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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  Fuel Sensor issue - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By aschilling - March 24 - 11:49 am

  We had a fuel sensor issue with the Trailblazer. The gas gague always read empty when the sensor went out. There is a "hidden assistance recall" that GM has that you have to go thru a dealer. We were quoted $340 just to replace the sensor and not the pump. We found the sensor on e-bay for $25.00 and did it ourselves.

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  Volt v. Prius: Volt Wins in California - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By johndhenry - March 23 - 12:41 pm

  I have a 2nd Gen Prius and a Volt (first American car I’ve owned) so I have some basis to compare them. To sum it up: TOTAL COST: Volt wins over Prius – The new Prius costs nearly $43K ($36K for car and options + 8.5% CA tax + $4K in 5 year loan interest), while the Volt costs $40K ($44 for car & options + 8.5% CA tax + $0K for GM 5 year loan @ 0% interest - $9K in Fed/State tax incentives). MPG: Volt wins over Prius – After several thousands of Bay Area commute miles I am getting 80mpg. Calif HOV Lane Acess: Priceless. It is no wonder that the Volt has won so many ‘Car of the Year’ awards and Consumer Reports super high marks

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  A bit Spongey - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By heitro - March 23 - 4:00 am

  I recently bought a used 2006 Aveo LT hatchback at 103025 miles. The carfax stated it had regular service done according to the timetable laid out in the manual. So mostly the car runs excellent. My chief complaint at first were the brakes. Ive driven a assortment of cars of various qualities in my years. And I suspected that since it had scheduled maintenance done it would be in good quality, but the brakes are very weak. It feels as though the car is too heavy for the brakes it came with. I tried replacing the brake pads and rotors with OEM quality replacements, and while it made the braking slightly better, it still feels far too heavy.

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  Great Suv to Look At - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By robgrv - March 22 - 9:22 pm

  Engine had lots of power and ran well new till it got about 300 miles and then it started "fishing" GMs words. they replaced cam censors. Then it ran good for awhile and then started again. The more miles I put on it the worse it is getting. GM wont fix

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  2012 Chevy Equinox 1LT AWD V6 w/ All Star Package - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By islandreamer1 - March 21 - 8:10 pm

  This is our first American/Canadian vehicle and SUV. We were narrowing down the comparison to this and the Kia Sorento. After test driving both, it was not hard to decide on the Equinox. The only advantage we saw with the Sorento was the larger size, optional third row and 10 year warranty. At least this time, Chevy has matched Kias mileage warranty at 100,000 miles. The drive on the Equinox was smoother and quieter. Console design on the Equinox is more appealing to the senses. Just went over 1300 miles and have been averaging 20 mpg on mix city and highway driving. OnStar is a nice feature but costly. Actual highway mileage remains to be seen. Got it at about $500 below invoice:-)

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  Never let me down - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cocoaloboco - March 21 - 7:58 pm

  This was my first car and it treated me well, I cant say I returned the favor. I had it from 16-18 and really did no maintenance on it, my dad would top the oil off and that was all the car seen in TLC. it performed well the entire time and I didnt replace any parts. (other than a tire that blew out after a long road trip) I then let the car sit for a year & then sold it to a family friend. it started just fine & hes been driving it for 3 years no with no problems. the car was very reliable and great on gas. My only real complaint is its made of cheap metal and dents very easily...i leaned against the car and my butt left an indent...

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  Transmission problem - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By wrdallas - March 21 - 3:59 pm

  I bought my 08 Equinox Sport new from a Dealer. I loved it from the start. However, the small narrow space between the console and the seats is impossible to retrieve anything dropped down there. I keep a 2 ft. "grabbit" just for that reason behind my seat. Too narrow for a hand and the seat track is too close to the console wall to get in there. Now, my tranny blew and is being called an "Internal proble" something to do with the valve body. The trans has to be replaced at a cost of $3900! Ouch! Anybody else have the transmission problem?

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  Eco Absolutely BLOWS ME AWAY! - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By mikedeanvero - March 21 - 2:45 pm

  This Car FEELS perfect! The manual shifts are Camaro type fun for me. Handling, Braking, Acceleration are above what I thought would be received from a compact American maker. I gave up a BMW 328 (Service Nightmare), and dont miss that car AT ALL!

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  Overall a Good Buy - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By jon_l - March 21 - 1:43 pm

  Bought my 2003 Impala LS second hand with 93,000 miles for my first car. Ran great for a good while but just had to get the catalytic converter replaced at 102,000 miles, Brake Controller Module Replaced, and my Idle Control Valve replaced, costing me all together $1,200. Despite those issues Ive had no other issues I love my car. It rides real smooth and has some nice power. Has great gas mileage on the highway. This is really the last stylish model before the new Impalas went out. The interior is very nice and there is plenty of room for 5 people to fit comfortably inside. Currently at 104,500 miles and the car is still running great!

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  So far so good - just purchased with 200K on it - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jimntempe - March 20 - 11:14 pm

  I read most of the reviews here and it almost made me back out of my decision to by a 2000 Malibu LS. But the car was like new, even with 200K miles, and it was very inexpensive compared to the other junk Id looked at for the same price or more. The prior owner had quite of few of his repair papers and like many of these cars it had the intake manifold redone, a new fuel pump, new water pump, plugs, wires, and one injector, all at around 100K. Also had brakes done several times but no more often them most other cars.