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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  Not impressed - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By frederick87 - May 12 - 3:22 pm

  Ive had my 2001 Blazer for about 2 years and I can honestly say that it has been a money pit. Ive spent over $2,000 in repairs, it is definitely a maintenance item. The GM Dex-coolant clogged the heater core and radiator. I had to replace the radiator and hoses at about 120k. The engine is powerful but sluggish, the tranny slips, the door pins and hinges took a crap this winter, the four-wheel drive no longer works, the ABS and o2 sensors are notorious failures, the car is prone to electronic issues, and the gas mileage is similar to a full size truck. Car handles poorly, the interior plastic rattles, driver door panel is barely hanging on, and the ride is pretty rough.

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  Amazing truck! - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By bdude273 - May 12 - 2:05 pm

  May be one of the greatest trucks ever built. The exterior is amazingly solid, with very strong metal. I feel very safe when driving around in it. The front seats are nice and supportive, although the back seats are a tad hard, but a 5 hour road trip would still be easy to get through. VERY powerful engine, although still more fuel efficient than my 2001 Dodge Caravan with the 3.3l V6. I am getting 13 litres/100KM CITY! 5L HIGHWAY! I have factory chrome which covers the door handles, grille, exhaust tip, and the trunk. I am 511, and when in the back, I have well over 5 inches of leg room, and that is with the passenger seat in my position, and with the rear seats pulled all the way back.

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  6500 mile review - Good value, definitely not the same as European cars - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By weatherman07 - May 9 - 7:48 pm

  I have this car because I got a very good lease. Its the 1LT with an auto. Currently 6500 miles, 7 mo. in. It s been in the shop for a thermo, and STILL has a wintertime heater issue. There are creaks and squeaks galore too, particularly with the drivers seat. But, it does get good gas mileage and has reasonable performance for an economy car. Mine has the convenience package, which has a car starter and backup sensors, which are indeed convenient. The back seat is very small. The build quality is much better than previous Chevys, but still is cheaper than my VW. The trunk liner and the door coverings are particularly chintzy. The sat radio is nice, as is the bluetooth for the phone.

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  2013 Suburban LTZ - 2013 Chevrolet Suburban
  By dbart2013 - May 8 - 4:28 pm

  Overall a beautiful truck with better than expected fuel consumption. It has an Artistic interior with every comfort, except in cabin air filter.

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  Solid First Vehicle - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By ncergnul - May 8 - 11:05 am

  This car is a beast! I got this from my father 5 years ago. It has 170,000 miles and I have only had minor problems with it. They are known to leak oil but it wasnt too expensive of a fix. About 4 years ago I rolled my Blazer and had a lot of cosmetic damage as well as a few minor engine problems that we my own fault. It has ran perfectly since though. Great first car!

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  After two years with Cruze LTZ - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By tat1739 - May 8 - 10:51 am

  To follow up with my initial review of the Cruz and my experience, I submit this information. I have been in my car for over 2 years (original owner). Gas mileage is inconsistent - tends to be near the lower end of manufacture claims. Expect 25 in city/32 highway. Advertised 40 is possible, if alone, on cruise, no cargo, and going speed limit. Problems: at 28K miles, I am dealing with a leaky transmission, leaky water pump and radiator. I now have doubts over the quality & reliability. My experience with car ownership has always been: once you start putting money into the car, you keep putting money in the car. Is this going to be my destiny??

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  Good Ol reliable! - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By beanz3 - May 7 - 2:22 pm

  Ive had my prizm for 13 years now. I have no trouble with it eating oil, as others have stated. The inner handles do break, however they are very easily replaced (under 5 minutes each) and if ordered online, very inexpensive (look for toyota corolla). Outer door handles break as well, the front ones arent horribly difficult to replace. After 13 years, it is now starting to act up and trying to stall if it hasnt been driven in a few days, but after warming up runs just fine. No problem with AC or heater. My cd player did stop working however.

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  love turned to dislike - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By dakitn - May 7 - 1:07 pm

  I agree with the other posting, love the truck, but it is a money pit. Had to put in another rear end at 70,000 miles, and know another guy also did. the road noise is terrible, wheel bearing bad, new radiator, gas tank broke between the nozzle and tank, fuel pump gone, just to name a few. I have had the truck from 13,000 miles. have had other s10s in past and no problems at the rate of this one.

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  Excellent car - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By bloodytrenches - May 4 - 4:55 pm

  I bought my 07 cobalt LS auto-trans in 09 with 40K miles as a bank repo. Today it has 105K. Ive never had to have major work done. The most expensive repairs have been the front wheel bearings 200-300. The passenger one went out a couple years ago and just now the drivers side is going. Ive had quite a few wheel alignments but not in the past 2 years since took it back to the machanic since it was still out of alignment. The tires still dont wear evenly, but I am rough on cars and the roads I drive on are terrible. When it rains or snows I slide easily at the stop sign, but no issues on the road as long as I dont speed. Oh I forgot, something went wrong with my radio after a car hit me

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  2005 Impala - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By klm005 - May 3 - 6:45 pm

  I purchased the extended warranty which gave me coverage to 60,000 miles. I loved this car until the problems began. I have replaced tie rods which failed just out of warranty. My biggest problem has been whenever there is a hard, fast rain, the front floor passenger floor fills with water. It happened at least half a dozen times. My dealer said they could do nothing since there was no water when they looked at it. After my warranty expired, my speakers stopped working. The radio is fine, but no sound. There is also no dinging sound for low fuel... Now, at 95,000 miles, my transmission is slipping. Ive been told it could be just clogged fuel line. Dont know what to buy next.