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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  This is wonderful - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By shaun phares - December 4 - 12:30 am

  I was doubtful when I first saw the Avalanche, but after I bought it, I realized it was the best vehicle I have ever bought. Believe me, Ive owned a few. It has everything I could have wanted in a truck and then some.

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  Prizm Review - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Prizmowner - December 3 - 10:59 pm

  The Prizm is an excellent value for someone in the market for a small used car. My Prizm has been extremely reliable in the year that I have owned it. The 3-speed transmission sounds like its laboring at speeds above 55 mph(good around town however). 4-speed would be much better I think. There is decent acceleration for a small car. Back seat is cramped - a friend got in and almost couldnt get back out. Overall, Im pretty happy with my car. Paid $5999 for a loaded 01 over a year ago - cant beat the price for the quality of the car.

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  Fun Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Cheryl - December 3 - 5:30 pm

  Great SUV for the money. I have had my Equinox for a year now (25K) and have had no problems...Knock, Knock.. The car is spacious inside and has great acceleration and handling. Very fun car to drive.

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  Never buy another - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Stickslinger - December 3 - 4:01 pm

  Had nothing but problems almost from day one. Power steering leaked, oil leaked, cooling system leaked and always rattled going down the highway. I liked the interior and they way it was laid out but there was always something going wrong engine wise. Replaced alternator, power steering pump and it loved to chew thru serpentine belts. If it didnt break the belt, it squeeled so loud you had to replace it or wear ear plugs while driving. Had ball joints replaced and had problems with the brake light not working. Ended up being a switch near the floor board that had to be taken apart about every month and cleaned out then brake lights worked again. Not enough pwr to tow anything big.

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  Definitely a Contender - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By James Zerilli - December 3 - 12:02 pm

  Im not going to say that this car is the best car in the world. But I will go so far as to say that it is one of the best cars on the American market. It is fun to drive, has a great power plant and the ride and comfort are excetional. Fuel economy is also pretty good, although I have yet to see the actual EPA numbers on the expressway and the on-board computers fuel economy estimates are usually a little exaggerated. I would unhesitatingly reccomend Malibu to anyone seeking a mid-size sedan. I am only driving one car, and Im sure some disgruntled people have gotten some worse than I, but I still think it is as good as anything out there.

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  Chevy Express - 2000 Chevrolet Express
  By Castiglia - December 3 - 8:16 am

  The Chevy Express has been a very reliable vehicle. The quality of the vehicle is lacking in certain areas. For example, almost every interior light has failed. The dash, radio, window/lock buttons, control panel lights are mostly burned out. Engine performance and fuel economy is nothing to brag about. I expected low milage but not 15mpg on the highway unloaded. About 11 or 12 in the city.

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  High maintenance like all pretty ones - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Chad - December 3 - 3:25 am

  Bought this car used in 2002 with 28,000 on it. We just hit 85,000 and so far we needed transmission, fuel pump, climate control, upper and lower ball joints, rear wiper motor and defrost lines, and we had to have the 4x4 replaced. However, this was all under an extended warranty. That said, the cars been offroading once or twice and is sometimes driven hard. The 2000 trailblazer is the most comfortable, attractive SUV on the planet. White with the gold package and 2 tone leather, you feel like a celebrity. Excellent on road ride, and incredibly capable off road/in snow (Fantastic in snow!). And the interior is incredibly comfortable. Worth the hassle, I love this truck.

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  Great Value - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Pete Kerl - December 3 - 2:14 am

  We have had our LT for about six months. It is a pleasure to drive and for the money is tough to beat. It is quiet, responsive, and easy to drive. We had over $8,000 in rebates from our GM card, Olds loyalty, GM loyalty, and Drivers Edge card. The LT comes with remote start, leather, spoiler,heated seats, information center, 16" tires and side air bags. All we added was the sun roof. No problems. We considered the Grand Prix but my wife felt the visability was better in the Malibu.

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  Best CUV - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By ems - December 3 - 12:06 am

  I test drove nearly every similarly sized suv/cuv on the market and the Equinox was the best in my opinion. I even test drove the new Hyundai Tucson that has only been in the dealership for a week. The Equinox had the quietest cabin, good ride and handling, and the features I wanted for a great price. Im getting about 25 mpg in mixed city/highway driving. I expect this will get better when it breaks in more. Also, the weather has been in the 20s.

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  reliable but plain - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Chris - December 2 - 6:59 pm

  When I got this car it already had 80,000 miles on it. That was 18 months ago and Ive put on about 50,000 of my own. I think this car will last forever as long a its taken car of. Ive had only minor problems with it. It needed a new coolant cap because it was leaking. Also had a rusted coil, but was very cheap to fix. Gets great gas mileage but its a manual shift so that helps. Its much more fun to drive as a stick shift. I just going to drive it till it dies considering how much i have to drive for work each year. The moon roof works great and all the interior features still work too. No problems as of yet.