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:

• 

  Been a dream to own - 1994 Chevrolet Corsica
  By JoanJME - January 9 - 12:55 am

  Have owned this car for 14 years and 200,000 miles. It was a rental car the first year of its life. I have had very little problem with the car and no major repair bills. It is comfortable to drive with good acceleration and fairly good gas mileage.

• 

  Best Large SUV Made! - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Shaun - January 9 - 12:42 am

  Bought my Suburban as a salvage title and put a new front clip on it and been loving it ever since! Added an LT1 roller cam and Edelbrock intake to milk some extra fuel eco out of it and it is just great. Gets 18+ mpg on the highway, its nice and cozy, and there is tons of room. I recently had to replace the catalytic converter as it has 180,000 miles on it by my choice as it is not required and also added a Flowmaster muffler. The 350 runs great with stock TBI and 4L60E trans which I installed a TransGo Shift Kit. It has most of the orig paint and has very little rust. Engine is all original but the trans was done before I got it. My main problem is a water leak by the tailgate. A++

• 

  Chevy got it right! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By WILLIAM R. JACKSON - January 8 - 7:10 pm

  I have had at least a hundred people comment on seeing my car. Wow! We love how it looks! What is it! Its the best car Ive ever had! Im 80 years young and Ive had a lot of cars! My wife has a bad back and we were looking for great seating. Well we found it! Just open the door turn around and place your posterior in the seat! All you seniors listen this is a great car! Many amenities. Someone at Chevy finally got it right!

• 

  Wow, I bought it twice? - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By kerocky24 - January 8 - 6:48 pm

  This car gives me problems all the time. It rattles, it clanks, and its falling apart. I had one shortly before this one. I should have known when it burst in to flames that it was a bad Idea to buy another. Live and learn huh? The car leaks oil, the speedometer is broken, (it dances as Im going down the road) I have replaced the fuel injectors 2 times in the last year, (I know other Cavaliers that have fuel leaking!) The seats are so uncomfortable. The suspension stinks. I have tried to keep up with this car but have decided to drive it till it dies. My car has some miles on it but thats no excuse!

• 

  5000 mile Chevy Cobalt review - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By kochise - January 8 - 6:19 pm

  Nice little car to get around town in. I dont like the seats or interior. I think the seats are made very cheap. I bought for gas mileage and the price range was what I could afford to keep maintained. I think the interior is really cheap.

• 

  Overlooked and underappreciated - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By jnem - January 8 - 4:30 pm

  I went in to the dealership to buy a Malibu sedan but after looking at the Maxx I was really impressed and bought it instead. This was a low mileage program car so I got a very good deal on it.The Chevy dealer was great to work with, repairing a few small items necessary to qualify as a Chevrolet Certified Used Car. The car gets great mileage, 28 mpg mixed hwy and city driving. I find it to be very comfortable and quiet with excellent power. I love the hatchback and the rear seat design is the most comfortable rear seat I have sat in due to its ability to recline. The driver area is quite functional and ergonomically comfortable as well as easy for me to get in and out.

• 

  Leave em in the dust - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Erik - January 8 - 12:53 pm

  Ill say it once. Whiplash. I had a Dodge Intrepid ES that didnt come close to my Chevy. The interior is simple but accommodating. Easy to see controls. Sunroof is farther back in the roof than other cars, but is a nice option. 0-60 was 6.1 compared to the 6.5 promised. I took it on the track and topped it off at 146 mph. Needless to say the gas mileage is less than appealing. I drive a lot of city miles and it averages 15 mpg. Plenty of room for all and a great sized trunk. Keep battery back up for keyless entry due to the lack of a trunk keyhole. I looked at many cars and trucks and would go back and change it for the world. Looking forward to leaving the others in my dust.

• 

  You get what you pay for - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Murgatriyd - January 8 - 12:07 pm

  Serves its purpose for my wifes business. Very good cargo room with the seats folded down. Decent interior room. We looked at everything in that class that was under 20 thousand and this seemed like the best.

• 

  Reliability Problems - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ted - January 8 - 10:31 am

  I have a 2006 3.9 engine. 66,000 business miles in 2.5 years. Transmission, front end bearings, water pump, tire sensors, sway bar, all have failed. I like the car, but too many repairs. All dealership repairs. No explanation. I will never buy another Chevy. Thank God its a company car, not too much out of pocket.

• 

  Awesome car, never had trouble - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By raavango - January 8 - 6:41 am

  Awsesome car, never had any issue up until the 160000 miles that I put on the vehicle