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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  SS turbo Quite a Car - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Pizza - August 17 - 9:00 pm

  Overall the new SS is an amazing car for the money and outperforms many cars with much higher price tags. Its really fun to drive. Finally they got it right, everything you would expect in a SS labeled car. Not for those who just want a little sporty car, youll soon be bothered by the many clicks, clunks and less refined aspects of this performance car. Fuel mileage sold me on this car and Im not disappointed, averaging 27mpg mixed driving. A cool feature lets you see your instant mileage approx when trying to stretch those mpgs.

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Skiingpapa - August 17 - 8:32 pm

  After 20 years driving a full size fan I was unsure about moving up, in fuel economy. Wow! Our Uplander was that and more. From the outstanding ease of entry, the comfortable seats, room, and features. Easily the best vehicle I have ever purchased and no visits to the dealer to correct anything. We took it on a 1200 mile trip with f5 adults, food, luggage, and a full car top carrier and averaged over 26 mpg. Safe is the word with this vehicle ABS with skid control, side air bags and ease of handling this Chevy it awesome. The styling gets very high marks from everyones first look. A Ford owner wished that his company a vehicle with the ride, features and looks.

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  Great for the money - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Michael - August 17 - 7:54 pm

  Great car for the money. Honest! Weve got the manual loaded with the sunroof/moonroof. Not the most fun car Ive ever bought but a great one. I needed a cheap car that got good gas mileage. I wanted a hybrid but figured that extra $8-13 grand would buy a lot of gas at $4 a gallon. Ive owned this for 10 months (took in once for a sensor, fixed that day) and only have 7,500 miles. If you drive it gently (Yeh, not my style either) youll get the estimated mileage or slightly better. Ill never call this a "fun" ride, but Ill always call it a smart ride. Need more fun, room, or "style", then spend the money. Need around 200 or-less miles a week and real economy, give an Aveo a look.

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  Beware - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Dom - August 17 - 6:05 pm

  Out of 1 year I have owned vehicle, it has been in the service shop 6 times because of passenger sliding door problems. Its either the door gets stuck in fully opened position (2x), pops back open after closing, closes partially then stops. Door has been out of alignment 4 times, and the the front passenger door was out of alignment once. Other consumers have reported door opened while car was in motion. Chevy has been unable to fix and seems to be stymied.

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  Great - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jason - August 17 - 11:53 am

  It was awsome truck to drive I drove 80 miles day up and back to work I have 114,000 miles on the truck and runs like i did when first got it.

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  The Malibu is an excellent car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By paul videtich - August 16 - 10:26 pm

  I would like to know how the public is being fooled about poor mileage from GM cars. I set the cruise at 55 and get 38 mpg on the instant mpg readout and at 70 mph I get 35, aprox. 26 in the city. and this isnt a tiny car. Plenty of room and Im 6 ft 2 in. Beautiful car, absolutely quiet. A great ride. An excellent car at a great price. I highly recommend to everyone to test drive a Malibu.

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  Wow - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Kimberly Heck - August 16 - 9:41 pm

  I love this vehicle. I have problems with low back pain and seats are a great fit for me. This car drives like a dream with tight ride, a little softer than a Mercedes. I managed to get this car with the 5.3 engine and I am very impressed with the performance and I have no problems merging into busy Dallas traffic. The turning radius is amazing and can easily manage any U-turn or parking lot space. I know the the fuel economy could be better but I cant complain because I knew that when I bought the vehicle.

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  Will Buy Again! - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Equinox LT - August 16 - 9:40 pm

  My husband and I leased an Equinox to take our son back to college in another state. The trip was 10 hours one way and none of us got tired! There was plenty of room to pack everything and room for us to sit comfortably. We decided then that would be the next vehicle for us We bought the Equinox pre-owned and since I am the primary driver I couldnt be more pleased. The radius turning is good and surprisingly tight. The back seat has more room than the Toyota Highlander. I love my Equinox!!

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  Great Vehicle? - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By George - August 16 - 8:46 pm

  No one in DMV could tell me what model this was.......car/truck/suv/van????? Drove it two days after purchase from Clearwater, FL to Sierra Vista. Driveway to driveway 2062 miles with average 29.7 with normal I-10 cruise control set at 80mph. Shorter run to Phoenix got 31.9 on I-10 and in an around town w/ac so far 27.6. Rides great, handles great in and out of traffic and wife found it more than comfortable on trips with plenty of room for her shopping while traveling.

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  Handy & comfortable - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By marcopolo - August 16 - 7:25 pm

  We took our new Equinox on a road trip a week after we got it, a very pleasant ride. Comfortable seats, the long wheelbase makes the ride smoother, easy to get into. Fuel economy is much better than my 06 Trailblazer, and there is more interior room for passengers. The big cooler sits flat on the floor in the back seat, XM radio & OnStar are also great. The electric steering is quiet and efficient. It is just a great ride. Were going again in a couple of weeks, and I cant wait to get on the road. Then, in everyday life, its easy on gas around town, easy to park, simple to maneuver. Plenty of room for stuff in the back, too. This might be my most favorite car ever.