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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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By David - August 6 - 10:04 am

  2/08 w/46500 mi I paid around $8500. The int was in VG cond and the ext was near perfect. The only problems Ive had was a squeak at the sway bar bushings (I fixed with dry graphite lube) and right now the Ck Eng light has come on two days ago. I will be getting that checked next week. Ive had no other problems (hence "Pleasantly Surprised). At 51k mi I had the trans flushed and at 53K I switched to synthetic oil. I chg oil at 5k (w/filter chg at 3k). The oil filter sits near the right top of the block and no oil is lost when changing the filter element. I average 25mpg (city/hwy) overall. Highway driving at 65-70mph gets me 30mpg. IMHO the ecotec is the best 4 cyl GM has ever made.

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  Great Vehicle - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jerry - August 5 - 7:16 pm

  I got away from GM for a few years and missed the the GM ride and features. This SUV is excellent, great looks, fun to drive and very good performance!

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  Great car - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jessica - August 5 - 5:40 am

  I have had this vehicle for about two months and love it! The exterior styling of this car is sporty and fun. The interior could use a little work, but for the cost its pretty good quality. Gas mileage is reasonable at about 19-21. The leather driver seat is very comfortable, but the back seats are kind of hard. I love the steering wheel buttons for the stereo and cruise control, its so much easier to reach while driving. I traded my 01 Blazer for this car. Even though my old car was comfortable, I love how much more modern this Equinox is.

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  Love my Impala - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By OrlandoBill - August 5 - 12:12 am

  My 03 Impala LS has been great. Excellent fuel mileage (21 avg, 28.5 hwy @ 145k miles). Using Castol Syntec, change when computer says to. Replaced catalytic converter ($800) which seems to be an Impala plague. 130k: transmission started to slip, but nothing serious. Used Seafoam Transmission and most shifting problems went away. 146k: replaced both front bearings ($650). 2.5-3 years: battery dies w/o warning.

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  Its fine for adults - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Celia - August 4 - 8:18 pm

  So far no major problems with the car. It has good gas mileage and what really made me buy it is its exterior appearance. It reminds me of a Lexus SUV but without the price tag.

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  Should have got the V8 - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Craig Biggio - August 4 - 9:53 am

  New Silverado LT1 ext. cab with 4.3 V6. Great upgrade on the grille from the older models, interior very sleek, not too fancy, just "domestic". Overall satisfied with the truck except for the fact that there is a vibration in my exhaust. Feels like a strain on the motor, happens at low speeds and accelerations. Dealer mechanic said its not a problem, and common on all 4.3 v6s. But its annoying as heck. Especially annoying that he mentioned the V8 never has this problem. Nothing he can do about it. So its something I have to live with. Great truck, would be perfect with a nice "quiet" v6. Want to save on the gas? My advice would be to try the hybrid, just dont get the V6.

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  Still runs great - 1999 Chevrolet Prizm
  By cjsacto - August 3 - 10:18 pm

  I have had this car for eight years, and it is now ten years old. Mechanically, it has been completely reliable. Aside from a new battery four years ago, it has never hesitated to start. Good gas mileage, good acceleration. Ive had some issues with alignment and uneven tire wear. However, there are some other problems. The inside door latch on the drivers side broke off, and I spoke to another owner of the same make who said theirs was broken, too AND they knew several other people with the problem. Mine has some sort of electrical problem the electric windows dont roll back up right away, and the dummy lights and dome light burn out all the time.

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  Im sold on the Suburban! - 2006 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Ray - August 3 - 10:01 pm

  I started looking for an SUV months ago. I test drove Yukon XL & Sequoia before deciding on the Suburban. People that complain about the gas mileage are a bit delusional. For the size of vehicle & engine, its pretty amazing, actually. Ive been getting 16-17 mpg in horrible traffic conditions. I avg 21.4mpg on the hwy @60mph & 19.9mpg @70mph. My Tundra got 18mpg @70! Its more quiet & rides more smoothly than the Tundra or Sequoia, not to mention has a better turning radius. Its just a few inches longer, too, but has far more interior space. I admit its not as luxurious as a Denali or Navigator, but I couldnt pass it up. If youre afraid of the size, dont be. You get used to it quickly

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  Satisfied with Traverse - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Satisfied - August 3 - 6:41 pm

  I bought my Traverse in November of 08. Extremely happy with the car at first but after 6 months you begin to realize the faults and what makes it a Chevrolet. I love the versatility of the car and love the way it drives. At first I really enjoyed the interior but after you get to know it, you realize there is a lot of plastic used in the car. Paying full price for the LTZ, it would be nice to have leather in places where there is plastic.

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  Really good Cavalier - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Darby J. Pruitt - August 3 - 1:04 pm

  This 03 Cavalier is the 2nd Cavalier I have owned, and besides the few problems that I have had this car has seen me though thick and thin. Now that I have hit 105,000 miles Im looking forward to its first real tuneup. It diffenetly has the get up go I need to fly past any import I come across. The comfort is pretty good seeing I managed to stay setted for 10 hours on two 780 mile trips, and I think the automatic transmissons are as good as the manuels. The only problems Ive had are the fuel pump, e- vac canister, and catalytic converter, (the converter was my fault for running hard everyday). And after 1 wreak with a BMW (BMWs fault) the Cavalier is still running like she means it.