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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  Great Car - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By ecotec16 - September 23 - 9:21 am

  I cannot be happier with this car! I have the 1LT with Black Metallic paint, XM Radio, rear spoiler, driver convenience package, driver information center, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, and automatic transmission. The car is extremely quiet both inside and out. All the doors shut with a luxury sound (unlike the tin can sound on other economy cars). Fuel mileage is great - - I average 36-40 MPG @ 68 MPH on the highway depending on wind direction/terrain. In the city the average is more like 29 MPG. Visability out of all windows is great. For me their is no blind spots. With OnStar and a supurb warranty (100K powertrain) you cannot go wrong!

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  Great Large SUV. Comfort, Smooth, ROOM ROOM ROOM! - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By the_q - September 22 - 9:02 am

  Have had an interesting last 4 years or so with SUVs. Had a Mercedes ML, hated it, not functional. Trade-in for a Jeep GC, but then with the baby, dogs and hauling guests and cargo to the boat, it became way too small. Was hesitant about Chevy but needed a big SUV that could seat 6 adults + cargo. Navigator was garbage. Sequoia too small, ford looked terrible in the rear. Was looking at Yukons but found a great deal on this Suburban. Love it. Wife Loves it. It drives really smooth. Thought the 5.3L would be too small (had the HEMI in the GC) but it is enough, plus the HP can be improved with simple mods.

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  09 Impala LT - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By lukin4mikey - September 22 - 4:33 am

  I purchased my 2009 Impala LT 3.5L V6 Flex Fuel when i had to give up my 2007 Tahoe LTZ, I have no regrets! At first I didnt want to like the impala but after owning it for a little over 2 years, I absolutely love it! its been reliable, I dont maintain it just change the oil every 5,000-7,000 miles, currently has 88,XXX miles, It has been a great car, Only ha 1 problem with it, Just a faulty tire pressure sensor that they replaced for about $100. I would defiantly recommend this vehicle. 5 stars in my book!

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  Cruze Eco is a Great Buy for College Grad - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By lucky_emma - September 19 - 8:22 am

  I bought my Chevy Cruze Ego after graduating college. I did my research and when between the Hyundai Elantra and the Cruze, I think I made the right choice. The size of the car is perfect, I got the MPG I wanted (averaging 36.8 right now), all without sacrificing my jackrabbit starts off the line. I have always driven a manual transmission and didnt want to sacrifice that - so I didnt. Its not flawless, but not bad and works great with turbo. For the price I paid, I couldnt ask for more. Also, it should be said that the status updates (tire pressure, remaining oil life) make managing the vehicle a breeze. No excuse for not meeting your cars needs.

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  An American car maker got it right - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By nyken - September 14 - 4:01 pm

  I was a little hesitant to buy an American car, but the Chevy Cruze proved to be an excellent choice. The build quality is excellent . I have 2,000 miles on the car and have had no problems at all. This is a peppy, very fun to drive car. It is also very comfortable and very quiet. I was amazed that on a recent trip, I averaged 43 MPG on the highway. This is way above the 38 MPG highway rating. To be sure, I checked the trip computer calculation with my own manual calculation and it was accurate. Around town with a mix of about 60% city and 40% highway driving, the MPG is in the mid 30s. This is almost the MPG that you would expect from a hybrid. I would highy recommend this car.

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  Great car with great features - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By jseejr - September 11 - 1:36 pm

  I was never a fan of Chevy products except their trucks until now. I looked at a Chevy Cruze and really fell in love. So many great options and fully loaded for under 23K. This car easily averages over 30mpg with a mix of city and highway driving. Can be as high as 44 mpg with a lot of highway driving, even at 75mph. Chevy really did great with this car and hope they keep it up for the future!

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  GM Hit a Home Run Here - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By browrck - September 10 - 3:47 pm

  I kove this combination of the midgate, was looking at the Ford X150. After, my Account told me to look at the Avalanche, I know why he my Account he does his homework and look at the number. Dont thing the Ford X150 is a nice pickup. The midgate on the Alavanche is the deal maker. It my daily driver how. Had a Big Range Rover, great ride but was a big family wagon, not a useful 3th vehicle for my family. Also, have a Mecerdes sl for nice sunny day and weekend drives. Range Rover was a nice vehicle with a great ride. However, the Alvanche is so many types of vehicle in one package. Brought may 2 year old 73,000 miles on it. Getting ready to buy another one a 2007 or 2008 like the new body

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  supersport2 - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By supersport2 - September 9 - 12:17 am

  Bought this on 8-28-11 Took a day trip for a wedding 254 miles round trip. Got 43 mpg. have been averaging 36 plus and it is getting better. Last week I got 40.1 mpg. Did more in town driving this week, looking forward to see what it ends up. Car is fun to drive handles great. Only thing it is an ECO with an automatic. My car computer did say that I had used 11.8 gallons and that my mpg. was 43.5. It took 13.8 gallons to fill up and my gas guage was a little above empty, and when I figured my mileage it figured only 36.6 mpg. Computer is way off. Have not been back to the dealer yet. I hope they can re-calibrate it.

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  Could not be happier! - 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By daddybear1 - September 2 - 6:19 pm

  After getting rid of my Silverado and downsizing to a Malibu, I realized that I just was not a car driver. So after looking at all of the large SUVs I drove the Tahoe. I knew immediately it was what I always should have had (I wanted one when I bought the Silverado bought talked myself out of it because of incentives). Anyways, I could not be happier with this SUV. The comfort is amazing, have never found the right driving position until know. I feel completely safe taking my family on a road trip. My MPG is actually better than it was on my truck, I am averaging 16 in mostly LA driving. Dealers are wonderful and actually act like they want your business.

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  WOW - 2012 Chevrolet Camaro
  By exodusi1 - August 31 - 8:39 pm

  Purchased my 2012 Cherry red Camaro from Midway Chevrolet in North Phoenix. This car is amazing, it is quite simply the best performing car Ive ever owned. This is my third Camaro, 68 Coupe and 02 Coupe with T-Tops. She has an incredible suspension that masks how quickly she accelerates. The double takes are awesome as she stands out in a sea of cars. Amazing lines true to the 69, and the seats feel like a glove when you sit inside. If you test drive this car, expect to buy it, the salesman who sold her to me never had to apply an ounce of pressure, I was hooked before I completed the test drive. I also strongly recommend Midway Chevrolet. They really took care of me!