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 Cobalt - a good value - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By pvs68 - July 20 - 9:08 pm

  The base model seems to be the most car for the money and the quality so far seems to be competitive to leading imports. Even the most basic model comes with standard features that other cars in its class don’t come with. It is also easy and inexpensive to perform your own preventative maintenance (oil changes) on too. I like mine, a 2 door standard transmission, because it is sporty, economical, and practical. I did extensive research before buying it and had the most confidence with this purchase.

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  01 Metro Review - 2001 Chevrolet Metro
  By RushFan2112 - July 20 - 7:38 pm

  All in all its a good car for the price. Its not very comfortable, its pretty loud, and struggles going uphill. It is surprisingly a pretty zippy car, as long as youre not going uphill. It gets good gas mileage on highways, but poor mileage in the city. It is what it is, affordable, economy car. Its very reliable, I have never had any problems with it that any other car wouldnt have.

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  Gas hog - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By loser - July 20 - 7:35 pm

  I purchased this truck used in 2006. After just a few hundred miles I saw I was in trouble. Running interstate speed, the truck would quiver so bad you were unable to see ot the rearview mirror. It had pleanty of power, but really loved the gas. With gas prices over $4, it had to go.

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  Fun, looks cool, but hard to see out - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Brian - July 20 - 10:10 am

  I bought this because it looks good, got good gas mileage, had enough power, and still had some room for gear. The 2k rebate then sealed the deal. This is a nice car and I am glad I bought it! (But Chevy could have done a much better job with the poor front window vision, tiny glove box, few cup holders and better emergency brake placement

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  Nice - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By seaxsickxsmiles - July 20 - 3:08 am

  Pretty good mpg for a V6. But not a lot of go on the road, but more then enought in mud and water. Hugs corners awesome for an suv, and only handles better off road. Very stylish extior and very comfortable interior. Nothing has really gave out on me either, it was a well investment.

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  Retired and in heaven! - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By FSTOLMAN - July 19 - 7:47 pm

  Ive owned a couple of Corvettes years ago and I enjoyed them. Im retired now and couldnt avoid purchasing a two year old 2006 Z06 with 3,600 miles. Even my wonderful wife was so mezmerized with this car, she said buy it! The car is perfect and I am totally amazed with how great this Z06 is. Great looks, great power, fantastic handling and performance. I dont need to quote the stats. The car is a thrill every time I get behind the wheel. When I just look at it in my garage, I feel like I am in heaven.

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  Mixed Feelings - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Chicubs - July 19 - 2:22 pm

  Ive had my TrailBlazer since I bought it new in Aug of 2003. I love the styling and the huge cargo space (EXT version). Its been great for moving my daughters back and forth from college. Rides nice for a truck. The good news ends there. Too many things have gone wrong with it that shouldnt have gone wrong. Im now on my 3rd instrument panel cluster assembly and now need a 4th one. These things cost over $500 to replace. Poor quality! Ive had a few other things go wrong including my radio - Im on my 3rd unit. As much as love the styling and cargo room, Id never purchase another one especially considering the resale value is very poor. The money I saved up front is costing me now.

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  Poor Gas Mileage - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Dissapointed - July 19 - 1:16 pm

  Great car, comfortable and attractive. Good visibility for a petite driver. Very disappointed in gas mileage. For the first year I owned it, I comuted 60 miles RT daily, mostly freeway speeds, and never got over 29 mpg. I am a good driver who regularly go 38-40 out of my Saturn SL1, and expected this car to exceed the federal ratings. I was very disappointed to discover that the ratings are a total fairy tales. Best mileage ever was 29, and usually got 25-27.

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  Aveo - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By K - July 18 - 10:52 pm

  I love it. I purchased an Aveo for a work/travel car and price and fuel economy made me take a look at it. So far I am extremely impressed. It wont win many races, but is peppy. It is capable of getting more mpgs than 33mpg/gallon. A great value, but is realy a basic car. If you want good value and basic transportation you cant beat it. My neighbor likes it better than his Honda Civic!

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  Great car for tall person - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By So happy - July 18 - 4:57 pm

  I am 6 7" and am very happy with my LS. I tried getting into most all the other compact cars and I just could not fit in them. I have not had a single problem with the car since I purchased. Perfect commuter car. I get about 30-31MPG combined and get 36- 37 MPG on the highway.