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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  A lot of car for not a lot of money - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jscott1 - December 11 - 4:29 pm

  I came into the Aveo because my full sized truck was guzzling too much gas. I wanted an inexpensive commuter. I ended up with a pretty upscale, (for an Aveo) 4 dr LT and its much more car than I expected. Its smooth on the highway, and comfortable and has many features you wouldnt normally expect to find in this price range like side airbags. The sound system is nice with the MP3 changer and the steering wheel controls are good too. I went to the dealership just looking, but the price was too good to pass up after I saw how much car I could get for the money.

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  Great Little Car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Mike - December 11 - 3:23 pm

  I bought this car for my wife and she loves it. She only lets me drive it on the weekends. Its fun to drive, handles great, and has plenty of pep. The mileage is great and the looks are awesome. We looked at the Cruiser and found it to noisy. The HHR is quiet and more roomy. The things that are standard on the HHR are options on the competition. Good job Chevy.

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  Good car - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By rolando - December 11 - 1:03 pm

  I bought the car it’s a 2007 Monte Carlo and its got 11,000 mil but one thing I notest is that on the steering column there is a knocking sound, When I turn. That is the same type of sound my old Chevy impala which was a 2003 had. And when I took it in to get it check they told me it was some kind of shaft in the steering column. I hope this car will not have that problem.

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  How can you not like this truck? - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Fassler - December 11 - 10:35 am

  This is my first Avalanche LTZ and I love driving this truck!! This thing is loaded, navigation, dvd, back up camera heated seat etc..It does everything you could ask for in a truck/suv. Ride is smooth for its size. Get a lot of compliments from friends and stranger!! For a truck 14 - 15mpg is great. Chevy really stepped up with the new design inside and out. Its luxury style without paying the Cadillac price.

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  Great reliability, fun to drive - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By John Delmonte - December 11 - 6:23 am

  The Cobalt is a winner if you are looking for reliability and low maintenance cost. It runs very quiet and his extremely dependable. The interior back seat is a little small but the room up front good. Large trunk and easy access to the engine compartment make it easy to work on. Very impressed with the overall reliability, low cost of maintenance, low cost for repairs, 20-25 mpg. A basic car with five star value.

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  First American Car I ever bought - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jaime Livoti - December 11 - 12:56 am

  This is the first American car I ever purchased. I love it. Its my 1st SUV too. I will never buy a car again. It has lots of space, and is nice for trips. The rear seats recline. I love, love, love it! Its a good buy. I got a lot of car for little money.

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  Great truck - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By stanley1l - December 10 - 8:33 pm

  Great truck and drivebility. Seat is somewhat comfortable but supportive for 10hour trips. I do recommend the LS package for it more convinient for over all comfort. Great engines 5.3 and 6.0. both deliver about the same fuel efficiency - I get 350 miles on 22 gallons. I would prefer a more efficent truck and it amazes me that all these car maker are dragging their feet on delivering these type of vehicles.

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  Warning Light Problems - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Nick Reichert - December 10 - 4:36 pm

  Different warning lights are coming on. Had to put the newly designed EGR valve on at 5,000 miles. Warning light for the steering keeps coming on. Right front strut bearing was replaced at 300 miles.Speakers in the two front doors vibrate.The dash board had a bad rattling noise.They put foam in to stop the noise. The air duct on the right side front under dash rattled, again fixed with foam.

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  Decent - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Josh - December 10 - 2:20 pm

  An all around good car. I get horrible gas mileage and I try to drive as conservatively as possible with this car but I still only average 250 to 260 miles to a tank of gas and I have 8,200 miles on it already. There is a wierd clunking feel and noise when I apply my brakes at low speeds. Great sound system though; it is a major step up from my first car. The size is good although it looks like and sometimes feels like you need car seats in the back instead of guitars and equipment like me (it looks like a minivan).

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  Im finally at peace - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By IowaBreeze - December 10 - 1:33 pm

  I finally got rid of my 1999 GMC Jimmy money-pit and traded up to this Trailblazer two days ago. Almost immediately I had to drive in an ice storm and was very pleased about the handling and performance. Ride is very smooth, mileage is what one should expect for an SUV. Plenty of room for cargo, love the sunroof and other features. So far, so good!