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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  Chevy Tahoe LT - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Sentinel - September 9 - 2:00 am

  I just bought the Tahoe LT and I quickly fell in love with it. It has a great interior and exterior design. The entertainment system is the highest in quality, and the comfortof the ride is impressive for an SUV. This vehicle has everything to make it a complete and luxurious SUV.

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  Horrible Experience With This Car - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By One Unhappy Customer - September 8 - 9:00 pm

  Within the first 10 days of ownership, had to return this vehicle for following repairs: - incorrect fuel pump controller installed by factory. - defective computer - dead sunroof, power windows, The dealers only response is to throw parts at the car. They cant explain why the computer went dead, why the sunroof and windows are blowing fuzes, etc. With each new malfunction they assure me that the car is now fine. Right... The message from GM is that all these problems are unrelated and there is no single underlying root cause. Right... At this point it is plain that my brand- new 2009 Malibu LTZ is defective and unreliable. I will never buy another GM product

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  Like it but hate the power sliding doors - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Fed Up - September 8 - 1:57 pm

  We are pretty much pleased with our 2005 Uplander ls except for the power sliding doors. They open when they want to and close when they want to. The power sliding door on the drivers side has had many problems of not closing and opening when it is supposed to so we had to unplug it so the alarm on it would stop going off. Its pretty hard to drive 30 miles with the alarm going off and still be in your right mind when you return home. Also we have a thumping noise under the hood and cant figure out what it is.

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  I am not a soccer mom - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Aubrey - September 8 - 1:51 pm

  I am 26 and did not want to be in a minivan. I fell in love with the design of this van. It was modern, safe, and comfortable. I have had the van for almost a year and love it more today then the day I bought it. The acceleration is quick, it handles great, and I feel secure. I love driving now. I purchased it used and added the extended warranty (My mechanic told me to). I am glad because of the sensors and new electronic mechanisms, it is very expensive to fix little repairs. It has been in twice, once for the headlight and starter sensors, and another time for for the tie rod ends needing replaced. We have been on a few long trips and the kids love the entertainment package. Us too!

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  In the Shop - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By stbone - September 8 - 11:10 am

  6,500 miles - in for repair 4 times. 1 - bad light relay 2 - would not accelerate, bad throttle body 3 - overheating and no air conditioner, told it was low on anti-freeze. 4 - engine is bad. Knocked loudly from cam shaft. We are still waiting for a short block and head. This averages out to less than 2,000 miles per repair. The dealer has been Nice and Chevy is paying for a rental, but what a pain for a new car. And we bought a new so we wouldnt have to deal with this sort of thing. We are highly disappointed.

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  Disappointed - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Disappointed - September 8 - 9:26 am

  I purchased this car to drive to work and school. Bought it brand new. Previously owned a Chevy Lumina for many years. I think the best indicator in do you really like your car is, Would you buy it again? My answer to this one is an absolute NO. I disliked this car so much that after two months of owning and 3000 miles later, I traded it in on a used Subaru. The Cobalt is just another version of the Yugo. At least thats how I felt when driving. Everything in the Cobalt looks and feels cheap, like it wasnt very well thought out. My new line is "I would rather drive a used Subaru than a brand new Cobalt."

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  Sporty at 40 - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By angel - September 8 - 12:53 am

  After driving an SUV for seven years,and the gas prices steadily rising, I had to get a more compact car. This is my first "sports car" and I really love it! I have all the bells and whistles that were offered. I have to get used to driving a smaller vehicle all over again. This car handles really well. People comment that it looks similar to a Mustang or a Cougar.

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  Best bang for your buck - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Sal - September 7 - 1:20 pm

  Strong, quality SUV for the price. Owned a Durango and loved it, but the Suburban is considerably a better SUV. It has more than enough room for the family on long trips and has great towing capability. Looked long and hard before I decided to trade in. It gets better MPG, rides better, and more comfortable. Of course MPG is not the best, but it has features that crossovers to not. I added a K&N filter and it helped increase the MPG. Overall very satisfied with the Suburban.

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  Great Car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Joe - September 7 - 1:06 pm

  We purchased the 6 cyl. LTZ 3 months ago. As of now we have 2100 miles on it and get 23 mpg around town. On a recent trip we got 30 mpg. I find it very comfortable to drive. I drove for over 8 hours on our trip and wasnt a bit tired. My wife thinks the seats are a bit too hard but I think they are OK. The initial quality of this car has been outstanding. I hope it lasts as long as our 1986 Olds 98 did (22 years).

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  Love my HHR - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Nina - September 7 - 12:18 pm

  I have owned mine for about a month now. I love it. I did read the reviews prior to purchase so some small things I agree with. The door locks, why are they so tall. Makes hard to have your arm on door. Also interior easily staining is so true. I mean water on seats stained and that is so odd to me. I was frustrated as my car didnt come with trunk mat. I did shop around. The dealear wanted $104. for the rubber mat. I actually found a lot of them on ebay for $49. So check that out if you need one. Other than that all is great. I dont see any issues. Everyone loves it and my kids finally have room to relax. Great car dont hesitate.