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 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.

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  The Maytag of cars - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By morin2 - August 16 - 2:55 pm

  Bought this car slightly less than 3 years old with 25K miles on odom, a local car traded at a new car dealer. Now have 83K miles on it. The car is my commuter & driven 107 miles/day. Utterly reliable appliance but somewhat bland and boring. Have only done routine maintenance - replaced the awful original Firestones with Bridgestone Insigna and done the easy oil changes, coolant flushes & trans flush. Use Toyota filters & red coolant. This car will be soon passed down to my daughter & will be her first car - good for a new driver, slow, safe, and all controls very easy. I get about 31-36 mpg.

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  Dont buy an HHR - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By tamie - August 16 - 1:45 pm

  My HHR has been in the shop 13 times in past year. I would be driving down the road and it wold just shut off. Burning smell, all kinds of electrical problems. Before 7K miles it had to have new bearings. It was in the process of Lemon Law and 1 week shy of owning it a year caught on fire while I was driving and burnt to the ground. I was lucky my children werent with me. Gas mileage started out good almost 30 on the hwy and then went to no better than 21. Bought it for gas mileage and safety..I guess they failed on both......