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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  Previous Toyota owner - 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Kevin Barnett - December 19 - 9:53 am

  Wow. Cant say enough about this truck. Was considering the Tundra 4dr/4wd. But that would have cost about $5,000 more plus a cover. If you take my price and compare it to what I would have gotten if Id gone Toyota, youd be amazed. The Avalanche has a better interior and a better ride (not as stiff). The utility is also better as the seats can be folded or the cover stored. It may not be as fast as the Tundra, but if you are doing hwy miles, you should get this. I traded in a 1998 Toyota. Im impressed. No problems yet. I also like the oil filter/drain set- up. Much better than the competitors if you do it yourself.

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  How Sad - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Bob G. - December 19 - 6:50 am

  This is such a nice truck. Its a shame that the value of the vehicle drops like a lead balloon. My MSRP was $56000. Its now worth 27K on trade. Less than half in a year and half. Should have bought a Lexus. With what Ive lost on this one I could buy the Lexus. Why is it American cars lose their value so fast compared to the imports. The leather feels like pleather not a soft type material. How sad that the Big 3 need a bailout. Maybe we should stop building these vehicles and leave it up to the foreign car market. How sad! If you are thinking of these be ready to take the big hit on resale value.

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  Mach 2.5 - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Toady Two Step - December 18 - 7:53 pm

  My mom bought this car in 2004 used with about 30k on it or so. Drove it until having heart surgery, and then passed it on to me. At first, I loved the thing. It cruises very fast (As she said "Impalas, run. Its great on West Virginia/Pennsylvanias twisty roads too. But, it could be more comfortable, ride a little smoother, have a bit more pep-in-its step, and most importantly- -stop. I pride myself in being the only 20 year old I know who doesnt need TCS in winter--because the ABS/TCS sensor hasnt worked in over a year. Also needs new rotors...again. Great beginners car. But, when I give it back? Ill get a CVPI.

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  Love my Prizm - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By deb - December 18 - 7:27 pm

  Updating the review I wrote 2 years ago. We now have about 238,000 miles on her. She is still going strong. Had the a/c fixed for about $1200 and the only other thing we have had done is the radiator replaced since last review. We love this car! Excellent quality as far as engine performance goes.

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  Our floorboards are soaking wet - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Daryl - December 18 - 8:10 am

  The rear hatch leaks when it rains and now the spare tire well is full of water and the carpet is soaking wet. My local dealership has never heard of this problem and offered me no help. Between oil changes, my Equinox uses more than a quart of oil. Local dealership says this is an "acceptable" amount of oil usage. Ive had 10 year old cars that didnt use this much oil between changes! The center console design is terrible. You cant have a drink in the cupholder and pull up the emergency brake at the same time. We traded a Toyota Camry for this vehicle and thought we were trading up. We were dead wrong. I would prefer to buy American but this makes me never want to by a Chevy again.

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  Most reliable vehicle on the planet. - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Impressed - December 17 - 7:32 pm

  This vehicle currently has 274,000 miles on it and has been the best vehicle I have ever driven. I have taken it all over the US and parts of Canada. I tow over 5000lbs on a weekly basis. The only things I have had to replace more often than would be common is the brakes. The brakes on this vehicle should have been upsized considerably. The front pads last about 10,000 miles if you are gentle. The water pump was replaced at 120k and again at 240k. No biggie. My Honda has to have it replaced every 60k.

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  Bad Mistake - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Ross - December 17 - 11:46 am

  I bought my 08 2500hd 6.0 L used with 4k miles. It seemed really nice. Was told another dealership owned and went out of business. This pickup is a pile of CRAP, nice interior and exterior, but I buy vehicles for them to work. Horrible fuel mileage 12 max no matter what you are doing! Everything rattles, ride is so rough and loud. My 02 1500 5.3 L had more power and got same mpg pulling as 08 2500hd but way less empty. Not impressed with dealer either, cant even get in to get worked on. What a joke. I am going to buy back my 02 with 100k, 10 times the truck.

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  HHR - A Great GM Vehicle - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By Ron S - December 17 - 11:07 am

  I have owned or leased at least 60 vehicles in my lifetime. This particular vehicle is one of the best in its class. It is well designed, is very stable, is fun to drive, is quiet, and gets great mileage. I have read a lot of reviews and have not found any of the negatives that others have reported. Yes the cupholders leave a bit to be desired and the front visibilty is a bit impaired because it is not a curved windshield. However, this is not a big deal. If you want a great domestic vehicle, ignore the skeptics and buy or lease this car.

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  Awesome car - 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Mr. Radon - December 17 - 10:52 am

  Did the NCM (R8C) delivery on 10-23- 08. After hearing the car rolled off on 9-23-08 I was like a kid waiting for Christmas. I arrived with my sister and dad. The delivery experience was super. NCM guide was awesome. Drove 3000 miles back to Seattle via Chicago, Denver, Boise, and then Seattle. I could not be happier. Over the entire trip I averaged over 28mpg! Road noise was not an issue. Wish all my cars had a HUD, hands free Bluetooth, XM radio and 505 hp! The hardest part is keeping the smile off my face. Heard a lot of negative items about the car like road noise, steering, ect.. Nope, 125% satisfied with my Z06.

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  The Blue Cobalt - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jason H. - December 17 - 7:06 am

  Have had the Cobalt since the beginning of August. Great car with some exceptions. I have had some major/minor glitches. My back window shattered out of no where, my sunroof switch cover fell off and has not been replaced yet, my car is rattling, and my emergency break light seems to come on at random when driving.