So far this car has also been trouble free. Gas mileage is much better than the EPA rating. Ive owned a Honda Accord which was a good car but I did have a few minor problems with. As long as I keep getting trouble free Chevys Ill keep buying them.

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  TB5.3v8 - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Nick Ricc - June 21 - 6:28 am

  First TB was 02, and didnt like 4.2. Was traded for 04 Tahoe that was great, but I was offered special incentives to trade on a 08TB 5.3, and have enjoyed it ever since. MPG average is about 18.2 and seems to improve with middle grade 89.

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  Great Truck - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Snowman - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Bought the Trailblazer in December and immediately drove to Lake Tahoe (1000 miles total). The 4WD handled awesomely in 1 ft of snow and the truck powered reasonably well up the higher mountain passes; tho it did down-shift two gears occasionally to maintain speed. The ride is amazing, *very* comfortable and yet the truck sticks to the road. The front seats could use more side support (lucky that even the drivers side has a hand-hold cause Ive needed it on a few turns). I havent had any issues with the headlights as some other reviews have noted; including driving in the very dark Tahoe area. Been getting ~14/18 mpg.

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  Great Truck - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By SnowMan - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Bought the Trailblazer in December and immediately drove to Lake Tahoe (1000 miles total). The 4WD handled awesomely in 1 ft of snow and the truck powered reasonably well up the higher mountain passes; tho it did down-shift two gears occasionally to maintain speed. The ride is amazing, *very* comfortable and yet the truck sticks to the road. The front seats could use more side support (lucky that even the drivers side has a hand-hold cause Ive needed it on a few turns). I havent had any issues with the headlights as some other reviews have noted; including driving in the very dark Tahoe area. Been getting ~14/18 mpg.

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  Great car good value - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bill - June 21 - 1:04 am

  I did my home work before deciding to buy this car. So far I am delighted with it. Lots of options for the money handles like a dream rides like a much higher end car. From the first one I seen I fell in love with its sleek and sporty look. But still classy enough for me being in my mid fifties. I have only had it for a short time but I could be no more pleased with the car than I am.

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  My Wife Loves It! - 2001 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Tevident - June 20 - 9:42 pm

  I bought our two tone black & Grey Tracker a little under a year now and it has amazed all that ride in it! i purchased way below edmunds private party price with low miles for a 2001 model (60,000) and the look and feel of the vehicle is amazing. My wife always comments on how she feels like its the little-big car! Im always borrowing the tracker from her to use the cargo space it provides...Foldable rear seats and high roof work for me!

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  I give it a "Yes" - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Giddy-up - June 20 - 6:47 pm

  Just finished our 2,000 mile family vacation. I agree with the reviews about the hesitating downshift on the transmission. It can be annoying when passing and Im not towing anything. The ride quality rocks and there is tons of room. I wished I would have sucked it up and gotten the AWD, but I got cheap. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR WITHOUT THE REAR CAMERA. Its a big car with a tiny rear window. If you dont have the camera you just cant see anything.

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  Great Truck - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By mudslinger - June 20 - 5:49 pm

  Love the truck 4wd works great on the beach, would buy again!

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  so far so good - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By Warren - June 20 - 5:19 pm

  Even though I just bought an SS model I found it to be very comfortable and quiet during driving. Gas mileage appears to be fair for now and my only hang-up would be the call for 91 octane for the best mileage/performance. On-Star system is tops in my book and the entire radio system is more than enough for the average adult. General quality is MUCH improved from these guys and no door rattling of any kind.