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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  Trouble from the Start - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By loca - April 28 - 6:35 pm

  I got my Cavalier in Aug of 2000 and from the beginning it had a chirp sound coming from the driver side wheel..The dealership didnt know how to fix it. Everything else was fine with the car until 2003 when the transmission fluid and oil kept leaking. I would get it fixed and then 4 months later I am in the same situation. Right now it needs a new transmission and a new catalytic converter and leaked out both fluids. Im in the process of replacing it now. I would not suggest that anyone ever get this car. I know I will never buy another GM vehicle again.

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  Ok, but many problems - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Shawn Martin - April 28 - 4:22 pm

  The truck is neat in its design, but this makes it very, very large. Performance is poor (sloppy brakes, sloppy steering, handling and acceleration). I had mine back to the dealer six times within the first 9 months at which point I sold it to buy a different brand. Great concept, but GM needs to do a lot of work on overall build quality, interior design quality and performance (needs a little sport).

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  Nice looks but poor quality - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By kdethrow - April 22 - 8:16 pm

  I bought this truck in April and since then it has been in the shop 4 times. The first issue was the right front shock broke within 2 weeks of owner ship. Then the interior ceiling was falling in. Also, my hatch back light wont turn on. The most recent thing was my check engine light was on. The cause was the silver gas intake pipe wasnt centered and there for when the gas cap was on it did not create a tight seal causing gas fumes to leak. It is a beautiful vehicle but it has no quality to it. Also the blind spots are incredible. It is hard to pass on the interstate because you have to take your eyes off the road to turn around and look to see if it is clear behind you.

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  NOX Needs Work, but still nice - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By NOX Wife - April 11 - 11:53 pm

  My husband got our Nox as a free employee car. We like it, but I wouldnt buy this if it wasn;t free. The seats are not comfy and the silver color on the dash comes off easily- looks very cheap. It drives nicely enough, but I feel like the windshield is too far away. The power plug for cell phone is under the cupholder (duh!) and all that dead space under the console is really hard to keep clean. This vehicle looks great, but we wish it had better gas mileage. Great storage in the trunk and back seat. I will be buying a Honda CRV soon... nuff said.

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  Just OK - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By weezmachine - April 11 - 3:32 am

  I bought it used in 2001 with 100,000 miles on it, and it now has 155,000. I know the motor was rebuilt before I bought it. Ive replaced the brake pads 3 or 4 times, new rotors, starter went out, new headgasket, window motors replaced twice, trunk leaks, door leaks, replaced the battery, speakers are shot...I could go on with the list repairs Ive had done in 4 years. Not to mention its rusting everywhere! What do you expect for an 11 year old Cavalier though? Its pretty reliable though and it was decent to me for 4 years but Im sick of putting money into it that I could put into car payments for a newer car.

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  Not happy - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Kcameron - April 8 - 4:33 pm

  After taking the car to the dealer and not having the roaming mirrors fixed or the roar at 57 to 62 mph, I traded the car for a Tahoe

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  2-3 upshift clunk junk - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By bhart7 - April 8 - 10:00 am

  i bought this vehicle brand new and around 2,000 miles it started to have a loud clunk noise in the transmission when it shifted from 2nd to 3rd gear. it has been progresively getting worse and Chevrolet will not do anything about it. They realize there is a problem with these transmissions. ....when it shifts it is so loud you think the universal joints are going to pop out. They have responded telling me that "it is a mometary reversal of the transmission output Chevy says "even if we replace the transmission we cant guarantee that the next one wont have the same problem. Want a Silverado headache????????

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  A lot of brakes - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By moms car - April 7 - 11:20 pm

  Not a great track record 4 sets of brakes, idle arm replacements, 4 sets of tires, the water pump and now the catalytic converter plus there is no A/C in the back and the kids roast in the summer. Bad gas mileage and an expensive car to maintain. Door handles have broken and the passenger side no longer locks. No more Astros for this mom.

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  No Good Chevy! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By No Good Chevy - April 5 - 5:31 pm

  Have had this SUV since new. Will never own another Chevy. Build quality is lacking. Gas mileage is horrendous. Getting 14.5 mpg according to onboard computer. Bought the top of the line with all the extras for $36000, now trade in is only about $17500! why did this loose value so quickly? Does Chevrolet know what junk they are selling? Have replaced the wiper motor twice due to recall, replaced taillights twice under warranty, and now need to replace again. Electric mirrors were replaced under warranty, now they need to be repaired again. Great Bose Stereo, but Chevy didnt build that. Reccomend Ford or foreign made vehicle next time. Very uncomfortable leather seats for front passangers.

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  Worst choice of my life - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By disturbedchic - April 5 - 3:34 am

  Bought a 95 Cavalier to replace what I thought was an ailing car I shouldve kept. In the 7 months Ive owned the car its had mechanical problems 6 times. First day I got it found out something was wrong with the transmission which would make it freeze up and not switch gears when it warmed up. The water pump busted and I went through 4 jugs of antifreeze before it could get fixed, transmission started to go, car would max out at 50, back door popped right open one day around a turn, and just recently it would take a city block to get it to 30mph and the whole exhaust system nearly touches the ground while the converter looks ready to blow.