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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  Hurricane Durable - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By TMB - November 13 - 10:00 am

  Before my equinox I drove a Ford Mustang, so handeling, pick-up, etc were all big issues. But the equinox drives like a dream. Very comfortable, tons of space, pretty good on gas. And she made it through hurricanes charley and frances. The vehicle barely quivered while driving through 40+ mph winds. Also, she is rather dent resistant. Ive seen a few obviously psycho people open their car doors (with force) and hit my car. But she shows no dents. Overall, it is an excellent vehicle and I am exceptionally pleased.

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  Equinox is a hit with me - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By William Sparks - November 12 - 8:50 pm

  I am very happy with my Equinox LS. It is my first SUV. I previously had been driving a Chevy Malabu, which I liked. I am very pleased with looks and performance, and the seats are comfortable. I dont put on a lot of miles so the gas mileage at this time has not yet reached posted mileage, but is slowly creeping up and I am confident that it will come up. The only problem I had is the wheel covers were noisy, but they replaced them and they are fine now.

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  Best Chevrolet ever! - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Pete - November 12 - 2:23 pm

  Picked up the car on 3/17. Have over 600 miles on it. Getting over 28mpg. Great looks interior and exterior. XM and Onstar are great features. Second row seats move for more storage. For a SUV with 4 cylinders, this car has great get up and go! Very quiet and smooth ride. Front bucket seats are very comfortable.

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  Love our new Equinox! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Nino5 - November 12 - 4:26 am

  We test drove other SUVs in the same "class" as the Equinox and it should be in a class all its own! Nothing compares to this vehicle. The backseat fits our three kids perfectly and the cargo space is a bonus. We love our new Equinox! Looking forward to the snowy weather to try out the AWD! The side mirrors provide great visibility as well as the large front window. Our dealership was wonderful, never pressured us to buy anything and made Chevy a household name for us. The Onstar is so great, it walked us right through the set up, our insurance company HIGHLY recommended the Onstar system. We cant say enough about this great vehicle.

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  Better Than - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ed Spencer - November 10 - 7:10 am

  Definitely way better than dodge ford and nissan.

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  Simply Outstanding - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By ted@hotmail.com - November 9 - 2:00 am

  I am most impressed with the Z06. The engine AND exhaust sound are both excellent, and the torque makes the car amazing to drive. Nothing like being able to accelerate from the light in 4TH gear if you want to! On the highway, the car is very composed, and fairly quiet. The suspension is stiff, but comfortable. Acceleration is simply awesome, and the handling is very light and precise. Braking is very strong, and easy to modulate. Have been averaging about 23 MPG in mixed driving. The car has been flawless, with ZERO build defects. I am loving every moment of it as my daily driver!

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  2002 AVALANCHE - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By JOHNRONN - November 9 - 12:00 am

  We switched from toyota 4-runners and bought an Avalanche as opposed to a toyota sequoia. We have had the vehicle for 6 months and it has been flawless so far. My only complaints about the design are that the storage compartments in the fenders are not dustproof and the space over the wheel wells on the fenders are not protected from other people opening the car doors and smashing them into the side of the Avalanches fender.

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  2007 HHR Sunburst Orange(2LT) - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Tim - November 8 - 2:33 pm

  The more we drive this car the more we love it. We have a friend who bought one and once we got in it we liked it.Purchased the 2LT model with all the bells and whistles except OnStar. If you like the Sunburst Orange but not sure of the color from the info it is a perfect color for this style of car and the pictures do not do it justice. It is more coppery when you actually get to see it. The black leather sure looks sharp in this color. It is nice to see a car with chrome on it again. The 17" polished aluminum wheels are a very nice touch.

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  Great Car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By jtc3usa - November 8 - 6:26 am

  Good acceleration,smooth ride and great fuel mileage. A sporty compact that turns heads. I really like the standard features of info center,cd player and air condtioning. Im really impressed with everything for the price.

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  A stealthy low-key sleeper - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By lonewolf_75 - November 6 - 2:50 am

  Ive had this car for a couple weeks now and absolutely love it. I went with the black on black color scheme, and recently had the windows tinted for a more stealthy look. The instrument panel and exhaust note remind me of my old 91 Camaro (305 V8), and with a proper launch this car is even faster. I would prefer RWD, but I am still very impressed with how well my new Impala accelerates, rides, and handles. The exterior styling is pretty low-key, with the exception of the rear spoiler which is in my view a bit much.