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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  Not had long - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By April Richardson - June 29 - 6:13 am

  I actually have 2 2005 Uplanders My LS has 209,000 on it I have been driving it over 2 years now I really love that van and not sure I could part with it Just bought an LT Uplander about a month ago It has 113.000 on it It does not run as quiet as the one with more miles First thing we had to have a pressure sensor put in the transmission and a new muffler Still need front rotors and brakes on it too I really love the one with all the miles I sure hope the one we just bought does as well

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  2005 Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By equinox - June 27 - 3:06 pm

  I was looking for something affordable to tote my ever-growing kids around in. I went from a sports car to the Equinox. Im not thrilled with it, but it is practical and serves its purpose. Theres plenty of room, but not much in the way of bells and whistles.

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  Awful Transmission - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By MitchNox - June 27 - 10:00 am

  The car is absolutely stunning to look at. One of the best GM designs in years. The interior functions are great including the moving rear seat. Major drawback is the AWFUL transmission. Actually, the dealership tells me it is not the transmission, but the computer that controls it. When test driving, be sure and drive one uphill. Start at the bottom of the hill and you will notice that it will NOT change from third to fourth gear no matter how many RPMs you are turning. It will not change until you reach level ground. Also going downhill, it will downshift very hard to assist in slowing the vehicle and at times can be a safety / control issue.

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  tracker options that could be added - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By sarahjd8 - June 26 - 2:00 am

  it doesnt have enought power when going up a small hill it kicks back asn forth into gear. It needs a bigger transmission and motor.

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  I made a mistake!!! - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kelli - June 24 - 2:00 am

  I wanted something dependable. So I thought that if I bought a new car it would have to be right? Wrong. I am afraid to touch anything because it usually falls apart. I have had it for 3 months and I already regret buying it. My ac works good but I cant use it because it makes my whole car shake. This car feels like it is about ready to fall apart. It is comfortable once you get in and keep your hands of flimsy things. But the truth is its cheap because its built cheap. I wish I had bought a Honda. I am going to loose about $2000 for this stupid mistake! Oh and I have 2 friends with the same model and both of their engines blow up!

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  My 1st SUV - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Scott I. - June 24 - 2:00 am

  Great Power. Great Handeling. Had problems with air conditioning....repair people cant figure out what is wrong with it. Engine runs terribly when hovering around 55mph. After sale service sucks. Definately buying a toyota 4- runner next time.

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  Glad I Got Rid Of It!!!! - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By eri-bear - June 22 - 2:00 am

  I totally loved this car when I bought it new 4 years ago, soon after I began having more and more problems: the CD player broke, the dash creaked(had it replaced 2x, the last time it cracked in half), battery leaked acid all over engine(most of the repairs not covered under warranty), air conditioner makes terrible sounds when idling(dealer mech. said this car was cheap and bottom of line), horrible sounds coming from tires(dealer mech. couldnt hear it???), had to be towed to the dealership twice because it wouldnt start, the accessory fuse shorted after the first use(had the short fixed but it happened again), had fuel pump replaced...only has 22K miles.

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  Good Frosting, Bad Cake - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By AmDisappointed - June 22 - 2:00 am

  Way to many problems for a 4 yr old car. The brakes (rotors+pads), intake valve, alternator, starter, A/C switch, battery, and who knows what other surprises await. . . I regret that GM does not stand behind their cars like Honda - they know those rotors are trash, but tell you its your problem. And they wonder why they lose market share.

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  Dont buy one! - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Ali00 - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I had the strut mounts replaced twice within 20,000 miles and now, at 35,000 they are squeaking again. Very soon after I purchased the car, the rattles and sqeaks started. The engine runs very loud (again, more rattles). I had to have part of the dash replaced, because that cracked fter approx 15k miles. The A/C fan makes a loud clicking noise for about the first 10 min. its on. I know, I did not purchase a Mercedes, but after 35k miles, I expected a ittle more. I will never purchase a Chevy car ever again.

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  My experience with the 2004 Malibu LS - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kimberly Rieger - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I have had so many problems with this car that it is not funny. I have had it for 7 months and it has been into the dealer 5 times totaling 25 days since the end of Jan. 2004. It is experiencing problems again. The last time I had it in at the beginning of June it had a fuel injector go out, this is pretty bad considering it only had 10000 miles on it.