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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  Malibu - good value - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bill S - February 10 - 10:37 pm

  Have had the Malibu for about 6 months and 6000 miles. Wife & I use the car mostly on weekends & road trips. We both love the car because of the exterior and interior styling, and performance of the V6. Average fuel economy for all of my driving to date is 26+ MPG. Car color is Sandstone Metallic plus I have a pin strip down the sides. My LTZ draws attention from people driving much more expensive vehicles. The headlights are the best of any vehicle Ive owned as the light is widespread evenly (not lumpy lights). Weve enjoyed the remote start a few times this winter. No problems.

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  Impala vs Honda & Toyota? No comparison. - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ron Tranmer - February 10 - 10:35 pm

  Ive read complaints about the poor vision in the rear view mirrors. On every car I own I buy the little round blind spo" mirrors at Walmart for about 2 bucks each, and put them on the outside corner of each mirror. I then have excellent side mirror vision. Another complaint Ive read is about poor visibility through the rear window. Especially with a spoiler. Cmon... I can see everything I need to see through my rear window. (I have a spioler) I havent had the car too long but I love it. Read the consumer reviews on the higher rated Honda Accord and Toyota Camery, and youll find a much higher percent of complaints than that of Impala owners. Go figure...

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  Transmission problems - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dave - February 10 - 9:41 pm

  The car has just passed 13,000ks and started with a transmission problem (4 speed tranny). The revs jump up and down as many as 400 rpm when crusing regardless if your using cruse control or not. The dealership say they cant find anything wrong!! Also, the dash lights have a bad habbit of going out on a frequent basis, completley blacking out the instrument panal. Is there a recognized modification or repair for the tranny issue? Is there a lemon law in Canada?

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  Good utilitarian car - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By Dennis Durfee - February 10 - 9:32 pm

  This is our second one. Wife rolled the 1st down the side of the mountain and all three ladies crawled out the window uninjured. It handled great until she hit the unexpected snow storm. She loved the car, purchases for $10K with 33K miles in 06. The 2nd one was $8K with 44K miles. We did not like it as well until we had the front brakes, pad and rotors, replaced for $450. We like it now. It is economical, reliable, and comfortable a great middle-aged womans car. Id buy another one if she wrecked this one, too.

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  HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By ? - February 10 - 5:30 pm

  I like the HHR for the size of the car which is just a smaller SUV, and the height of the seat is great since you dont have to stoop down to get in the car or pull yourself up and out of the car. I am getting great gas mileage even though I havent put 300 miles on the car yet. I am having a problem with the lock feature....when it locks up I havent learned how to unlock that feature without getting the owners manual out and reading it again. Yet what the book says I am not grasping so I just play with the push buttons on the lock and eventually I get the car to turn on.

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  Good as new! - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Butch - February 10 - 12:43 pm

  I bought my 96 Tahoe, 4 door 2 wheel drive LT, brand new. It was easily the best vehicle of its type at the time. And I think it is still the best vehicle of its type after all these years. Masculine look. Heavier than the new SUVs that get blown around in the wind. It is a "truck"! I have used Mobil 1 5w30 Syn in it since about 25,000 miles. It now has over 130,000 miles. The inside of the engine looks like new. It does not use any oil. I have went as many as 8,000 miles between oil changes, but never more than a year. Mobil 1 fluids also in the transmission and rear end. Also syns in the brakes and steering pump. Valvoline. Truck still looks and drives almost like new. 22 mpg highway.

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  Good looking and efficent - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Mike - February 10 - 12:28 pm

  Recently purchased a 2006 HHR 2LT model. On a ski weekend in Michigan, it handled snow fine, and our skis fit inside. I like the styling, nice ride, quality seems pretty good at this stage. People who complain about the performance and handling have the wrong perspective. I bought this car as an affordable daily driver and hauler, with fuel economy as a priority. Highway mileage is in the low 30s at 70 MPH, and the power and handling is what I would expect. I also have a Porsche Boxster S, so I recognize how high performance cars should drive. I just have no illusions that the HHR is one, it is not. For barely over $10k loaded, it is a great value, and a very suitable daily driver.

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  Best truck ever - 1992 Chevrolet S-10
  By Terry - February 10 - 12:09 pm

  We bought this truck new. Very few problems never has left me stranded. I have beaten this truck mercilessly, hauled more then I should and pulled way too much. Its been a rock. Never leaves me stranded. Its all original and is my daily driver today. I will never buy another daily driver and it will not be given to anyone else. I will probably be buried in it when I die. 221,000 miles, no engine work, one clutch and oil changes. Thats it. I have had several s10s because of this one. Met my girlfriend in it, married her with it and will die with both of them.

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  Best Truck I Have Ever Owned - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By STHORNWALL - February 10 - 3:13 am

  Absolutely the best truck I have ever owned.This is my 4th truck.I owned a 1996 Dodge Ram,1996 Chevy Cheyenne,2001 Ford F150 and now my 2002 Silverado.Its performance and sturdy reliability has turned me off to any other brand of truck. The ride is very smooth on and off road. The truck has great response to aftermarket intake, headers, and exaust. The interior looks great and is very comfortable as well as long lasting and easy to maintain. I was discouraged at the price of this truck at first because they are notably more expensive than Ford, Dodge, Toyota. But after about a week of driving I realized that “You get what you pay for”. Truck was worth every penny and more. Wont buy another brand ever

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  1st 165k were troublefree - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Eric - February 9 - 7:36 pm

  Bought new as a company car, drove the 1st 165k no trouble except for 1 check engine for bad gas. Bought the car from my employer at ~80k still driving it daily at 248k. It does eat front rotors you get one turn, then replace em. Im on the 3rd set on front. Most of what has gone wrong was mostly due to my failure to do maintenance, and due to operator abuse like overcranking the steering wheel or driving over a cinder brick on the interstate while clipping along at 80 mph (Yeah, I did that not recommended). Problems coming fast now at 248k, but Im not amazed. Time to get another Impala. Advice - Change transaxle fluid every 30,000 miles if you want max life on the trans