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:

• 

  Less comfortable than my 2016 Equinox - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By RGB - August 4 - 2:26 pm

  Comparing my 2018 1.5L FWD and 2016 2.4L FWD Equinoxes: 2018 is worse for front seat comfort, interior road noise, and ride motions over rough pavement. The 2018 is better for city acceleration. The 2018 may be better for city fuel economy, but I need more miles to evaluate.

• 

  Nothing But Trouble - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Julie - August 4 - 1:40 pm

  We have had this car for 2 1/2 years now and it has been in the shop 12 times. The last visit was for a chirping noise when accelerating and the dealership said they called the GM headquarters and talked to the engineers and that the problem was "normal" and couldnt be fixed. Have also had electrical problems, preset radio stations disappearing, brake pads needing to be replaced, rotors fixed, and many other recalls. I think 12 times in for problems in only 2 1/2 years is excessive.

• 

  This is an expensive car to take care of - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Stacey Klein - August 2 - 12:48 pm

  I bought a Blazer when I was pregnant with my first child. At first it was comfortable. Not a month went by that the Check Engine LIght didnt come on. This SUV has been in and out of the garage for so many things that we had to open up a savings account just to put money aside for repairs. The 4x4 doesnt work, heater core went twice, ABS is horrible in snow. The only thing I can say is that the leather interior was nice and the outside was sharp looking. The thing just was a money pit and I had to get rid of it.

• 

  Pros and Cons - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By k charland - August 2 - 2:00 am

  A few problems to look out for: The plastic side pannels rub on the front fenders causing rust spots. Just recently hit 30,000 mi. and now getting noise from the lifters and also squeeking from the belt. Oil was always changed on time. Very poor rear visability. Lots of noise and vibration with sun roof open. Poor quality stereo and speakers. Over all a nice truck with great features and pleanty of room for the passengers. Wish they would have put in a power rear window. Pain in the butt to have to lower rear seats and remove rear window. Many new trucks offer powered rear window.

• 

  One of the worst enginered cars - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By steve - August 1 - 7:14 pm

  Mine died at around 75K miles. The transmission slipped, the heads warpped, and boom, the whole thing froze. All in all, it was a basic car, nothing ever troubled me except the brakes, which were entirely replaced 4 times. The rotor design was so poor that I managed to break the rotor from the spindle and that is very rare.

• 

  Cheap - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Rick - August 1 - 1:27 am

  I bought it new, and have only put 20k miles on it in over 2 years. A wheel bearing went bad at 8k miles. The stereo stopped working at 13k, the horn stopped working at 18k, engine belt had to be replaced at 20k. Brakes are shot now at 20k, tires are wearing pretty badly as well, and nope, I dont do any jerky driving or high speed turns. I also get random weird vibrations and noises. i have noticed tiny spots of rust forming on the roof and trunk. The rust is under the trunk lid as well, so Im wondering what is going on there. The car feels cheap in general, but I think I would have gotten my moneys worth if it werent for these annoying problems. Im afraid of many more problems happening after the warranty is up.

• 

  DONT invest your money in these cars - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By cemjr149 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Ive had more trouble with this car than I can describe in this box. 2 alternators, numerous sensors, electric door locks dont work($150 each to fix), electric windows work half of the time, volume for radio turns off whenever I turn the steering wheel, spark plug wires had to be replaced twice. Vacuum pump needs to be replaced now($350.00). Dealer has replaced many other parts to make it idle correctly before determining the vacuum pump was bad and charged me for all of the parts and labor while he was guessing. I wouldnt recommend this car for anyone and my car is not an isolated case. Do your research before buying a Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

• 

  No more Blazers for me! - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Maureen - July 30 - 3:05 pm

  Perhaps we should have not leased this vehicle for 5 years, but the reliability as well as mechanical functions are starting to fail. The vehicle will shift itself into 4 wheel drive. We have had it in for service for this, and the dealer cannot find the reason why it is doing this. The front brakes especially are awful, and they have had to be replaced way too often. I dont drive a lot of miles to work, or drive the vehicle a lot in general. Not a lot of excess wear and tear to explain the need for the brakes to be replaced as frequently as they have been. And gas mileage is terrible. My hubbys F-150 gets better gas mileage than the Blazer does. A lot of squeaks and rattles while driving.

• 

  Value - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By ssful - July 30 - 1:30 pm

  Ive been most pleased with my 2004 Malibu. It suits my needs, safely getting me to the grocery store, and not breaking the bank on providing transportation. I feel this is an excellent choice for a student driver, or small family, or elderly person who is not looking for all the bells and whistles, but reliable transportation with the safety of a midsize. I extensively shopped, and only the Malibu and Galant were priced within my range .I purchased a demo with low mileage fully equipped, with two years of remaining warranty and paid under $10k. My only complaint is the seat adjustment handle is of such inferior plastic, I fear that it will break off every time I have to readjust.

• 

  Thing break all the time - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By DonKKong - July 30 - 5:33 am

  Fuel pump, alternator, too much more to list went as soon as it was out of warranty. Last time I buy a lousy GM. Glad to see that seat lever wasnt just me.