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:

• 

  dimming of interior lights - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dissapointed20 - December 17 - 7:57 am

  I know I can not be the only Equinox owner with the crazy intermittent dimming of the interior lights..at times it is so dark you cant read the speedometer..I understand the concept of dimming lights but this goes beyond the normal. I have had the sencor replaced 3 times and told this is normal..has anyone else monitored their dash as carefully as I have..this cant be a normal occurance..and the snow senor pops up at 37 degrees no matter whether its in the garage or on the road..this dimming is a big issue. And the gas milage is over-rated- poor

• 

  no concern for safety from GM - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By aaron69 - December 17 - 12:50 am

  We purchased a 2012 Equinox in Feb. It has been in the shop three time. The first was a simple air bag sensor, the next one was the motor dumped oil all over my garage floor, and the last and most definetely the worst, a fitting on the gas line broke and sprayed gallons of gas all over the garage floor and driveway. The line runs close to the exhaust. Im really surprised that my house and family didnt burn up. Oh but they gave me an extended warranty to make it all better. If you would like pictures I would be glad to show you.

• 

  Dont buy one - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By bob483 - December 15 - 10:26 am

  My Chevy Cruze now has about 7000 miles on it and until recently I thought it was a decent car, despite the fact that the gas mileage stats are pretty much exaggerated, the best I have ever got with mine is around 33, 34 miles to the gallon on the highway. So dont buy it for that reason, you can do better. My biggest complaint however, Is the cars terrible lag when you step on the gas when you are already moving. It can definitely be dangerous if you are in a situation where you need immediate acceleration like I was the other day. The car took forever to accelerate. I will get rid of this car soon and certainly would never consider another one.

• 

  DO NOT BUY A 2012 CHEVY CRUZ ECO - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By mbennett1 - December 14 - 6:52 pm

  I wish I would have done my homework before I purchased this car. -tires not holding air -steering wheel shakes when stopping -film on windows after using defrost -rattle around dash cant find -air comes in the windows while driving and dust is endless -radio is static and speakers are muffled -too many compartments, u think texting is bad -inside door gets wet and dirty -when you open the trunk and its raining all the water pours into the trunk all over -no spare tire -no room for passengers in the back -key is too bulky and you will be surprised when returning from shopping the trunk will be open -pings when shifts from first to second -gas calculation does not match comp.

• 

  Very nicely done! - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By chevy1969 - December 14 - 12:29 pm

  Picked up the 2LT 4cyl in white diamond w/light titanium leather interior and the 18" upgrade chrome wheels and man it does look sharp! I bought it for my fiance for Bday/Xmas and I think im happier than she is. First thing is it does get 33 mpg I saw it I calculated it and the onboard computer saved it too...achieved on the NJ Turnpike driving 65 mph, im sure if you take it to 70+ it drops way off but it will achieve the mileage they claim on the highway. Second is the light titanium leather interior...very nice! It has been a focal point of everyone thats looked at it. My Toyota fan club neighbor came walking by and I opened the door and his eyes popped out his skull..literally..

• 

  Fun car to drive, if the bugs die. - 1997 Chevrolet Corvette
  By hand77 - December 14 - 5:47 am

  Ill start by being fair, the mileage of my car was low, and I got an extremely good price from a friend. With that said, the car was awesome, most of the time. It was a blast to drive, got compliments everywhere I went (nassau blue color), and was just plain sexy to look at. But the rear end went bad, transmission needed replace, wiper motor never worked, driver side window motor went bad. Yes I did hot rod the car, but with it being a Corvette, you would thing it would hold up a tad better. To each their own, the car was a blast, but I wont own another C5 base car.

• 

  Great Truck - 2012 Chevrolet Colorado
  By oldschool14 - December 13 - 6:58 pm

  So far this has been a great truck. It handles very well, rides decent for a 4X4 and its gas mileage is good for a 4x4. It also looks better than its competition but that is a matter of personal preference. Some of the reviews dont really reflect this is a truck for its intended purpose and not a car. Excellent 4X4 capabilities.

• 

  I HATE this car!! - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By madwomanraving - December 13 - 7:25 am

  I bought it brand new off the lot with 3 miles on it in 2007. It is now 2012, it has 137,000 miles on it. As soon as the warranty was up..BOOM clutch went out. I got it repaired at a lovely 1200.00 and 2 years later...its out again...replaced it AGAIN another 1200.00 and the next year...transmission goes. Long story short..I am currently installing the FOURTH clutch on this car and it has its 3rd transmission installed. Apparently there is a little secret with the defective Syncros and the fact that the MORONS at GM used ATF in my Manual Trans vehicle due to a design flaw that has a smaller hole for the fluid to go through. GM this car sucks & I will NEVER buy one or recommend one.

• 

  What Problems? - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By geoflying - December 11 - 11:18 am

  I just got my New 2013 equinox 2.4 LS. I just dont see anything to complain about in this car!. On the test drive I did notice the transmission down shifting, but so what? that is what the transmission does. I am impressed with the power for a 4 cylinder engine in this car. As for gas milage it is pretty much same as my old Geo tracker, but this car has more style, more room, more power and fun to drive. This is the best purchase I made for the price I spent, and I did look and drive few other vehicles before chooosing and buying this car.

• 

  Functional - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By horsepower7 - December 10 - 4:04 pm

  i have owned it since 2005 and when i bought it the dealer put a towing package on it it had about 100,000 miles on it. it is great for light towing. i have also taken it of road onto some trails hunting. It goes through snow and ice really well and i should know i live in northern WI.but for this particular Model trailBlazer I have found that many of my friends that have owned one along with mine have had the exaust manufold crack around 120,000 to 140,000. overall my trail blazer has 157,000 miles on it. there is a slight leak of anti-freeze in the rear heater coil. Personally my trailblazer has done its job and will continue to for a good many miles.