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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  Happy with my MAXX! - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By J.M. - March 3 - 11:13 am

  V6, 200HP, a family car and a rocket ship. Auto Start for those cold days, and a great interior system for comfort. 200 Watt stereo, great climate control, and every seat but the drivers folds down flat so you can haul anything you need! I am very happy, I just wish Chevy had a better warranty, 3 yr 36,000 miles dosent show me that they have alot of faith in their cars, other foreign companies anre offering the 10/100,000 now, and america should get on the bandwagon!

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  Very Nice Car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Damon - March 2 - 4:46 pm

  3 months into ownership, I can say that I really like this car. I am coming from a Malibu Maxx, and this is much better in every way. The styling inside and out is first rate, the car feels solid, the engine has a nice growl when you hit the gas, and the ride is smooth yet firm. This car is pretty darn fast! I do like the Turn by Turn navigation (it works pretty well), although I dont feel I will sign-up at $25+/mo. when the free subscription ends. I have been putting in 89 octane, and this does get me better mileage and pickup than 87 octane. I have owned Acuras and Volvos the past 10 years, and this is the only car that has received compliments from complete stran

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  Malibu - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Sharon - March 2 - 1:33 pm

  As for me, I just purchased my Malibu a month ago from the one and only owner. Great price and so far it has treated me good. We took it on a 300 mile ski trip this past weekend in the snow and it handled very well. The previous owner said they had to replace the fuel pump at 35k and the air conditioner not long after purchasing it. I hope and pray it will continue to treat me good!

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  Awesome Avalanche - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By fosty - March 2 - 12:20 pm

  Plenty of room for the kids and cargo. Super power and what a ride. I love this Avalanche. Good job Chevrolet!

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  Review - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By don - March 2 - 2:03 am

  So far so good. Lots of features. Great driving experience. Safe and reliable. very stylish. great appeal with design. good performance. Nice brakes. Attractive wheels and excellent traction with Goodyear tires. Handles well in mountain driving as well as freeway. Probably the best car Ive owned in 30 years. The SS Chevy is a great value and every one likes the car who see it when Im parking the vehicle. Lots of extras for an American revolution! Go check the car out for yourself. The vehicle sells itself! Thanks General Motors I like the car!

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  Best SUV - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By MikeD - March 2 - 1:28 am

  This vehicle does it all, tow the boat, carry all the friends, or simply ride in comfort. I love this vehicle and the fact that its very safe! Goes through the gas, but as to be expected with a full-size V-8.

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  Aqua Blue Beautiful Beast! - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By RS-1SS - March 1 - 12:06 pm

  Picked up my pre-ordered 2010 aqua blue metallic 1ss a week ago. What power on this puppy! I am so happy I picked aqua blue, this color makes the car look gorgeous. People stare ALL the time and compliment many times. The sports cloth interior impresses me very much. Everything has been smooth with the car so far. Sunroof well worthed. One word of advice.. If you are debating between the V6 and the V8, get the V8. I was about to get the 6 cylinder, but I changed my mind in time and now have an awesome V8 that rocks almost anything on the street. The power for the price is just amazing. What a hot car... Very very happy so far..

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  Good car to purchase for college student - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Key-Key - March 1 - 10:43 am

  The car handles and drives well and I love the way the speakers sound. I also love the fact that the radio will give you the name of the song playing. I also love the exterior appearance of the car. The best thing about this car is that it does not take up that much gas as I go from place to place. I purchased the car used and I have not had any problems out of it yet. I plan on having this car for year to come.

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  Wow, High Quality from GM - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By 2006 Black Cobalt LS - February 28 - 7:33 pm

  This inexpensive little car is a super bargain. At 29K the car has not had any reason to return to the dealer except for normal maintenace. I am shocked at the high quality of this car. The last time I had purchased a new GM car was 1980 and it was so bad I didnt think I would ever buy GM again. The car handles very nicely on the 15" aluminum wheels. The rear design is second to none. The only downfall is they wont install an armrest on the cars with sticks, so I bought one myself and installed it. The armrest is a huge improvement. The shifter is a bit too far back but that can be adjusted too. Now GM needs to keep up the good work and win back some of their lost business.

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  2008 Chevrolet Ext. Cab LTZ 6.0L - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By winston - February 28 - 2:26 am

  I went truck shopping and drove the competitive model Ford, Toyota, Dodge and Chevy extended cab trucks. I was replacing an F150 that had been a very very good truck for the 7 years I owned it. Not one issue ever. So naturally I was inclined towards the Ford. After driving all the trucks I decided on the Chevy. I likes the power from the 6.0L compared to the Ford which seemed pretty weak in the pwer department. The Toyota used very poor interior materials and rode terrible. The Dodge was nice but the bed was 6.25 feet compared to the others 6.5ft bed. Overall the Chevy offered a great combination of features with the LTZ package and the Vortec Max package.