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:

• 

  Good and Bad - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By MAnkney - May 12 - 2:23 pm

  I love it - Its fun to drive and roomy. This is the first time Ive owned a vehicle with a hatch and I love it! Looks sporty and should have a good resale value, in-part, because of this. I hate it - I came from driving a full size truck and was suprised its turning radius was about the same! What!?! The gas mileage is ok not great. Fabric on seats stain terribly and you cant scrub them out. Front windshield and back hatch leaks in heavy rain storms and car washes. Drivers window is noisy when on the expressway. Center console laid out bad. Crowded and unusable. Before I got used to the window controls in the center I put my purse on them in the car wash-yes, I got waxed that day!

• 

  I love my Aveo! - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By jcseinar - May 12 - 3:39 am

  I bought an Aveo as a commuter car. I have never driven anything but a truck, so downsizing was a little hard to get used to. I have driven this Aveo everyday for the past year and a half without any trouble whatsoever. I change the oil and perform regular maintenance, but this car has been 100% free of trouble. It runs like a top. I get great gas mileage at about 42 MPG.

• 

  Awesome performance vehicle - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Frank - May 11 - 10:23 pm

  Having have many performance German vehicles in the past (BMW E46 M3 was my last), there is no substitute for displacement. The torque on takeoff always puts a smile on my face. I love the NPP exhaust which I recommend to anyone as a must have. This car is a tremendous deal for the price that will spank many cars costing 2-3 times more. Also, to increase the HP to over 500 is relatively cheap compared to German or Italian cars.

• 

  35000 in one year and still going - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By angimp21 - May 11 - 7:53 pm

  I bought this car preowened after totaling my 05 impala and like the 05 not a dissapointment. The car origanaly had 25,000 miles when I bought it and in a year have put a little more than 35,000 more and have had no major mechanical problems just normal wear and tear. The only problem that I am having is that the the front tires bushings have too much play and are wearing out my tires real fast. At about 65k now the cars engine is still quiet runs smooth. No major complaints except the obvious much needed cup holders and in increase of quality like the seats fabric but that is minor stuff. The bigger issues are in the front suspension from the cheap brakes to the faulty bushings

• 

  Awesome - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By dalejr0538 - May 11 - 2:52 pm

  I just bought my Colorado and I love it. I have only had it a few months but so far it has served its purpose. I went from an S-10 to the Colorado so it was a huge performance in power, comfort and looks. I also think that a drop in bedliner would be great if it came standard. Also the tires, they should have better from the factory. I love it. Really glad I purchased it.

• 

  My brand new victory red 2 door Cobalt LS - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By LILLADY - May 11 - 11:05 am

  Ive had my Cobalt for about 6 months now. I brought it brand new with 3 miles on it. As much as I drive I already have almost 11,000 miles on it and it still rides brand new with the brand new car smell. I road 6,000 miles over before I got my oil changed and the light still hasnt came on. I much money am I saving! The car is beautiful!

• 

  Dont buy - poor gas mileage - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Tim in Maryland - May 11 - 6:14 am

  I have been driving this car for 3 months now. I average 22.5 MPG in mostly suburban driving, with a roundtrip distance to work of 20 miles each day. I also use it to deliver papers in every morning, which takes about 30 minutes. I use to do the same routine in a Honda Civic which had a larger engine and got 30 MPG. So I am very disapointed with the fuel economy. Even open road driving you can watch that gas gauge visibly drop. You cannot lock the driver side door except by using the key - this is a pain when you have bundles to carry and/or its raining.

• 

  Great truck overall - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Greg - May 10 - 9:24 pm

  Picked up this 4 WD crew cab pick-up 3/17/08. Weve put it through its paces ever since. Added running boards, a Leer cap. Needed the crew cab, as my elderly Dad lives with us. Were a very active "country family," hauling landscaping materials, building materials, "stuff" for the country church we belong to. We just drove it 1600 mi from NYS to Sanibel Island, FL. This trucks a great blend of economy, utility, passenger hauling and comfort. We got 20 mpg on the highway. All spring, before the trip, we hauled green waste to the town transfer station, lumber to build raised vegetable garden beds, and loads of rotted horse manure to add to those beds. Very pleased with our choice.

• 

  Love most of my car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Janet5952 - May 10 - 6:47 pm

  I bought my car cause I loved the style. My 2006 had only 8,032 miles on it when I bought it. It now has a little over 10,000 miles on it. I do not like where the window controls are or the cup holders but other than that it is great. The car is not for a big person my son and husband are both 6 ft and say it is to small for them leg and head room. It is just fine for me!

• 

  2nd TrailBlazer - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By chevy buyer - May 10 - 3:34 pm

  This is my second TrailBlazer to purchase. The first one I had for four years with vitually no mechanical problems. I love the 2008 and the cosmetic changes to the front and rear end and the wheels! Great black leather interior, sun roof and 6 disc cd. It is really fun to drive and looks good. OnStar is a nice security feature too