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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  best car ever made!! - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By J Finch - March 16 - 5:27 pm

  When I was at the dealership trading in my Dodge ram, I had in mind *I need something reliable* well having had my ram for only 7 months and having it in the shop 6 times had me kinda discouraged. Well I came across this impala, loved it at first sight. Unfortunately the only problem I have with the car is that every other impala seems to be the same shade of light Gray! Well that being said I love everything else! The 3.5 liter engine is powerful! And Ive gotten 36 miles per gallon on the highway, and average 24.6 in the city, which isnt bad! The trunk is huge! The interior is nicely done and the seats are the most comfortable and supportive Ive ever sat in and the ride is amazing!

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  Great Truck - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By Bill - March 16 - 2:53 pm

  I love this truck. 6.0 has more power than I need. It looks good and has been extremely reliable. Only maintenance needed has been oil and filter changes and 2 sets of tires. Brakes are still original after 125,000 miles. Push button 4WD is nice. Only problem is gas gauge doesnt work between 3/4 and full. Truck rides well but not as soft as a 1/2 ton Chevy. Gas mileage has averaged 14 mpg. Not great but not bad for a 3/4 ton 4WD. I definitely recommend and would buy another GM truck.

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  Good little car, Good mileage. - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By kellyraew - March 16 - 12:18 pm

  Fun to drive, great u-turns, and good mileage. 123,000 miles so far. For the most part, I have been happy with my Cobalt up until recently, and I dont know if I should blame the car or my teen who drives it a lot! The key gets stuck in the ignition, and if I pull back gently on the shift lever while in PARK, the ignition locks so the key will come out. The radio/cd player has locked up on it own a couple of times, but then unlocks itself. Check engine goes on and off occasionally, and ENGINE POWER REDUCED too. But I shut down the car, restart it 20 min later and the problem goes away. Might have faulty PCM, heard there is a bulletin out on that particular Cobalt problem.

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  Fun to drive and good gas mileage - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Marty - March 16 - 8:49 am

  I wanted a car that had good gas mileage, was sporty-looking and had a lot of interior room. I have dogs and with the back seats folded down, there is plenty of room for dogs or cargo. The seats are very comfortable compared to some of the other smaller vehicles I have driven. The HHR is perfect for what I wanted in a car.

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  dont buy - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Theresa - March 15 - 9:13 am

  owned this car 9 years.This is the first new car I bought off the lot. I have had nothing but problems ever since I bought this car.Rear seal replaced, differential, pins in the doors, front seat adjusting handles just break, computer, alternator, battery, gaskets and 5 yes 5 heater cores. The first 2 was covered by GM after I complained enough because the first 3 times i brought into the dealer there was a bulletin to flush the lines, which did no good, the problem ran past the extended warranty and blow out again, gm covered it. The problem came back cuz it was never fixed correctly. I know that GM/Dexcool had a class action law suite regarding Dex cool I signed up $back NEVER AGAIN GM

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  Way better then I expected - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Canyons - March 15 - 8:10 am

  We were looking at a Yukon or a Tahoe but for the price you just cant beat this. I was a little hesitant at first to buy this but I quickly changed my mind. The drive is super smooth (better then some cars) there is room in the back for my 63 husband and enough room for our two large Labradors in the back. With a new baby on the way we should have plenty of room for everyone :)

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  Good value for the $$$ - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Palmetto - March 15 - 12:11 am

  110 K mi. Absolutely no mech.issues to date. Good road ride, front seats are very comfortable , rear seats are not comfortable, tight entry/exit. Handles well on the highway, a little whale(ish) around town. The 4,2 L 275 hp engine is quiet and smooth with more than adequate power. Gas mileage is decent: 16-18 mpg city, 20-24 mpg hwy. With 55-60 mph cruise 25+ mpg. LTZ model but a basic Chevy w/bland, cheap plastic interior appointments. Excessive wind noise around windows. OA a decent American SUV for the money, not great, but a good value so far. I have not spent a penny beyond basic maintenance, which is a pleasant departure and surprise for a GM vehicle.

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  Mileage Stinks - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Jdgrn4ever - March 14 - 11:43 pm

  Having owned a 01 Duramax, I have to say that Im very disappointed with my 05. Having averaged 22 mpg with my 01, going down to 15 mpg with my 05 is very disturbing. Coupled with the fact that my dealership is encouraging me to purchase an after- market performance chip in the hopes that the mileage may improve 3 or 4 mpg. The trucks ride is much better than a Ford or a Dodge. However, personally, I liked the styling of my 01 better. With the slant-eyed headlights, it would seem that the final design of the 05 front-end came out of Hong Kong. If you dont mind spending 1/2 of your time at the gas station, buy a new Chevy Duramax. Else, do what I am ... consider buying a Ford.

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  Fun! Fun! Fun! - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By I Love My Z 28 - March 14 - 9:58 pm

  I have owned this z 28 since new and could not bear to part with it. Its all black with the the black leather interior. I love this car but only drive it on weekends or sunny days. The only problem is with the Opti-Spark distributor, it has been replaced 3 times. The distributor sits under the water pump and shorts out if there is a leak. But I can accept that in a car that is this fun to own and drive!

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  Best S-10 - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By Pool_Hall_God - March 14 - 9:55 pm

  This is the best s-10 I have ever driven in the s-10 models with the 4 cylinder engine impressed me very much so.. And the handling was shaky at first but found out front shock needed to be replaced after that it is a all around good buy