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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  Meets All Expectations...and more - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By tjc79 - February 9 - 12:19 pm

  Now in my second month and still have not used more than 2 gallons of gas. The car is surprisingly responsive, feels solid and has had no bugs, defects or annoyances that sometimes accompany new purchases. My average battery range is about 42 miles, but with the range extending on-board generator, there is no anxiety whatsoever about "getting there" as the range is essentially the same as a traditional gas powered vehicle. Moving from my prior Mercedes S 430, I find the Volt to be a remarkably well engineered product. Clearly someone is paying attention to the quality at the end of the production line.

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  Better than my 540i - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By slapshot28 - February 8 - 7:19 pm

  I know the title is saying a lot, but I mean it sincerely. The Volt (VIN 541) is absolutely the best car Ive ever driven. Its quick, nimble, stylish, and simply incomparable from a technology standpoint. Electric driving is amazing. From a dead stop, its the best. And zipping around traffic on the highway is just as good. The Volts range extender is what makes this a practical primary vehicle--no range anxiety. Most days the car never burns a drop of gasoline (my commute is around 20 miles). But this past weekend, driving two hours and back (about 250 miles) was a piece of cake. I never even stopped for gas! Everyone who has been in my Volt has loved it--especially me!

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  Volt #0065 - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By microchip - February 8 - 4:41 pm

  I picked up the first Volt delivered in North Jersey on December 17th, and went 1020 miles over 47 days before I visited the pump. I couldve gone longer, but I was getting low on my first tank and there was an ice storm coming, so I filled up for safety, and havent used gas since filling up. Pretty amazing if you ask me.

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  Shazam! - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By wheresmyvolt - February 8 - 3:58 pm

  This is one great car! Fit, finish, ride, snow handling, zip, fun, and economical. I have a 72-mile round trip commute and am getting near 40 miles of that on battery and the rest on the gasoline generator. I am averaging just over 110 mpg in the generator mode. It is a car that was made with pride and meant to satisfy. I have the leather seats with seat warmers and the backup camera. Both are great additions. GM is very solicitous of my opinion and suggestions and the dealer gives red carpet treatment.

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  A SPORTY AND STYLISH GAME CHANGER - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By marclee - February 8 - 12:42 pm

  When I first read that GM was coming out with an EV and that it would only get 40 miles per charge and then use a gas engine generator after that I was very disappointed. I thought why bother? After all I had built a BEV in 2001 that had a 70 mile range. But as I continued to read about the Volt and think about what GM was trying to do with it, I realized this was an absolute brilliant interim solution to the current EV catch-22. Batteries are too expensive and performance too limited to make a pure EV viable, a pure EV wonÂ’t be viable until batteries are cheaper and performance is better. GMÂ’s solution was to put just enough batteries to cover the daily commute of 80% of the people.

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  I Hate my Volt - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By ev_ - February 8 - 12:29 pm

  Well actually I Love my VOLT except for the climate control system. It takes 5 mintues for the heater to start putting out warm air and you have to run the fan durning that time or you will never get heat. As if that is not bad enough it runs the A/C during this time to dehumitify the air. When its 40 degrees in the car I dont want it to blow cold air and I certainly dont want the A/C on. The rest of the car is everthing I had hoped for. I have driven it over 1200 miles and my average is over 160mpg. I am still running off the gas that came with the car. I like to go fast, I dont drive like a Prius driver, I like to drive in Sport mode and it is extremelly fun to drive.

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  Levitation-like smoothness - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By revtwist - February 8 - 12:24 pm

  I have owned my red Chevrolet Volt for 20 days now. This car is mainly used for my work commute. Although I have taken two 70 mile drives to show the car to family. The odometer reads 990 miles total with just 2.1 gallons of gasoline burned. The Volt is driven by an electric motor all of the time. A small generator is available if travel over 35-40 miles battery is needed. It has been said that driving the Volt feels like flying. It really does. The low end acceleration is ample. The styling of the Volt rivals that of others cars I have owned. One of these being a 70s era Cobra II. My 19 year old son is thrilled to ride in our electric Volt. Full battery charge is 3.5 hours at 240V.

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  I love my Volt more then my Ferrari... - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By ponsv6 - February 8 - 10:50 am

  As an enthusiastic car lover/collector/enthusiast, the Volt is about the coolest car I have ever owned, I have VIN 772. This thing has exceeded all my expectations in Quality, Styling, Ride, Acceleration, Efficiency. Chose to lease it for $350 a month and will most likely buy it at the end of the lease. My Lifetime MPG is 137 with a little over a 1k miles driven so far, which includes two 150 mile trips. Free Onstar for 5 years with nav downloads and hands-free blue tooth, this car is better then my old E class Mercedes, rides about the same. Wife and I literally fight over who drives it. It really moves out from a stop light in "Sport Mode" due to the E motors 100% Torque at 0-RPM.

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  Fun and Practical - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By evil_attorney - February 8 - 10:47 am

  The Volt is a great mix of performance, technology and practicality. The electric motor provides substantial torque which makes the car feel more powerful and responsive than most cars on the road. On a single charge I am able to drive about 38 miles (mostly freeway driving). Thats enough to get me to and from work with a little juice left over. However, the gas engine is a great backup if I need to take a longer trip. I have driven almost 500 miles and only used 1.3 gallons of gas so far. Charging is so easy. The Volt comes with a charger you can plug into any standard electrical outlet.

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  Best car Ive ever leased. - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By gcool - February 8 - 10:18 am

  I get in and out of leases all the time. Ive had the S4, X5, 550i, 335 coupe, and a few others. Nothing compares to this car. The others handled better and were quicker (except the X5) but overall the Volt hangs just fine. If you put it in power mode - it will really move. And the fact that Ive yet to burn any gas... wow. Its an amazing feeling. Oh... and I didnt see any increase in my electrical bill compared to last year. So far its been the same....