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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  Trailblazer - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Brian - June 1 - 1:57 pm

  Love it. Gas mileage poor 15city/21 (maybe 22 downhill) highway. Better highway mileage with 87 or better octane. It is a SUV. Purchased used with 16k miles on it in 08. Do a nearly cross-country trip every year so was looking for a vehicle like this. I can pile most of the kids soccer team in it. Now have 92k miles on so far. Other than check engine light (think it went on at 75k) and gas gauge not working (I let it run out of gas and hasnt worked since) its been a great vehicle.

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  Good car - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By starwalker - June 1 - 11:57 am

  I bought my Equinox used in 2007, my current mileage is 110,000. Ive had no problems . Only performed routine maintenance . A great vehicle and fun to drive. Handles great in the northern Michigan winters .

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  Equinox fails to meet MPG expectations - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By danblaha - June 1 - 8:29 am

  We purchased our beautiful Equinox in March 10. The ride and handling are better than expected as is the overall look. BUT, when it come to the gas-millage Very disappointing! I am 73 ys young and a careful driver. I do not race-off from a stop light/sign and do not drive over 75 on the highway. I do not know where Chevy gets its right to estimate 32 MPG (highway), the best I can do is 22.5 MPG. Which overall is not bad, but no where is it what I expected. Traded a 05 Murano which got 20 MPG in the city and 24 on the road, so after all the hype about the MPG of the Equinox I feel that Chevy is misrepresenting the facts. Dont get me wrong, I do love it, will C say on my 2nd oil change.

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  Big questions - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By TEV - May 31 - 6:13 pm

  I have a question for other Impala owners. Do you hear a change in engine sound during wet weather? I also feel a loss of power in heavy rains? Am I nuts or does anyone else experience these problems?

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  Beware the Paint and Sight Lines... - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By UsetobeRSguy - May 31 - 2:44 pm

  Wow, purchased a Red 2010 2LT RS and was blown away by the looks, unique interior, and list of options/features. I was concerned about the roof line, but thought I would get use to it. And then the paint chips began. I started to get paint chips by the "gills" even though I had purchased the painted splash guards. And then I read camaro forums and quickly learned of a paint issue on the camaro. The stories are horrific and Ive seen the pictures! GM is not acknowledging that there is a problem, of course. The root of the problem appears to be a change in paint due to federal/Canadian laws. After 500 miles, I traded for a 2010 mustang gt and couldnt be happier! So, buyers, beware!

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  well I wish I had a ... - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By bw - May 30 - 4:29 pm

  Got 153,000 on this 06 Malibu beginning to have steering problems and other issues still owe so if cant resolve might see how safe in a high speed crash

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  Dependable, Comfortable - I like - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Bob - May 29 - 12:35 pm

  Bought 3 years old and is now 4 years later and I am very pleased over all with this Chevy. Had to replace the manifold gaskets, but no problem since. No other major problems. Minors: wheel bearing, spark plugs, cat converter, tires - nothing major. Now at 104,000 mi, I plan on keeping it. Have recommended to family members since resale is low. Great mini-van!

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  Overall Good Car - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jim garcia - May 29 - 8:52 am

  I bought this car and drove problem free for about five months then, at 63,000 miles the transmission went out. luckily the car was still under warranty (It would have cost me $3100). since this replacement in December 2008 I have had no major problems with the car. The Trailblazer is very comfortable and has plenty of power, even for towing light loads. The steering and engine are both very smooth feeling and make it pleasant to go on long trips across country. This car does very good in the snow and in very light off road applications. overall the gas mileage is good with about 20 on the freeway in town is 14 mpg.

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  I love my Aveo LS Hatchback. - 2004 - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By patrick - May 28 - 11:45 am

  I have driven a 2004 Aveo LS for 6 yrs and have not had to replace any parts except a gas cap (19.50). Mileage is great, seating comfortable and can hook up a canine seat belt to the back or front seat belts apparatus. I plan to drive it 2-3 more years.

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  Better Than expected - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Brent - May 28 - 6:22 am

  I bought my Traverse almost 4 months ago and have put on 8,000 miles. We took 6 adults from Wisconsin to Maryland on a trip and averaged 19-20 MPG fully loaded. Everyone was comfortable and had room to move. If we would have had to take two vehicles we would have had to have been getting 40 MPG and would not have been comfortable. I drive this vehicle daily and average 22-23 MPG. I am very happy with its performance. During the first 2,000 miles I could only get about 18 MPG.