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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  do NOT buy - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By millerk06 - July 17 - 3:30 pm

  This car has been nothing but a nightmare since day 1. I have had my tire pressure light looked at over 5 times and its still not fixed. Going on the interstate is terrible, the air fades out and starts blowing hot and the dealer "doesnt know why". The key hole in the drivers side door has fallen through and is stuck in the door. Its not a quality Chevy, the plant for Daewoo was purchased by Chevy and this is the result - a Korean piece of crap. Read reviews and research before purchasing.

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  Equinox 2010 flawed design - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jaymonsy - June 29 - 2:34 pm

  Purchased 2010 equinox with 28,000 miles. Been in the shop 5 times already. Display panel and entire dashboard blew out, muffler is rusting because of designed drain hole on the side, very poor acceleration, no cabin air filter, fumes enter car even when recirculated air is on, no rear vents, no insulation on sun roof slider, car is always hot inside, chrome on dash creates glare directed right at the driver, making for unsafe driving condition. Gas milage is not what is advertised.

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  I would NOT buy a chevy to say my life!!!! Mostly their vans! - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By ssmee7 - April 30 - 10:25 pm

  We have a 2000 Chevy venture mini van. Biggest pile of junk Ive ever owned! Right after the warranty went out so did the gas gauge! Over $600 to fix it! It was a problem with ALL this model no matter if it was a chev or other GM! Then the power sliding door. Then the power windows, then the rear washer! Then a screw in the head liner over your head fell out some how and just rolls around and around! Nothing but problems with this van! If I could load it full of C4 and blow it up on YouTube I would do it in a heart beat! DO NOT BUY A GM mini van! You will have nothing but problems and the design is horrible! GM will do NOTHING to fix their problems!

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  This van SUCKS - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By mogulprinceton - March 2 - 7:43 pm

  My housekeeper owns a 2002 Chevy Venture LS V6 FWD that my father brought her in 2001 as a Christmas gift for being a fabulous housekeeper. She clearly loves it and does not want to give it up for even a new 2012 Nissan Quest? ODD but I hate that van, it does not have a quick take off like most vans in that class, the gas gage is broke so she can only use 75% of her tank, the headlights and highbeams are not bright at all. In fact at night you can even see the road well. The interior lights dont work when the doors are open only when you turn the lights on it the van from the switch. Its just a mess. Handling is even worst cause there is so much body roll.

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  So many problems it hasnt left the lot! - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mzchuzluvr - January 26 - 9:36 am

  I purchased this vehicle on 12/29/11. It was 70 degrees outside which is rare for December in DC. The next day I took it back because the temp dropped below 40 degrees and I realized the heat was not working. It was blowing cold air. Well, today is 1/26/12, I have my first auto payment due on 2/1/12 and I STILL do not have my car back. The mechanics at the dealership replaced the heating cord, the radiator and the water pump. Still no heat. They sent it to Chevy/GM and they replaced more cords, the head gasket (yes... the head gasket) and flushed to cooling system. Well not only does the car STILL have no heat, but the mechanic called me this morning and said now its overheating!!! 2bcont..

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  Should have went to Toyota - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By rjcruzedriver - January 10 - 6:36 pm

  This is the worst car I have ever owned. 2 days after buying the car new, the windshield cracked along the top and the roof and electronics all flooded. Three weeks past and the car refussed to go into gear and almost caused use to get side swiped. After being treated like a lower life form by the dealer ship and General Motors, we were forced to drive this car. Recently the pile of Cruze failed to shift into gear which caused us to roll back into oncoming traffic and was involved in an accident. This is the last GM product I will ever own, and I hope that Chevy stops getting bailed out. Government Motors, I should have known better.

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  ***BUYER BEWARE***POOR RELIABILITY WITH THE LOWEST-SCORE AVAILABLE, ACCORDING TO CONSUMER REPORTS... - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By waltchan - October 26 - 6:41 pm

  I hate this car now. I have been scammed and tricked from General Motors with all these flashy advertisements claiming better quality and reliability. Yeah, right... The Chevrolet Cruze scored the LOWEST in reliability of any small sedans, and its rated at the very-bottom of the chart, with a poor (black dot) reliability score, according to Consumer Reports. How can this be quality??? The new, over-hyped 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is NOT any better than the 1980 Chevrolet Citation we had before with the same, poor reliability score as well. I now will learn to never buy any American-name car without waiting for Consumer Reports advice. GM should refund my money for false claims on reliability.

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  AVOID! ANY OTHER CAR WOULD BE BETTER! - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By aveosucks - September 26 - 12:01 pm

  Good: Cute and has onstar and XM. Bad: Having the Aveo5 for not even 2 years, if I added up all the repairs (warranty or not) they would exceed the cost of the car. Cheap if you cant afford ANY other subcompact but built only to drive to the store and back. Car was in for repairs within 48 hours of purchase. Suggestion: buy a LENGTHY and comprehensive warranty, youll need it!

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  What Idiot Re-Designed this [violative content deleted] - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By takeabreak - July 4 - 12:25 pm

  My dad has a 2005 Impala, with a V-6. It gets better gas mileage than the 2009, has more head room, has more shoulder room, more room through out the vehicle, I can clean the windshield in his, but this piece of junk. The rook line is lower, I bump my head while driving, entering or exiting the vehicle on the door seal area. I am only 6ft tall. With the stupid roof line being lower, objects, people and vehicles disappear behind the center review mirror when corenering.

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  $$$$ BIG TIME LEMON $$$$ - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By angeleyes8523 - March 22 - 12:53 am

  This car has been a nightmare since I bought it. The transmission slipped the first day I had it. I had a to replace the converter, thermostat (5 times), had the entire system flushed over 50 times, and the blower motor resistor 2 times, not including the water pump, and O2 sensor. It is pretty bad that the car is constantly overheating, with no heat in the car. When the blower motor resistor goes you have to disconnect the battery because their is no other way to turn off the fan. It will continue to blow even if the key is out. It will not stop even after hours.