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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  Purchased a new 2005 model - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jon - October 16 - 12:51 am

  The car runs great and the ride is smooth. The exterior is beautiful with a solid look and feel to it. When you open and close the doors it feels solid. The fuel economy is good for a six cylinder. The pickup is great and Im glad I bought a six cylinder over a four cylinder. The only negative I see so far is that the interior is very plain. So if you can live with a boring interior I highly recommend this car.

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  Aveo - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By james - October 16 - 12:19 am

  The Chevrolet Aveo is a nice compact car to have. The interior is sporty and modern. When I went on a trip I had plenty of space for two people and their suitcases in the hatchback. Had a lot of room

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  Chevy Lumina 1998 --> Chevy Equinox 2006 - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Todd of Doylestown - October 15 - 6:33 pm

  There was much room for improvement from going from a beat down 1998 Chevy Lumina into my new Chevy Equinox 2006. My first impression of driving the Equinox was that it was rather quiet for a car its size. I was instantly attracted to the fact that the car handles smoothly and I didnt need to put too much gas into it to get it up a hill. The features my Equinox came with were very nice additions to the car itself. I originally went from a sedan style car to SUV and was interested in knowing how well it would work out for me. Well it’s be about 2 months since I have owned my Equinox and I can say in confidence that I am pleased with my purchase. I would recommend this SUV to friends/family

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  Not Happy at All - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Shuleran - October 15 - 3:42 pm

  I have owned this van for 28 months. I have had the brakes replaced, the rack and pinion twice, two engine seals, the power window motors, glove box latch, door handles, water pump twice, thermostat twice, coolant hoses, and the sliding door gaskets. You name it. I have had it in the shop almost monthly. I wish that I had never seen this car. And to top it off the car does not hold its value. I am $8000 upside down on a car that is not reliable at all. I cant even trade it.

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  Wouldnt buy another one. - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By ajbrumbaugh - October 14 - 11:29 pm

  We bought our 2006 Trailblazer approximately 3 years ago, so the vehicle would have been 3 years old. Since that time we have had to replace the switch for the windows because they quit working. Now the motor acts like it will give out anytime. The heater fan at a cost of $400, the fuel gauge quit, which is quite the production because they have to drop the whole fuel tank. Chevrolet does have a recall since they have had this problem often so they will reimburse you for half. My check engine light comes on every so often along with the "skid" light. When they decide to they dont go off for awhile. Now it is rusting on the doors.

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  I love My Chevy Malibu! - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jean Hawkins - October 14 - 8:13 pm

  I just bought my first Chevy two weeks ago. I had Toyotas for about 20 years and then I had a Ford Ranger truck. My truck got rear ended and was in the shop. I got a rental and it happened to be a Chevy Malibu. I had it for about a week and fell in love with it. At the same time Chevy had the employee discount price going on so I decided to see if I could get one. I also got the choice of a $2000 rebate or 0% financing so I chose the 0% financing. I am thrilled with my new car.

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  Was a nice Truck. - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By Fossil - October 14 - 5:49 pm

  Leased this vehicle for 4 years- bad news! GM LeaseCo is a situation to be avoided at all costs. Just try to get out of your lease- I dare you! Truck always started and ran well. Problems with suspension (truck developed a lean to one side, then the other), battery replaced under warranty, 4X4 system worked well most of the time, but if you change tires, you must change all 4 together, otherwise difference in tire circumference will bind up transfer case. Tires from dealer were the worst Ive ever had. Truck tough looks, but only 4 ply rated. Had flat tires more than 4 times after travelling on roads which others travelled unscathed. End of lease- good bye! Engine too thirsty for me.

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  Sunset Bomb - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By titianqueen - October 14 - 4:25 pm

  Only complaint is that a lot of heat enters thru the tinted roof, and had to have a custom top make for it, instead of paying $1900.00 for an additional color coded hard top.

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  Not perfect, but better than the rest - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Derek - October 14 - 10:40 am

  I have had this truck for almost 3 months now and have found it to be great for what I need. As I saw in another review, there is some engine pinging at highways speeds and the tranny does have some sort of clunk to it, especially between 2 and 3 gears, but outside of that the truck have been perfect. Rides better than Ford or Dodge and gas mileage is acceptble at about 17mpg in hilly terrain with lots of stop and gos. Towed well for the 1 time I towed about 3000lbs, hardly noticable. I would buy another given the chance and would suggest potential buyers to test drive before making their decision comparing it to Ford and Dodge.

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  An American Classic Grows Up! - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Mike - October 14 - 8:34 am

  I did not set out to buy a Corvette. I was going to purchase a SL or CLK series Benz or a 6-series BMW (all available as convertibles). I visited the dealerships, I test drove the cars, they all had power and refinement and, yet, bored me stiff! I happened to pull into a Chevy dealer (for the first time in 20 years) ... the new C6 Vettes both resembled their heritage and yet looked different. I test drove one. I fell in love! This car LOVES the road! The seating position is perfect, the responsiveness of the engine is amazing, and you feel like you couldnt come unglued from the asphalt if you tried. This car inspires confidence. I bought a fully-loaded ragtop the same day.