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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  Trouble from the Start - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By loca - April 28 - 6:35 pm

  I got my Cavalier in Aug of 2000 and from the beginning it had a chirp sound coming from the driver side wheel..The dealership didnt know how to fix it. Everything else was fine with the car until 2003 when the transmission fluid and oil kept leaking. I would get it fixed and then 4 months later I am in the same situation. Right now it needs a new transmission and a new catalytic converter and leaked out both fluids. Im in the process of replacing it now. I would not suggest that anyone ever get this car. I know I will never buy another GM vehicle again.

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  Ok, but many problems - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Shawn Martin - April 28 - 4:22 pm

  The truck is neat in its design, but this makes it very, very large. Performance is poor (sloppy brakes, sloppy steering, handling and acceleration). I had mine back to the dealer six times within the first 9 months at which point I sold it to buy a different brand. Great concept, but GM needs to do a lot of work on overall build quality, interior design quality and performance (needs a little sport).

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  What you pay for - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By metalshop - April 28 - 3:14 pm

  Its not as bad as some people say. A good car for the price, and when you buy a base model, expect base model features. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. I have almost 17K miles, and it hasnt been in the shop yet. Its taken me across the US and back 3 times now. Does everything I ask it to do. No problems with the CD player or the sunfoof. Great AC & heat.

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  Solid, but ZR2 was underengineered - 1996 Chevrolet S-10
  By Ron S - April 28 - 1:21 pm

  Original owner of black ZR2. Great sightlines from drivers seat, great looks. Had the ABS chip fail in first week of ownership and three front hubs replaced before 42K due to combination of failed parts and mechanic error. Due to oversized tires 31x10.5 being mounted on standard 4wd wheel steering and suspension assemblies (except for Bilstein shocks), this truck eats brakes and lower ball joints. Never got more than 19.8 MPG and now avg about 16MPG with hard driving. I am meticulous with scheduled maint including flushing trans. Major costs included replacing encoder motor at 130K, and fuel pump, water pump, and alternator near 150K. Original engine and tranny and still running very well.

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  We Love our Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By cktuba - April 28 - 10:00 am

  Had it 4 wks now. Love it more. We drove all the SUV we could in 10 days. Love the feel, handling, easy turning, and love the roominess and how nice it drove over allkinds of roads, real comfortable. I did not get back problems after 2 to 3 hours of non stop driving. We have not found one thing we disliked. Nice to fill up and it takes less than $25 to fill it. Lots of room for storage and I have a Thule and we put dogs in rear and luggage on top. took a few minutes to change the top luggage rack for the tubThule and get it on The lights are great at night, the mirror was great as well.

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  Love my Monte - 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By nascar88 - April 28 - 8:36 am

  This car is great. I love driving it all the time and really enjoy the style and looks of this car. Its still a attention getter. I dont understand why they stopped making it. I am so glad to get the last of them for 2007. Please GM bring this car back. See ya at the dream cruise in 2032 what a classic it will be. Love my Chevy

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  Excellent Choice - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By shari and milton - April 27 - 11:14 pm

  Does not look like a van in the front. Very smooth ride and very comfortable. Easy to get in and out of the seats. Door in the back opens very easily and closes with no problem.

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  Piece of Junk - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Tim Kennedy - April 27 - 9:24 pm

  I am really getting tired of problems every time I turn around. Now the power steering pump is whining at only 65,000 miles. Also the drivers window is getting stuck periodically. Just about 2 weeks ago had to put it in the shop again. Would not start at times and the security light would come on. Ended up being the BCM (body control module). An electronic part that controls everything inside of the car electrical. Maybe these things are normal to start happening now. I dont know. I am sure getting tired of something going wrong every time I turn around. Just had the ignition switch replaced at 55,000 miles. Rotors replaced twice.

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  Good car for tall guy - 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Bill Rawlins - April 27 - 7:41 pm

  Several good points with our 2017 Chevy Cruze Premier Hatchback: 1) Though my wife is the main driver, I can fit in it comfortably at 66". Try that with a Ford Escape on a long trip. 2) Very peppy. The 1.4L Turbo has a lot of power - sufficient for us. 3) The ride is super-smooth, like a big luxury car; probably because the Premier model has a Watts suspension. 4) We use the Apple Car Play with our iPhones and Apple GPS. My wife buys the unlimited wifi and streams Pandora through the Bluetooth interface. .... The Auto-Stop can be a bit annoying, but you can keep it from kicking in by braking slowly. Pay a little extra for a higher model like the Premier and get the cruise control, seat warmers, rear cup holders, etc. ... Have had no problems so far - Knock on wood!

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  GM finally gets it right this time - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Les - April 27 - 6:33 am

  Purchased this vehicle about a month ago and now have 1300 miles on the odometer. Fuel economy in combined city/highway driving has so far been below expectations at about 24 MPG. - the same as on my 6-cylinder BMW which is much more powerful. The car handles well and is very quiet. The black suede cloth interior is attractive and comfortable. The faux wood trim is tastefully done and understated. The dashboard controls are easy to use but I would have preferred to have the trip computer information made accessable and cleared by pushing and holding in the headlight stalk instead of looking for the right buttons to push.