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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  Great SUV - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Great SUV - May 25 - 11:33 pm

  I bought this second-hand and owned it for about 6 months. This SUV rivals those that are priced 2 and 3 times as much. Quiet and powerful engine and smooth and quick transmission. Great ride and fun to drive. The exterior and interior are both stylist and functional. Great value for the price. Go get one.

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  Tahoe LTZ 6.2L - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Oblidoblido - May 25 - 10:06 pm

  Traded in a 2005 Suburban 3/4 ton 6.0L 4WD for a 2009 Tahoe LTZ 6.2L 4WD fully loaded, black with black leather. Wow! What a difference in the ride. This Tahoe is very smooth, especially with the 6-speed. I have owned a 2002 Tahoe Z71 and the 2009 LTZ is almost like driving a different truck. The 6.2L has fantastic performance. My gas mileage around town is 13-14 mpg and on the highway about 17-18 mpg however, my driving style does not place much priority on gas mileage.

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  Typical GM quality - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Former GM loyalist - May 25 - 9:26 pm

  This car is VERY comfortable to drive. Peppy, roomy (love the movable back seat.)yet not cumbersome in tight spaces. Very nice size for a family car. The center console is pretty awkward. The window controls mounted in the center is still confusing after 3 1/2 years owning this car. Those are my only complaints about the design. But the quality-my goodness I have had innumerable light bulbs burn out, locking differentials break, break rotors ruined at 40K miles. Maybe Im spoiled by my Honda Civic-but all this repair work on a car with less than 50 K seems a bit much.

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  hope its a reliable car !! - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By anthony - May 25 - 9:07 am

  I loved this car when I seen it, I loved the style and size/shape, I really wanted it in White with black leatherette interior seats but no extras, my salesman did his best to find one to no avail, he told me in a 500 mile radius from Rutherford, nj there was only 2 aveos with leatherette seats and both cars were loaded, oh well, not a big difference in price, my only concern from past experiences is, if it has a lot of extras, if they break u gotta fix them! I love the dark red with beige leatherette seats I finally got, but all the extra bells and whistles intimidate me, the car doesnt have much pickup when accelerating and theres some dings that I hear in the back that I have no idea where its coming.

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  A SURPRISE OF A CAR !! - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By DENWIN - May 24 - 8:31 pm

  I am an old guy that loves cars. Just gave up a Oldsmobile Aurora for an HHR. Who does this? I needed some gas mileage but we vacation a good bit, being retired. This little bugger is amazing! It corners like it is on rails, is very comfortable to ride in, its cool cause you dont seem like an old guy! The 250 amp Pioneer 7 speaker stereo on XM Rocks! it has every feature my Aurora had except memory seats and ride leveler. I did buy the larger engine 2.4 which comes in the 2LT. I almost wish I would have gotten the Super Sport, but this engine is great.Go buy one--Im in Florida though---no more Ohio snow!

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  GREAT BANG FOR THE BUCK - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By JOHNC352 - May 24 - 1:46 pm

  I have had this car less than a week and I love it. Engine power is great and the handling is very tight.Very good brakes. the sound system is very good also. Things that I dont like. Small fuel tank, only 13 gal and the fuel economy isnt that great but I hope that it will better after being broke in. Chevrolet needs to redesign the interior. To much cheep looking plastic. Also after I got my car home I discovered that the underhood liner was missing! Now this car went through at least half a dozen quality control people plus the dealership new car PDI and no one caught it! How the dealership handles this problem is yet to be seen.

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  At 100,000 Miles....................... - 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Bill60532 - May 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car when it was 2 years old with about 20,000 miles. Car ran well, good power and torgue from the solid GM 6 cylinder. However, as noted by one other reviewer, at 100,000 all heck has begun to break louse. Problems with breaks, locking up for no reason. Now, it appears I may have to replace the transmission. Note, the hard shifting you feel is the start of bad things, and should be corrected. GM 4 speed automatic is not as sturdy as thier 3 speed. Potentail cost of a new trans, about $2,500.

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  Very Pleased! - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Char li - May 24 - 10:00 am

  So far I have been very pleased with my 2001 Monte Carlo I bought a year ago. Its a nice ride,good on gas on the highway.

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  Maxx is the maxx - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By sam2982 - May 24 - 10:00 am

  The new Malibu Maxx is innovative and performs great. It offers a smooth ride with all the bells and whistles. Great car for the price.

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  Cant beat this price! - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By yortch - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Compared to its competitors (Civic, Corolla, etc.), this car beats them in price (10.7K), engine (2.2L), and size (180 in. lenght). The design is a bit outdated, and I believe this car will soon be replaced by the Cobalt, but I know I cant a get an equivalent new car for this price!