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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  Enjoying my lifetime dream car! - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By johncarl - February 21 - 8:20 am

  Lucky guy! I also own a new Camaro and love it. I have always wanted a Corvette since working at a dealership after high school. I checked out a local 2008 that I located on the internet. I had never driven one and didnt know if the power would be too much for me to handle. It wasnt and I bought it too. This car drives perfectly at any speed. And I simply love its beauty and performance. My lifetime car choice had been right all along. I have the Atomic Orange 3LT transparent removable roof. I cant seem to stay out of this car. I receive compliments on both cars each time I drive them. I agree with every positive thing I have read on this forum. Buy one if u can!

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  More than I expected! - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By hugheskirby - February 20 - 2:50 pm

  I purchased My Malibu to save money on fuel, and have a comfortable ride. My first stop for gas netted me over 32MPG. This car is very comfortable for me (63" and over 280lbs), although the door opening could be a little larger. I am finding the 2.4 4cyl engine to be adequate, but if you want the good MPG, you need to drive it light there is an egg between your foot and the gas pedal.

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  The schizophrenic Cruse - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By donrican - February 20 - 10:07 am

  This car is schizophrenic. This is a midsized car whos convinced its a compact. Im a big guy who used to rub shoulders with passangers in my Civic. Not any more, the cabin is spacious for a compact. This is also a sub-compact whos conviced its a compact. The 1.4 acts like its pulling a 2100 pound car and not the fully loaded Cruzes actual 3100. It should have much worse fuel economy as it does. This is a sports sedan convinced its a compact car. The handling is down right brilliant! This is a near luxury car convinced its a compact car. The fit and finish are good. None of the buttons and switches feel cheap. Leather seats are comfortable. Pioneer sound system is great. It needs a shrink!

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  Happy Former Japanese Car Driver - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cruzy - February 19 - 1:09 pm

  In December got out of leasing a Subaru Impreza, test drove the 2010 Toyota Corolla & have owned a 1990 Corolla until it had over 100,000 mi. Since that was the extend of my driving experience, I did a lot of research as to what car & type to lease next. Worried about switching from AWD to front wheel drive, I opted to go with front wheel with turbo power as a compromise. It drove well through all the storms we had in NYC except when I had to drive up a pretty steep & snowy hill (I live in a hilly hood). The road was too slippery to drive the Cruze. This was the only time I missed the AWD. The Cruze does roll-back more easily than Im used to. Overall, Im very happy with my Cruze.

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  Surprising - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cruzeecoowner - February 19 - 10:36 am

  I bought a Cruze eco model about two weeks ago. I cant believe Im averaging 39 mpg in mixed driving in hill country on the first two tanks of gas. I would have been happy with 29 in the kind of driving I do in hilly terrain of SW Pennsylvania. The car does seem to kind of glide without much effort and I drive it conservatively on the highway letting it coast down hills at times around the speed limit--often having to slow it down a bit. The high range gears also pull hills better than I expected--even the 6th gear. The car is also fun to drive in the city where I work and must commute during the work week. It is quick, with more feedback and precise handling than Id expected.

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  Love the car except for the fuel economy - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By reggie350 - February 17 - 11:42 pm

  Purchased a new Cruze 2LT with the disc brakes, 17 inch rims, convenience package, and spare tires. On the plus side the fit and finish are good, love the interior, ride is quiet, handles good, good looking car, a lot there for the money. On the down side the brakes are a little soft, not a true independant rear suspension, and the fuel economy is no where near the posted numbers. I drive 95% highway, mostly flat roads, at 63 mph and I get 31 mpg.

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  Still Running Strong! - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By 7ate9 - February 17 - 6:36 pm

  I have owned this truck for a little over 10 years now and bought it brand new in October 2000. I am lucky that I have a short commute and have only put 84,000 miles on it. I have not had any major issues except for repairs here and there. Recently the head gasket went, but my mechanic told me its because the coolant used by GM (DEX-COOL) actually deteriorated the gasket. There was a class action lawsuit about this back in 2005, but I did not know about it. Other than that, its been perfect. Its stil fun to drive and feel almost as good as the day I bought it. My only major complaint is gas mileage, especially compared to vehicles today. I usually get about 16-17 mpg on average.

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  Good Car LS V6 - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mwilliams9 - February 14 - 9:33 pm

  two yaers done me good so far But if its hard to start when hot hit the gas while cranking if it dont twince. My radio just went out got A Refurbished for $185 works good now. the staring wheel got tight once coming out one tight parking space. I put in park and hit gas a littie never had that proplem agan. My wife share this car drop me off and go home and go to work and pick me up 60 miles a day alway ready to go.

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  Great Vehicle - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By kimba727 - February 13 - 12:18 am

  Leased 1Lt w/4x4-- 1 yr into owning the vehicle moved cross country--happy with performance and ride. It was a comfortable vehicle and has great turning radius for getting in and out of parking spaces. Even my hubby liked the turning and handling. I was involved in a 3 car crash-rear ended by a earlier model TB and had minimal damage-new rear bumper and lift gate. This vehicle held up. My lease is up and cant buy it--so will turn it in- It will be missed and down the road I will keep checking to see if I cant pickup the same model. It was great in the snow or any elements. Always felt safe and comfortable.

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  A Home Run! - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By sgc114 - February 9 - 6:08 pm

  I purchased my Volt and took delivery on December 18, 2010. Ive gone about 1500 miles so far and burned about 20 gallons of gas, mostly due to a few long trips [200 miles each]. Even on those trips, my mileage was in the 40-50 mile range. My overall mileage is about 75mpg. But when I was not taking those trips, I could easily drive around town, to work, etc, on the 40 miles or so range, using all battery and electric drive. There is nothing better than that! The car drives solidly, crisp turning, and more than decent acceleration. The best acceleration is in LOW using SPORT mode. Seats are comfortable, and the fit and finish is quite good.