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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  My Chevy Cavalier - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By azgurl - March 17 - 8:19 pm

  My car got great gas mileage. It did ok in snow and mud. When I got 69,000 miles my car was making noises when I started it. It was my lower motor knocking, to mechanics it made no sense it was a flexplate and overhaul on my motor. So my conclusion is they do good until 69,000 miles.

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  Outstanding car, but not perfect. - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Snowman - March 17 - 5:47 pm

  This is my second Corvette. The first was a Yellow C5 Coupe. It was an awesome car and I loved every day I drove it. This White C6 is also a great car. I was so enamored with the extra 50hp that I didnt even notice how bad the "paddle shifters" were until Id had it for a couple months. The six-speed auto is head and shoulders above the four-speed auto that was in my C5. But forget using the paddles. By the time it actually changes gears, the moment has passed and you forget you wanted to do something. I also preferred the C5s interior. I do love lots of the features of the C6 and in full-auto mode its really quick. But I think I should have gotten the manual.

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  Love my Blazer - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Jason - March 17 - 3:56 pm

  Bought used, now have 78,000 miles on it and still love it. Had one major problem with it, the heater core went out in the dead of winter. I live in the Pacific Northwest so, it wasnt very fun. Core was replaced under warranty. Love the engine! Has great power and love the exhaust note! Heated leather seats are awesome and the memory feature is great. Driven it on quite a few road trips and its very comfortable. Rides and handles nicely, I always feel safe. On the few times Ive had to engage the 4X4, it worked just like it should. Felt really surefooted in the snow this winter. Gas mileage is fine, Im not expecting high numbers, its a 4X4. I didnt buy it for the gas mileage.

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  Poor Initial Quality - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By MTitus - March 17 - 2:54 pm

  When we received our Cobalt, we found both front power windows were off track. After the first rain, we found an inch or two or rain in the front drivers floor board. The dealer was able to align the front windows but was unable to fix the water leak. A second dealer was able to reduce the water leak. I believe that they had to bend the door. The arm rest blocks the emergency brake. There is no ash tray for collecting small items that you want to dispose of.

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  My New LTZ - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By chris - March 17 - 1:20 pm

  I dont know about you but when I spent 35K for my new truck I thought it would be built better. I have had Chevys before but never a truck. Drove them a lot from work but the clasic and what a difference between that and the new body style for 07/08. The roof interior is cheap and so are the visors. and what happened to the overhead console? Nowhere to put your glasses and such. Also a lot of wind noise comes into the cab and last but not least I thought they would put the speakers in better I all ready have one of the front speakers real loose and Ive only had it for 2 weeks. Other than that its a killer truck and the Leather 10 way power seats are real nice. Overall happy.

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  Great after 3 years - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By anderson427 - March 17 - 1:15 pm

  I have had my Silverado for 3 years now. I bought it brand new. So far I have had NO problems with this truck. I absolutely love it.

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  Good Looks, Nice Power - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By reggie - March 17 - 3:20 am

  Ive enjoyed the car so far, but the red and black interior will take a while to getused to. This is my second manual trans. and compared to my 94 Camaro the Cobalt is a little harder to pull out in first gear.

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  Great but... - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By RW - March 17 - 2:14 am

  I love the look of this SUV. Pros: love the heated seats, sunroof, stereo, tons of leg room in the front and the back. Cons: the 4 wheel drive is horrible. Not enough traction. The seats are not deep enough. I feel like Im going to slide off every time I brake (and no... Im not a big person).

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  Lemon all the way - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Yvonne Lancaster PA - March 16 - 7:41 pm

  I have had this car for 4yrs and it has had nothing but issues. I probably spent as much in repairs as I have on the sales price. Replaced catalytic converter,starter,fuel pump,several sensors, and now they say the gasket needs replaced, talk about a lemon, I will never, never buy another GM car which was all I believed in buying previous to this money gouging vehicle. Get with the program GM.

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  Great SUV - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By purotexmex - March 16 - 4:26 pm

  I recently bought this car while on leave from Iraq and I must say, I love this vehicle! I couldnt stop driving it. It is fun to drive and has a lot of room inside. My two daughters love it also. My wife, she is very pleased with this car. All the extra features it has is great. This car is well built. I have a family of four and it sometimes got very tight in our last vehicle, but with the amount of space inside this one, it is great. The remote ignition starter is great too! I am now back in Iraq finsihing up my tour and all I can think about is my family and this great car we bought! Thank you Chevy!