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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  Worst ever, do not buy! - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Joseph - November 12 - 9:02 pm

  Replaced upper and lower ball joints twice in three years- EGR sticking- over heats after replacing radiator, clutch fan, thermostat 3 times, water pump- catalytic converter twice- spider assembly- Ujoints due to rusting- brakes 4 or 5 times- oil coolant lines- fuel filter 4+ times- driver side mirror housing fell off- power mirror control does not work- 4 wheel drive works sometimes- fuel pump- heater core- plugs and wires half dozen times- battery twice The VIN letter to look out for is X.

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  I want an apology - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Sad GM - November 12 - 8:39 pm

  I now understand why GM is going bankrupt. Their cars are awful. My Chevy Impala is an embarrassment. Cheesy seats, pain getting in and out of car and not scrapping the parking brake. Upside peppy with decent MPG. the downside, craftsmanship, design, seats, handeling cabin noise, sound system. The people running GM owe me an apology for this lack of effort. The reason why GM performs so poorly is that they are out to make a buck not a car. The Japanese have learned make a good car and the bucks will follow. Goodbye GM and good riddance. I wish you would take back my Impala.

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  New Camaro Rocks - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By ilovemusic56 - November 12 - 8:36 pm

  This is one rockin ride. It turns heads and it is a rush to drive. Just wish the car would have been out earlier so the poor saps who bought Mustangs could know what driving a real muscle car is like. Its everything a sports car enthusiast could want. We thought about checking out the new Challenger but after seeing the Camaro no question which car we wanted. Chevy hit it right on.

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  They got it right! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Gary B - November 12 - 1:12 pm

  My first "new" car ever! Im 50 years old and Ive always owned trucks, but I was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the redesigned Malibu. I am without doubt completely impressed. Solid, functional and very beautifully designed. The V-6 is smooth with plently of torque and I like the throaty sound of the V-6. The 6-speed tranny is fantastic. The ride is quiet and the road manners are excellent. The interior is beautiful. I have the black interior with the faux wood trim and its everything and more. I find the fit-n-finish to be better than I expected. Im hoping Ill have an positive update in 6 months, but for now, this is the best car for the money, period!

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  Excellent Car! - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mike in Texas - November 12 - 11:45 am

  My wife is in sales and needed a larger car to drive clients around and to carry lots of product samples. So we got the 2LT with leather, sunroof, blue tooth connectivity, dual climate zones etc. This revised Impala is nice looking and very comfortable to ride in. The 3.9l engine has good power and still gets 24.5mpg on Dallas freeways. In city traffic, it gets about 21MPG.

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  2005 Equinox LT - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Margie - November 12 - 12:23 am

  I have really enjoyed this vehicle, especially for the price. I am, however, dissatisfied with the gas mileage. It has been quite sporadic (from 16 to 20 mpg)since I bought it in December 2004. I finally took it to the service dept. in July and was told that a new program was downloaded for it. So far I have gotten 20 mpg after interstate driving and 18 in town. Doesnt look like Ill fare so well after this next fill-up though. Other than that, it is fun to drive (I downsized from a Ford Expedition) and it is comfortable enough for 2 adults, 2 carseats, a stroller, and groceries!

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  Fun SUV - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By perkis - November 11 - 11:39 pm

  Bought my TrailBlazer used with roughly 45k miles on it, have put 40k on it so far and love it, replaced the tires with some aggressive all terrain tires and performs well in snow and light mud. Havent had any problems with it except for maintenance which is to be expected. 4.2 liter engine is a real work horse, regularly pulling a 5800 lbs boat and still getting 15mpg on the expressway. Somethings could be improved but every car/truck could be. Interior is a bit plain compared to other suvs. But I would take reliability and performance over looks any day. I would gladly buy another and intend to. To the people who complain about the gas mileage, when you bought it the sticker said the gas mileage

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  Cheap fun Vette! - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By pat taylor - November 11 - 11:05 pm

  Great car for the money. Very stable, great braking, quality paint for 13 years old! Runs as new!

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  After all these years! - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By NickDago - November 11 - 8:53 pm

  I am sure glad my wife let me buy this car four years ago. If ever you need a little pick-me-up the Corvette Z06 will definitely do the trick. I have not had any problems with this car and love the way it handles and the power it has. You just can not get over the quickness and power this car has. I was able to by this car from the original owner with 6500 miles on it for 30k, best 30k I have ever spent. I you want to experience Ferrari like perfomance at a price almost anyone can afford than you have to drive a C% Z06.

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  My 2005 Cavalier - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By LBC - November 11 - 7:28 pm

  My father bought me this Cavalier used with almost 80,000 miles in May of 2008. There is about 83,000 miles on it now and its been pretty awesome so far. My father bought this car with a crack in the exhaust manifold. Not a big deal but can be very annoying and embarassing sounding when she first starts up. Overall I really love driving this car. Its a great upgrade from the 1998 base model Cavalier I had before this one.