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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  An amazing family sport sedan - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By KD - September 29 - 9:09 pm

  I have a silver 2LT 3.6L and I absolutely love the car. The 18" wheels give it a very strong presence and the V6 / 6-speed combo is like butter. Stepping into the interior is almost like stepping into an Audi, the interior is beautiful and thoughtful storage and nice-to-touch materials make complete the package. So nice to stand out from the 100s of Camrys / Accords everywhere. People who sit in it cant believe its a Malibu.

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  Bad Economy Great Deal - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By FordGuy - September 29 - 4:15 pm

  My 2000 Excursion diesel got totaled. I loved it even with 200K miles. I looked at the expedition XL but the MPG was 25% less then the Burb. I got an LT1 for $30,085 including added GM leather! Plus I got a $500 Lowes card. The sticker was over $40K great rebates! Although the ford rode much smoother and was more comfortable, the burb got better MPG and was about $7000 cheaper so I decided to try the Chevy. So far I really like it

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  Love this car - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jacque - September 29 - 1:22 pm

  I fell in love with the looks of this vehicle and the chrome on the rearend is very beautiful which drew me to the car. I had not owned an Impala before but I am completely a Chevy girl. I come from a racing family and this car has not let me down. 0-60 in, well have not timed it, but I am happy. I can get the power when I need it and have not had any problems at all with the car. Would I buy it again, oh you bet I would! OnStar is wonderful and I am hooked on XM. Very happy with my purchase.

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  Best Silverado Yet. - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By txreaction - September 28 - 10:40 pm

  I have owned three Silverados so far..1995, 2000, 2004SS, and my new 2008 is far superior. The options that are available are excellent. I opted for the extended cab LT2 package with the Texas Edition upgrade which includes fog lights, special 20" rims, and cargo management system. Stickered for $33,000. Out the door with gap insurance and extended warranty I paid $23,480. Thanks to employee pricing of course. If you have your doubts, just test drive one...there is a reason people refer to the Silverado as the Cadillac of trucks.

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  40 months of great service - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By mike - September 28 - 5:51 pm

  Average 24 to 27 mpg. Thats 50 hwy 50 city. Hauls all I need, drives great. Had crap general tires I replaced with BFG trail. 4 cyc 5 sp manual. Cheap cost, great value, will probably get another in 8 mo when this ones paid off

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  My Last Chevy - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Tim Little - September 28 - 11:26 am

  Fell in love with the Montes after owning a 98. But now I am ready for a divorce. Paint is flaking off, sunroof no longer works, head light sockets keep melting, random rattling sounds under the car, bad a/c unit and broken seatbelt covers. And what did Chevy do about it when I called them? They gave me a survey about my Chevy ownership history and then told me that I was out of luck, that the paint problem was because of living in New England. Since I dont plan on moving, I apparently am discluded from owning any more Chevys. Of course, after they told me I was on my own with all the other issues, that was the last straw, and I babied this car! Horrible trade in value.

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  Nice - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By hhrsag - September 28 - 12:03 am

  A very good car. A little small on the inside, but once you get used to it it is a fun car to drive with good power and mileage. It gets lots of looks and complements

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  Dont get an Aveo - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Blue Moon Aveo - September 27 - 3:09 pm

  The Aveo is attractive and the sound system is decent but it lacks in performance. Mine is only averaging 23 miles a gallon. Wind noise and slow exceration make it a poor choice compared to other cars, but it is cheaper. Mine had a defunct OnStar system (though purchased new with only 15 miles on it) and it took GM six weeks to get the OnStar fixed and reprogrammed.

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  Nice and big - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By charles - September 27 - 10:26 am

  I purchased this vehicle because of the room offered. Gas mileage is a big disappointment (13.4 avg) even driving "normally". I had the battery drain issue when I first purchased, but this was fixed immediately with a software upgrade. Dash area looks a little cheap with the plastic overdose. Great on an 1800 mile trip. Tire rotation is cost prohibitive at the dealer. Cheaper to buy new tires as needed! Agree with the need for fold flat 3rd row seats. These are bulky to remove. Resale price (nowadays) is a nightmare. Would recommend.

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  Trailblazer is a great pick - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By CBTrailblazer - September 27 - 10:00 am

  this suv was purchased just days before a 26" snowstorm. 4 wheel drive works great! we traded in a 00 venture and dont regret it for one second. interior materials are a little on the cheap side, but exterior styling is great. love the tan interior and exterior! came with factory brush guards for under $31,000. this is our only car now since our 96 metro just died. reliability is questionable, however, metro never broke down, just many problems. the catylitic converter is what did it in. we compared the trailblazer to the toyota sequoia and found the trailblazer to be a better value.