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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  Van from hell - 1997 Chevrolet Venture
  By Frankt - December 22 - 11:26 pm

  Bought used at 42k miles. I am stickler for servicing. At 80k, trainy went and had to rebuild front of engine. Electrical short causes brake lights to blow fuse and knock out lights- spent over $800 and still not fixed. Water pump has went twice now and replacing is a major ordeal and very expensive as its impossible to get to. These are the big problems. Never buy this van at any cost. In the long run the repairs will cost you more!

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  Never Again - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Neveragain - December 22 - 11:09 pm

  This was the worst car I have ever owed. I was stranded many times due do the EGR issue. I have 16 service write-ups for the same issue and this does not include the times I had to immediately return to dealer because problem was not fixed or car died when exiting dealers service area. This vehicle was purchased new and it was a piece of junk. When I finally got rid of it I had to have it towed to the dealer. This was a common problem that GM was aware and they were not helpful.

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  Disappointing - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Bill - December 22 - 5:06 pm

  Bought after 2005 models introduced and got an excellent price. Loved it for the 1st couple of years until things started to fail. CD player failed on way home from the dealership. Replaced, but failed again in 2 years. Power steering and drivers seat frame failed. Although same steering failures covered under extended warranty for some VINs, Chevy made us pay for more than half of cost. Rear seat reclining levers broke, fuse problems, both remote controls broke.

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  Great looking & youthful - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Wayne - December 22 - 3:08 pm

  This is the first time I have driven a vehicle so agile and fun to drive. It looks great in black and catches attention wherever I go. Visability is good too, since stand is a bit higher than others. Very adjustable seats make it extremely comfortable on trips. The youthful look first caught my attention, but driving it sold me. The value for what you get is worth it. I would recommend it to baby boomers who do not want to drive around in some old mans Buick or Caddy. My vehicle has the LT package with Pioneer sound system. This adds enough high end quality that is only available on expensive SUV,s. Handling is very predictable and my wife raves about how it is her very favorite.

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  Nice Ride...Nice Looks...Nice Price - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Dude 101 - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Traded a 2000 Pontaic GTP for this vehicle. Performance and ride similiar, but this has the bigger interior and trunk and turns alot of heads. Price was literally thousands less than other performance vehicles looked at. i dont feel much if anything was sacrificed by going with this. Exceptional fit and finish and I was impressed with the interior contrary to other comments. Sound system pumps out extremely well.

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  Impala SS - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By ob2golf - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Very nice car for the price. Sporty yet practicle and economical.

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  PLENTY OF GAZES - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By FMT132 - December 22 - 10:00 am

  HAVE MY NOX FOR 5 WEEKS AND ENJOYING IT. A LITTLE INDIFFERENT WITH GAS MILEAGE BUT TIME WILL TELL. GREAT JOB CHEVY. HANDLES WELL BUT STEERING TAKES SOME GETTING USED TO. ITS A GREAT FEELING TO HAVE BEEMER AND LEXUS DRIVERS GIVING MY NOX THE ENVY LOOK WHEN I DRIVE PAST THEM. ALL IN ALL A GREAT PKG. HAVE 1500 MILES AND SO FAR SO GOOD.

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  Stuck on GM - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By tteb - December 22 - 10:00 am

  As a life long GM owner, I just bought another for work. The 4.8 runs smooth and gives 20 per gallon on the highway. Ive got a 97 S-10 that doesnt do this good on gas? The ride is excellent for a truck. The silver paint is great if you dont like washing your vehicle all the time. I like this truck so well Im selling my S-10 and going full size for my own personal truck. I appreciate the standard features such as cruise control, CD player and tilt wheel. Chevy costs more than Dodge but you get what you pay for.

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  Room for improvement - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Bolo - December 21 - 9:14 pm

  With the exception of the AC its been bulletproof mechanically. Got to say GM scrimped on the sheet metal an quality plastic though. Gas mileage isnt bad, but its still worse than the heavier older model 4Runner that it replaced. The engine has plenty of power for this size of truck. Size is very similar to the 67-72 Chevys of the past. Ill keep this one a while, but Id have to seriously think before buying another Colorado.

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  It works for me - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Spec - December 21 - 10:26 am

  I have been happy with this car. There have not been any major problem inherent with it, just some minor things. For a 10 year old vehicle, it still performs rather well, getting 24-28 mpg around town and not exhibiting any problems on road trips.