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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  1st Chevy - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By paul - December 21 - 2:16 pm

  Drove my son to college, couldnt fit everything, roof guard rails not too functional, window controls in awkward area. If using emergency brake must remove item in cup holders. Lousy steering, clunking noise in front. Engine serviced 3 times and cant fix it. Exhaust noisy when first starting the car. Seats uncomfotable, head rests slanted. Visibility through rear view mirror poor. Dash board cheap looking. Compared to my Ford Escape 2003 (same price point) not even close. Wont buy another Chevy

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  Expensive Junk - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Mary Ellen - December 20 - 11:54 pm

  This SUV is overpriced, and, in my opinion, is one of the most uncomfortable vehicles I have ever been in as a passenger. The seatbelts are crap, and it takes about five minutes to get them to work properly. It is fair (in terms of comfort) when you are the driver. The interior is junk. And, it is worth about half the price I paid for it, and I got the GM discount.

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  Stay Away - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By overpriced - December 11 - 7:02 pm

  This vehicle looks great inside and out but doesnt perform as great. I have had leaking windows in both quarter panel windows and the windshield above the rear view mirror. Supposedly they fixed it but the day after I took it home it was leaking again. Its still under warranty but being in the shop twice in one week is very inconvenient. Gas mileage is bad and ball joints are bad already after a year. This vehicle is overpriced

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  Frustrated - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By Frustrated - December 9 - 9:58 pm

  This van is nice to look at from the outside and has loads of room on the inside however, it has been nothing but a headache with problem after problem. Unfortunately, not enough to qualify as a lemon. We needed a new transmission at 30,000 miles and have been dealing with computer issues and the check engine light for way too long. It is almost like a money trap. I am just waiting for the money to trade it in and buy something else.

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  the Terrible 5.3L engine - 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By D. R. Jared - December 5 - 5:53 pm

  There have been complaints about the 5.3L engine since 2007, yet GM has done nothing about it. With only 62000 miles, I had to have $1100 worth of repairs to the engine, due to poor design. The engine had developed a solid engine miss, only 20,000 miles after purchasing the truck used. The independent mechanic shop had to look up the cause/effect/recommended repair on their independent web reference. The result: due to a design fault in the valve cover(s) , a replacement had been designed by GM that - supposedly - fixed the problem; oh, that and a premature tune-up, because the spark plugs had been completely gunked up with oil from the poor design. Now, only 20,000 miles later, the same problem has popped up again. A different repair shop described the same remedy as before! This shop owner said he LOVED this engine, as it earned him a lot of money! Personally, he owns a similar truck, but with the 6.0 L engine.

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  Never buy another - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Stickslinger - December 3 - 4:01 pm

  Had nothing but problems almost from day one. Power steering leaked, oil leaked, cooling system leaked and always rattled going down the highway. I liked the interior and they way it was laid out but there was always something going wrong engine wise. Replaced alternator, power steering pump and it loved to chew thru serpentine belts. If it didnt break the belt, it squeeled so loud you had to replace it or wear ear plugs while driving. Had ball joints replaced and had problems with the brake light not working. Ended up being a switch near the floor board that had to be taken apart about every month and cleaned out then brake lights worked again. Not enough pwr to tow anything big.

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  Unreliable - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Fed up - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Constant engine, transmission problems. Also alot of exhaust noise.

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  You get what you pay for - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By e humphrey - November 29 - 12:50 am

  I have almost 49000 miles on my Chevrolet .The steering has had excessive work required, both struts have been replaced some sort of drag link has been replaced two times.The electrical system is a joke, the fuel gauge works part time,other indicators are unreliable.The transmission is noisy and slams in when shifting down.

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  Blazer - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Howard Chevy - November 28 - 1:06 am

  I have a 2004 Chevy Blazer 2DR 2WD LS Manual. This thing is a mutant. It is a loaded out standard. The only thing I can say to Chevy about this pile of junk is : why are they making 2005s? I practically have to get out and push the thing up a hill. It goes from 0-60 in about 45 minuetes. There is just NO power behind it. Instead of miles per gallon the Chevy Blazer gets feet per gallon. It costs me aprox. $45.00 to go 250 miles. As for safety I give it 2 thumbs way way down. The windshield wipers dont go fast enough. I have almost lost control several times on the highway when i get hit by a crosswind. Dont get me wrong the Blazer is fun to drive.

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  Safety issues -Airbag will not inflate! - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By lovesub - November 17 - 6:05 pm

  Some power to toll and haul stuff