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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  About Time GM - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By BWN - December 5 - 5:36 pm

  Have just under 10,000 miles in a short period of time. Tight, comfortable, quiet, sure footed, and user friendly. When you consider the cost of this vehicle, it is a winner. Not a single problem with the car. It is an great midsize family sedan. I was nervous when I moved from my 06 Camry to this car. Im now glad I did.

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  Take This Truck And Shove It!!! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By J. R. - December 5 - 1:50 pm

  I purchased this truck in oct, 2001. it has been in the shop more than 15 times within 6 months. Sometimes it will not start. Sometimes it cuts off while driving. Not a good feeling at all. Everytime it has been to the shop, they cant seem to find anything wrong. So to add to my list of problems, I continue to hear wind noises, problems with the seatbelts, cd changer has been replaced... the list is endless. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO MY WORST ENEMY.

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  Z Power - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Tank - December 5 - 1:04 pm

  I was looking for a winter car and never considered buying an American car, much less a Cavalier. To my surprise this little Z24 is fantastic, I only paid $2500 for it and that is a steal compared to anything else in the market in that good of shape, No rust...no fuss. Although it is not perfect it is very fun to drive and reliable so far. If I get 2 years out of this car, wow, I will buy another.

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  Good ol truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By garlinghouse - December 5 - 11:06 am

  Purchased truck from family member, excellent condition at 40k miles. Has the infamous clunk in steering and clunk in transmission. But the ride quality, comfort and awesome 4wd more than makes up for annoying clunks. Z71 package really helped when I ran over a log in the road, the Z71 skid plates protected my trans and oil pan. The log only damaged exhaust ypipe,rear shock and both skid plates. Not bad considering the damage could have been worse without the Z71 package skid plates. No domestic truck is perfect but neither are humans! So in this case the good qualities definitely out weigh the bad. Highly recommended.

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  Good gas mileage? - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Bob H - December 5 - 7:50 am

  Bought this car new in March of 2007 and currently have just over 20k miles. The selling points of this vehicle were the gas mileage and comfort of the interior (considering its size). The sticker stated 24 mpg city and around 30 mpg highway. On the highway the car gets the 30 mpg but in the city Im lucky to get 17mpg. I have a 1999 Subaru Outback with 189K miles that gets better mileage in the city. Very dissapointed. The car its self is pretty reliable. I had it to the dealer 5 times (3 for the same problem). I think the 5 trips to the dealer speaks more for the dealership than the car. Finally, if you get this car step up to the LT model. No power windows or door locks gets tiresome.

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  A big guy in it - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By fell&dontwhat2getup - December 5 - 7:33 am

  We have had this car for over a year now. The dealership has always treated us right weve have had a few problems, but you can count on that for a new model in the 1st year. Down to the bottom line, would I make the same purchage again? Now I love my truck and I brought this for the wife to commute [174 miles a day]. The anwser is YES. Just wish the inside had a little bit more higher end plastics.Things pop off at times w/ no problems poping them back on. By the way Im 62" 285lbs and I fit in this w/ no problem.

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  Great Truck - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By airborne13f - December 5 - 5:55 am

  The truck has a lot of torque and gets pretty decent gas mileage. I put a K&N cold air intake and performance catback and it increased the power and fuel economy even more. I am in the military and use my truck to go home on leave. Gets me there without spending to much on gas. I love the style of it, looks sporty. The interior is roomy for passengers or cargo. It hauls my fourwheeler almost like its not there.

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  A Knock Out Car - But - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By RonD - December 5 - 5:03 am

  I love this cars appearance and performance. But, I have had a problem with grinding disc brakes since the day I purchased it (3 yrs). Dealer and a second party both say there is no problem with the brakes just rust from rain. It is most distracting on such a great looking and otherwise great performing car. Surprised that no other review mentioned this issue.

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  Pretty good vehicle - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By toolmanmarv - December 4 - 11:17 pm

  Overall I am well satisfied with my Equinox having owned it for over a year. Have had no mechanical problems yet. Very comfortable and good on long road trips. Gas mileage good on highway-not so good around town. 17 inch Bridgestone tires will hydroplane in a heartbeat in heavy rain. Scary! Interior planning could be better. Rear seat doesnt fold flat and front cupholder interferes with hand brake. Rear cargo curtain is a joke. Dont waste your money buying it. Decent vehicle so far, but still not the quality of my 2000 Volvo. Detroit still cant get it right.

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  Excellent car for low payment - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By mutedexposure - December 4 - 11:16 am

  I bought this car knowing I could not afford the bigger price tag of the big SUVs plus I love the old school look GM is bringing back. It is very roomy inside even if it doesnt look like it would be. The chrome package makes everything stand out and I highly recommend getting it. I did upgrade to a 2.4 on the engine so I cant say if the smaller engine is good but the 2.4 is excellent. There are times it gets sluggish but only when I am trying to hotrod myself into a spot on a busy road. This car rides smooth. The only issue I have had with it is that occasionally the key gets stuck in the ignition and I have to shift the gear back and forth to get it to release. Cup holder is in bad spot also.