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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  A nice ride - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By stevo3364 - April 11 - 4:03 pm

  The HHR is very stylish, versatile and fun to drive. Its retro look makes it different than most other cars on the road. The HHR is great on gas and has some good giddyup for a 4 cylinder

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  Lovinitsofar - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By P&A - April 11 - 10:03 am

  Two months old so cant speak for reliability. Love everything so far for our first chevy. Very roomy, feels expensive compared to old Jeep Cherokee we replaced. Good pick up speed, fairly quiet, very smooth, handles well. First tank of gas 16 mpg city with a few quick accelerations. We tested, Hyundai Veracruz, Kia Sorento and Borrego, and GMC Acadia. Chose Traverse over Acadia due to looks, price, and Edmunds reviews. Daughter loves hooking up PS2 and playing video games w/ rear DVD. We love the headphones she uses so we can play our satellite radio while she plays games or watches movies. Im 57" 215lbs and fit comfortably in 3rd row. I will review again in about 6 months.

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  SS owner - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By McDonald - April 11 - 1:06 am

  Looks good and rides excellent! The fuel economy is not great, but you have to give up something for style...and style, it has! Everyone stops and looks at this CHEVY.

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  A car that LOVES to eat oil - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By morningland - April 10 - 11:49 pm

  I was a little disappointed with this car. It is VERY reliable, had it 2 years, 20+k miles without a single mechanical problem but there are other things that annoy me. It relentlessly eats oil especially if you drive on the freeway. I drive 200 miles on a freeway and find that I am a quart and a half low, it doesnt burn up or leak it just disappears. The car stalls on when you start it up and try to drive right away no big deal since you should let any car warm up first but I had a couple times where the car almost stalled on my first turn onto a main road with oncoming traffic. It stinks on the snow and the interior design is cheap, the door handle has already feel ff and is hard to fix.

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  09 Colorado - 2009 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Jviden - April 10 - 9:39 pm

  I feel that the reviewer missed the mark on the Chevy Colorado. The inline 5 has plenty of power and this small truck is easy and comfortable to drive and park. As an owner of a construction company I have driven almost every make and model of pickup and i find that the Colorado gives you the best value for your buck.

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  2005 Suburban LT 2WD - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Tim - April 10 - 5:39 pm

  We bought this vehicle new in 8-05 and have been very pleased. Reliability has been top notch with not one issue at almost 50,000 miles. Its been on a 4,400 mile vacation round trip with a 20 MPG highway rating driving thru a stretch of interstate at 65 MPH. Most of the driving has been in the Baton Rouge metro area.

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  Honest Value over Status - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By TNtim - April 10 - 2:00 am

  This would be a great first car, second car, or utility vehicle. Value, versatility and more than a little verve. Dont let the price tag fool you.

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  2004 Cavalier - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Littlelady - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I just bought this vehicle a couple weeks ago. My Cavalier replaced a 1997 Geo Prism. I went for all the luxury available. I love it! Very comfortable and affordable for a car in its class!

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  Great Car!! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By orionforstar - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I have only had this car for a month, but it is a pleasure to drive.I actually find reasons to go out for a drive now.

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  good campact utility truck - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Rambo9 - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Iam 6 8" and I fit better in this truck then I did in my 2001 tahoe. I like it better because its smaller, easy to mauneuver in traffic, and fun to drive. The engine does need more lower end torque, but I must say I do enjoy all that back end power. It takes off like a rocket past 40. However, I have yet to see the claimed 18 to 24 MPG. More like 16 to 16