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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  JUNK!!!!! Run AWAY!!!! - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By geestoys480 - June 25 - 3:54 pm

  I bought this junk from the original owner, 120K miles, looked great, ran decent and did for about 2 weeks. He had replace the radiator, tranny fluid and plugs. So i thought all good......WRONG! I put 5k miles on it and in the time period I replace the fuel pump, window motors, ac compressor, radiator hoses, oil leaks and the transfer case was blown out as well. MONEY PIT, stay away from these trucks, traded it in for a real SUV, 4runner! Run AWAY!!

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  Few Problems - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By javaanimal - June 25 - 2:01 pm

  Speakers are.. well, theyre there. LS Coupe is considered a sports car (Grr..) and it lacks a lot of power my 2000 Malibu had. The front of it is dated.. but the body itself is magnificent. It says 25 mpg BUT my readings say 23. The LS I purchased has no cruise control or power windows/doors. BUT. For the price of this car, its great. Fun fun to drive once you get up in mph and it hugs the curves with its spoiler. Breaks are great, it turns heads, and you get away with people believing youre in a sports car. This is NOT for tall/wide people. Its a very narrow car. It is GREAT for safety- everything is solid.

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  Good every day vehicle. - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By ground_zero - June 25 - 9:03 am

  Externally the 2012 Equinox looks alot beefier than the old model with its muscular looking exterior, internally the first thing that grabbed me was the large touchscreen radio, sitting down in the chair I discovered how comfortable it is, one of the most comfortable seats in any vehicle I have owned so far. The 4 Cylinder engine chugs along nicely sipping gas relatively conservatively (no 32 MPG Highway, more like 25-30) Its got plenty of space for passengers, the near is a bit disapointing if you plan to carry a bunch of luggage but still enough. It does seem to take corners a tad wide and its something to get used to especially when parking.

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  2007 Impala LTZ - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By ericjp - June 23 - 10:28 am

  I have owned my Impala LTZ for three years and have 107,000 miles. Just paid $1000 to have trasmission valve body replaced, whatever that is. Bottom line, do not buy an Impala. I know it is tempting because they are cheap and look decent. The LTZ has all the bells and whistles. The 3.9l v6 has good performance and gas mileage. The problem is build quality. The transmissions are prown to have all kinds of problems. I have never had this many problems with any car. GM uses cheap parts. Head gaskets were replaced and the list goes on and on. Avoid Chevrolet products. You get what you pay for. Buy a Honda, Toyota or Hyundai instead.

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  Disappointing City MPG, Good Highway - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mallit38 - June 22 - 12:10 pm

  Despite people complaining about MPG, I bought my Equinox about 6 weeks ago. My city mileage has been significantly below the 22 MPG EPA rating, but surprisingly, I did get 32 MPG on a long road trip with a fully loaded vehicle. So far, I have enjoyed driving my Equinox, having upgraded from an 09 Pontiac Torrent. The vents dont blow right on me, but the A/C is capable and delivers very cold air. Im not super tall, but if it werent for the steering wheel controls, I would have a heck of a time operating the radio. Beware, the drivers side has a bad blind spot, but having the same issue with my Torrent, I am used to it. Use your mirrors and look over your shoulder and itll be fine.

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  Hate this car - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By obmckenzie - June 22 - 8:44 am

  We purchased an 01 Malibu after our escort broke (really broke, like exhaust in the cab/no rear suspension, started if you were lucky). This were fine at first but its been nothing but problems. The AC will turn off on its own (the light will blink) and you have to change air speeds to get it back, the theft system caused it to not start one day (and its a known issue and they wont disable it), the brakes behave as if the ABS is ALWAYS ON, it stalls on speed bumps, its killed 2 brand new batteries, and more often then not the keyfob will not work. We originally were going to buy a jetta but the dealer said that one wasnt working and showed us the malibu. I should have walked out.

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  Best GM Sports Car in Decades. Total Joy! - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By victory11 - June 21 - 9:14 pm

  I dont review lightly and have a lot of experience with the car buying process. This is my 45th car in my 33 years of driving and am completely satisfied. GM has a slam dunk with this one. Everyone knows that the exterior is hot. The interior is comfortable and inviting. Personally, I prefer a simple, modern/retro looking interior. Guages are laid out well and the center guage information center is a lifesaver for easy read and info. No blemishes, gaps well aligned and spaced, and not a single squeek, rattle, or pop. I have dual cameras on front and back along with curb sensor which eliminates blind spots. Remember, its a sports car, not a mommy van.

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  2008 Chevy Malibu 2.4 LT automatic - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By cindy88 - June 20 - 9:43 pm

  Bought the car brand new from a Chevy dealership in 2008. Within 2 years I had to replace the Transmission, Catalyic converter, exhaust system, Right front axle, trunk trim and cupholder (in the back which is never used)..not to name a few more things I cannot find my paperwork for. Needless to say my car now dies at any given time. The RPMS will ramp up and jerk the car forward than the RPMS fall and my car dies. Not sure what the problem is as I had just replaced the battery and the car has gotten worse. Any suggestions?

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  First choice - 2012 Chevrolet Camaro
  By stew65 - June 20 - 2:30 pm

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  Possibly worst car in America.. - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By monty9025 - June 19 - 5:14 pm

  I drove this car since last August, and it had very low miles, so I said why not? Ohh god, worst decision ever. Theres some clanging under the floorboard going faster than 10 mph, brakes needed changed twice already. It has 140,000 on it now, put new struts on it all around, new tires, battery, headlamps, left fog light fell off. Chevy, youre the worst manuf. ever. Own this car if you and 7 doctors live together, because it gets horrible gas mileage (13-15, if you drive carefully). It has noooooo power going up a hill, has to drop 3 gears and then screams. After 130 thousand miles, it developes this problem of extended cranking. It will start, but prepare to be embarrassed for 10-15 secs.