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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  to somewhat stressed. ( HELP ) ME TOO - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kristy0108 - October 5 - 7:00 am

  Back on 4/22/2010 another concerned Chevy owner mentioned engine noise and getting louder I am experiencing. I myself own the same model and I have brought this to my dealerships attention and also to Chevy customer relations. My engine is making a constant ticking noise I never owned a car so loud before the engine sounds like its 10 yrs old? Chevy is like "oh well there is nothing we can do about it" its just the way it is? What? This a brand new car. This car should not be making any engine noise its especially loud when accelerating. The dealer said its the fuel pressure regulator and there is nothing they can do? I am deeply disappointed in Chevy gm. Please help

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  Dont be fooled by its looks - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By tankerman1919 - October 4 - 9:00 pm

  I was in the army and this was my first car coming out. I now sell cars. Dont get the 3.4 Monte. Its no good. At 45K new tranny. At 60K intake leak. Now Ive got lifter noise. But cant afford to have it fixed. I mean this car looked OK. But far from the best. I would rather have my old 89 Honda Civic again. At least I knew it would run everyday.

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  Awesome! - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Brandi - October 4 - 9:04 am

  I am very happy with my purchase. This car is great! Great gas mileage, looks great, and didnt hurt my wallet! I love the remote start and power everything! I didnt get the sunroof though( with much regret) I have always been worried about it leaking! I wouldnt trade my Chevy for anything in the world! I got the orange color which totaly suites me! Its easy to get in and out of, rides great, and is very comfortable! The cargo space in the back is also a major plus. I have plenty of room for me my husband and child. Its a great buy!

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  2007 Tahoe - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Michael W. ODell - October 3 - 5:50 pm

  I just purchased the Tahoe and find it to be an excellent purchase. The ride performance and comforts provide an enjoyable experience.

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  Anemic - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Mark - October 3 - 2:28 pm

  Since my purchase of a 2005 Aveo, I have been greatly disappointed. I had a Geo Metro Hatchback (3 Cyl) that had more get up and go than this car with 15mpg more than what I am now receiving. The tires wore out in 25000 miles of highway driving. The A/C is marginal, and the auto- transmission is absolutely the worst. I also have a Plymouth Voyager, it gets almost the same gas mileage as the 1000lb smaller car with 2 more cyclinders to feed gas. Im lucky to get 25 mpg in city, a corvette will get the same driven moderately. This is one of the poorest cars GM has put their badge on, period. For the same amount of money, go buy a Honda Accord or Civic.

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  This Vehicle saved my familys life! - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Karen Box - October 3 - 12:14 pm

  On 9/12/07 I purchased this vehicle and I love it! Comfort, stlye and safety. On 9/30/07 We were victims of a head on collision at a high speed. This cars design saved our lives. We are alive today because my daugther keep this vehicle straight and the front is build to take on a head on collision. We did have injuries but we are alive to tell you about it! I plan on buying another one!! Great family vehicle!

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  80,000 mile lemon - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Chad Hyder - October 3 - 4:33 am

  I purchased this car new and have had decent service up to this point. Im have just started hearing a slight noise in the engine this week and its getting worse, I took it into the shop and was informed that the lifters and camshaft would need to be replaced. This would cost me $2,500,00. Im checking around for better pricing but it seems this car is no longer drivable until this major repair is made. I just fill I should have been able to get more than 80,000 miles from this 2003 Monte Carlo. Needless to say I will not be walking onto a Chevrolet lot anymore. Its looking like I have been pushed to the superior foreign market. It just makes sense. C-Ya Chevys!!!!

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  Road Warrior - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Skip - October 2 - 10:40 pm

  This vehicle has been a great selection for me...especially the V8, I average 20MPG.

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  from the dealers lot to the service bay - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By Ann Jacobson - October 2 - 8:36 pm

  I have been waiting for over a year to buy this car and finally was able to get one on Jan. 9. On Jan. 11 I took it for its first trip to work and it still has not made it home from the service dept. Then engine light is on, it does not use the battery power at all, and the engine idles extremely fast. The service dept has been in touch with the main engineers of GM who told them mine is one of 7 cars with this issue and they dont know what it is or how to fix it. I called GMs main customer service dept and the guy I talked to extended his sympathy and said he would get back to me by Jan. 18. I am sick about this. I paid $42K to drive this out of the lot. I dont know I can do. This is only my second new car, the last one was a Scion that still runs great. If anyone can advise on how to get this resolved I would appreciate it. Talk about buyers remorse. Update 2/5/15. I was in daily contact with Chevy customer service while they were trying to figure out what was wrong with the car. They sent a team of engineers from Detroit to the dealer on two separate occasions. They could not figure out what was wrong with it. On January 29 they authorized a buyback. Today I am signing the final papers and they are refunding the purchase price plus tax and all other fees I paid. They were very speedy in getting this moving as soon as I requested it. Of course they offered to replace with a different Volt but I said I could never feel comfortable in one after this experience. So now I need to figure out what kind of car I do want. LIke I said, I had my eye on this car for over a year and so know nothing about other makes and models. Im sure they will figure out what was wrong with this car and get it on the road. The dealer did say that Chevy told him there are a handful of other cars in the country with this same problem.

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  Did not live up to GM standards - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By CGrammer - October 2 - 8:55 am

  This car is absolutely the funnest car Ive driven yet. The major downfall to this vehicle is the amount of times you will be bringing it to the dealer to have it worked on. I have had everything replaced from front struts/control arms all the way to minor trim detail falling off. Ive had my manifold sensors replaced because it was causing my car to RPM at 400. Thats not even at idle RPM. When you are getting ready to leave for work and your car display reads "ENG PWR LOW," you get kinda ticked off. My car had to be turned off and on seven times before it would idle at 1100 RPM... enough to get it out of my driveway. I would never recommend anyone buying this model car. Maybe the 08 model.