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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  GM shouldnt sacrifice quality for price - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By burnettri - October 24 - 4:56 am

  Wished I test drove it a lot longer. Well the exterior is nice. Interior is a big issue. Front is very cramped. Dash illumination is poor. Power lock/window and other buttons dont light. Cant use emergency brake when cup holder extended. Bottom cup holder is too low to keep your coffee in. Temp knob very hard to turn. Going over bumps are ok but other times feel like the wheels are falling off. Starting the engine cold idles at 1300 rpm for about 4 minutes. Rear hatch no longer goes up on its own. Blind spots are scary when backing up. Small fuel tank for an SUV.

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  Rough rider - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Brian - October 18 - 2:12 am

  This was my first brand new vehicle and I was excited for it. I have been wanting a brand new Silverado for a while so I went down to the dealership and test drove one. I loved it right off, it had all the features I wanted and then some. The truck rode smooth and quiet so I pulled the trigger and traded in my 05 sierra. All was great until I hit about 10,000 miles... Ride: All of sudden the ride became rough and everything in the interior began rattling. Running over an asphalt repair strip was felt and the littlest of bumps in the road felt like I ran over a huge pothole. Driving around town which used to be a comfortable and pleasant experience has turned into feeling like I am being launched out of my seat when I hit a bump or go over a small dip in the road. Technology: My only complaint is the bluetooth quality when making calls. People on the other end have a hardtime hearing and understanding me. My wifes car (2014 Malibu LTZ) does not have that issue. Engine: My truck has the 4.3L V6. I was a little hesistant at first, but after test driving it I was impressed with the power. It felt more peppy than my last truck which was a 2005 GMC Sierra with the 5.3L V8. The test drive route we took was primarily flat so the lack of power had gone unnoticed. As I started driving the truck around my town, which is primarily hilly, I noticed the truck struggled going up hills. I have to floor it just to get it to maintain speed. As far as passing on the interstate goes, I have to make sure I get a "running" start. Our speed limits on the interstate are 75 so trying to pass a semi going 65 takes longer than it should as the truck lacks torque at those speeds. Going from 65 to 75 when flooring it takes nearly 10 seconds anf if there is a slight incline the truck does not accelerate. One of the details about the engine that did intrigue me was the fuel mileage. The sitcker on the window showed 18 city 24 highway. After having my 05 that was averaging the low teens on a good day, this sounded good to me. However, with the lack of performance I average 14 city and 18 highway. I do not drive with a lead foot however, with todays technology and advancements in engine performance I should not be out acclerated by some hippy in a prius. Overall: I have been a huge GM guy for a long time and so has my family. My dad bought a new truck at the same time I bought my silverado, except he decided on a 2014 F150 and paid about the same as I did for my new silverado. After being a diehard Chevy guy for years, my dad has officially declared himself a Ford man now. We both have about 30,000 miles on our trucks and his still runs and rides just as nice as it did when he first got it. Needless to say, I am done with GM... I cant wait to trade this thing for something with adequate power and torque that rides comfortably.

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  One Major Complaint - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Aching Back - October 16 - 7:15 pm

  I purchased a 2006 TrailBlazer LT three days ago, and Im very disappointed. When I took it for a test drive, I tried to find a comfortable position for the drivers seat, but could not. Since it has the 8-way adjustment, I figured it was me, not the seat. I was wrong. Look around the net and youll find numerous complaints about the hard/uncomfortable drivers seat. The design is terrible. The seat feels like you are sitting on a rolling pin, and the lumbar adjustment is another rolling pin that still protrudes too much, even when "deflated". The frustrating part is that I like everything about the rest of the TrailBlazer (V8, Bose, XM, OnStar,etc.). The 8 way seat causes back pain.

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  Didnt Last Well - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By ChevNoMore - October 13 - 9:36 am

  Bought with 42k miles. Right away, started to have trouble starting and the headlights wobble causing a flicker effect (Ive noticed this on many other Malibu Ive seen at night). Both things were fixed, light problem started again soon after. Drivers door doesnt always stay open, has shut on my leg many times! Around 50k started to shudder at moderate speeds and when braking. At around 60k CD player started to not accept and/or not spit out CDs. The best part: 60k, 5 year old car, a pin shears off, the timing chain snaps, and $4000+ worth of engine damage- almost the bluebook of the car!!! Chevy covered some of the repair costs, but not enough in my opinion- it was a manufacturing defect.

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  Remote start - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jerry Hobson - October 13 - 3:48 am

  Only works 10’ from truck

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  Wouldnt buy again - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By meganscar - October 7 - 3:36 pm

  Ive had numerous problems with this vehicle. So far, Ive had the flywheel replaced due to noises when the vehicle started(this was one month into ownership), the entire fan/blower system replaced (one year into ownership, power steering gear replaced and lower intake gasket replaced (2 1/2 years into ownership). Now that I am out of warranty, the fan system that was replaced does not work - again. This is not to mention that this V6 vehicle has no power or pickup. I would not recommend that anyone buy a Malibu.

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  Problems with a lemon. - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Jim5959 - October 7 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this wagon, in aug 2000 and we had water in the vehicle after the first ranin storm, the dealer said this was a common occurance, when I pay 30,000.oo for a vehicle I dont want excuses. Shortly after that i Had 3,000 miles on it it developed a noise in the front right passenger seat area,the dealer twice said there was no problem,after taking it to another dealer they said the heater box was broken...they fixed it and the repair,haha, lasted about three months. The steering shaft had to be replaced at 12,000 miles It made a terrible noise it sounded like it was going to shear off. Lastly the wagon rode like a pick-up truck with a plow package

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  The Best of the worst - 2016 Chevrolet Equinox
  By kitcloudkicker81@gmail.com - October 5 - 6:52 am

  Rental cars are typically what they are, cars that are beaten on, and nothing special, but this one is about the best GM vehicle i have driven (car only has 1125 miles). The panel fitment on the body is terrible, interior is cheap, and the plastics are 1970s quality, but the transmission is the best automatic 4cyl trans that GM has to offer, the shifts are crisp in comparison to other GM products, the engine is unrefined, and i would absolutely opt for the v6, but its better than the turbo offerings. Low end torque is there and throttle response is good enough to drive in city traffic or cruise on the highway. The seats are big, comfortable if not a little too soft, the interior seating quality will never last as long as the car, but then people who buy GM products typically dont expect them to last hundreds of thousands of miles either (if they did, buy a Pushrod GM product). The SUV is good on gas averaging 24MPG Eco mode in city traffic, and 33MPG eco mode on the highway, not too bad. Looks are a subject of taste, but the front of the thing looks like a joke, the high trim line over the front, just makes it look weird to me, the older ones were way better looking IMO. As far as the entertainment system, it is cheap, the speakers are cheap, the head unit is like every other GM delco branded unit, but it is lacking features that exist on higher end cars, or upscale models, its Ok to drive, the seating position is more car like than the Buick Encore or Chevy Trax, but the SUV still feels top heavy. The Big tires, smaller wheels on the LT trim line make the steering very vague, and not very positive on where the wheels are facing.. It honestly feels twitchy. Personally, i am very critical when it comes to cars, and each person will have their own tastes, expectation, and personalities, but from a critical outlook i will say that this is not the best car on the road, and frankly for the price, it isnt even in the middle as per where i would rate it against other offerings, but.. It is one of the better GM products.. Maybe not in the looks, maybe not in the exterior build quality, or interior fit and finish, but the engine, and transmission feel like one of the better products, and when buying american, you want something that will run, and be easy to fix. This is something i would give a good rating for, the ease of repair, and the quality of the engineering feel like they are there..

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  Roomy but a gas guzzle - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mbz - October 4 - 2:26 am

  Ive had my Equinox for just over a year now. Its great for road trips in that its comfortable and holds a ton. BUT, I get horrible gas mileage. I am also starting to have clanking engine sounds and Ive always had odd grinding sounds when Im sitting at a light on the brake. Mileage, the best city I get is around 16 (no a/c and not foot heavy). Hwy the best has been 21. For basic city driving, Im filling up on empty having driven at most 230 miles. Not what I was expecting. All in all, a good family car if you need an SUV. Good horsepower, comfy ride, nice features, horrible cup holder placement. I like it better than others in its class, but Im going back to a sedan.

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  Cheap ride - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Import Owner - September 30 - 9:17 pm

  Weve had our Cavalier for several months, and Ive logged a quite a few miles on it. Overall, this is a nice car for costing a few thousand dollars. Its fairly zippy around in town and can get around at freeway speeds just fine with a little coaxing. It works like a tool should, but is not as enjoyable to drive as most other cars Ive driven.