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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  Im back after 23 years - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Joe Rand - February 9 - 5:56 pm

  This is the first Chevy I bought since my 1982 Z28. The fact that its been that long tells you what I thought about Chevys "quality." Over the last 3 months Ive looked at the Mazda3, Audi A4, Subaru Outback, Baja, and Impreza, Mitsubishi Outlander, PT Cruiser, and the Saab 92x. All nice vehicles in their own right, but with all the rebates thrown at you it makes the Maxx the best value. I like the versatility. Most of the time Im the only one in the car, but at times I need to haul 4 more around. This car does that comfortably, plus I can get my bike in the back. The bells and whistles for the money are great. The back seat room was a big factor, and there is a ton of it.

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  We love our Malibu - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Greg - February 9 - 5:32 pm

  My wife and I have only owned our 2008 Malibu LTZ for a couple of months, but from what we have seen so far it is the nicest car we have ever owned. Being the top of the line Malibu, it has all kinds of neat features and so far they all work flawlessly. The car has great acceleration and takes the curves like it is glued to the road. It also gets great highway mileage. I topped off the tank until gas was at the top of the filler tube, drove 92 miles and topped it off again with only 2.8 gallons. That equates to about 32 mpg which is 6 mpg higher than the 26 mpg rating. The 92 mile trip was 95 percent freeway with the cruise set at 70 mph. This car also gets lots of looks!

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  OMallys run - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By john - February 9 - 4:20 pm

  I purchased this Malibu with 51000 miles on her and she has been a great car! I have replaced brakes several times ,come to find out this was a factory issue in these cars.Overall this has been the most reliable car I have ever owned! She now has 151000 miles and is still running strong!I would buy another one if I could find one with the same 2.4 4cyl engine! I get 30 mpg on highway and 25 in city, although she is not the sportiest car she is good in the snow and has plenty of room for my family! I am 61 and my son is 60 and he can sit behind me with ample leg room!

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  Good Traveling Car - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Henry757 - February 9 - 11:21 am

  This car is pretty nice. I have the SS super charged. Its a lot better on gas mileage than I expected. It didnt even take a half a tank of gas to get from where I live to my familys house, like it normally does on the Toyota Camry I had before I traded it for this car. It seems I got a good deal trading in that old Toyota Camry for this Chevy!

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  1993 Lumina Euro 3.4 - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Jim Borgman - February 9 - 10:02 am

  My Lumina now has 102,000 miles on it, the only problems experienced was the serpentine belt failing and the timing belt breaking. I have had 26 MPG highway and 20 city. The car is an excellent automobile, I just can see myself trading it in or selling it. It has the 3.4 engine which is trouble free, I do take it in every 3,000 for total lubes so the car uses no oil. The suspension is tight and so far the exhaust system is still fine. I do wish it came standard with beverage holders but that is a small need. Love it.

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  Tons of fun! - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Mike S - February 8 - 9:47 pm

  Ok, go out there and try to find something like this for the money, good luck! This is a very fast truck, accelerates, sounds, handles and drives like a sports car. I bought it used, 13k miles, one owner, fully loaded, paid 24k, could not be happier. Drive as a company car, need all the room to put all my stuff, puts a big smile in my face every time I press the gas pedal. OK gas mileage stinks, what can you expect? 6.0 liters, 395HP/405Lb torque (you will feel them) you need a lot of gas to put out those numbers, I get 13MPG average, which is comparable to a lot of V8 trucks out there. If it snows where you are get AWD and get grippier tires than the OEM Goodyears

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  The best SUV I have ever owned/driven - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By mike - February 8 - 9:19 pm

  I have only had my Tahoe for about a month. Ive towed with it, used it for work and just driving with my family. Im 25 yrs old and even the way I drive the truck still rides great, handles perfect, and Im getting over 19mpg. Since the truck was used and had 168k miles on it when I bought it, it was really taken care of. The interior is luxury especially for a workable SUV.

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  An Excellent Affordable SUV! - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Kansas Sunflower - February 8 - 9:15 pm

  Since buying this vehicle I have driven it in town, on highways, in mud, in sand, in snow, and some on ice. Much of the driving has been a combination of city and highway, but it has been on one trip of about 2000 miles. The performance has been great and the overall mileage has been better than I expected. Most city driving yields about 15-16mpg and most highway driving has yielded 19-20 mpg. However, during the 2000 mile trip the TrailBlazer (6 cylinder) got 23 mpg at times with an overall average of 21 mpg for the trp. This is a very comfortable vehicle to drive and to ride as a passenger. It has not given me any problems so far.

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  Nice truck! - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By kory - February 8 - 8:36 pm

  This truck has plenty of power for pulling my 18 ft alumacraft boat. I threw on a knn fipk cold air intake and that is saving me some money because it really helps with gas mileage

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  Love this car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Barry Barnes - February 8 - 8:22 pm

  Its been a great car, never had a breakdown Drives great. I have the LT2 with all the options. Have all the power I have ever needed. I can squeal the tires on take off all the time. Rides great and enough room to carry lumber and piping for yard work