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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  Re-Volting Interior - Orange/Black - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By gorelick - December 4 - 11:58 am

  You CANNOT buy the integrated screen navigation system on the LT version! NOT available at any price. But you can get the integrated NAV with the Premier version. UNFORTUNATELY, the Premier version is only offered in two interior color options -- totally black or combined black and orange (they call it brandy but its orange -- look at the Volt website -- and that is what the dealer salesman called it "Lets face it, its really orange."). WHY would the Premier version offer only two interior color options and yet the less expensive LT version (w/ no Nav touch screen system available) offers a wide variety of interior colors in cloth or leather? The more expensive Premier version interior options are MORE restricted than the options available on the less expensive LT options -- go figure! Question 1: So what is wrong with black interior? Answer: The black interior gets really hot in summer and not everyone wants black. Question 2: Whats wrong with the black and orange interior? Answer: Look at this ridiculous color combination. Its so ridiculous that you will have a hard time finding a display model with this orange/black interior -- it appears that GM / Chevy wants to force you to get black interior by making it the only solid color option. A shame that GM thinks its fine to offer the Premier version with fewer options than those available on the stripped down LT version of the Volt.

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  from the dealers lot to the service bay - 2016 Chevrolet Volt
  By Ann Jacobson - October 2 - 8:36 pm

  I have been waiting for over a year to buy this car and finally was able to get one on Jan. 9. On Jan. 11 I took it for its first trip to work and it still has not made it home from the service dept. Then engine light is on, it does not use the battery power at all, and the engine idles extremely fast. The service dept has been in touch with the main engineers of GM who told them mine is one of 7 cars with this issue and they dont know what it is or how to fix it. I called GMs main customer service dept and the guy I talked to extended his sympathy and said he would get back to me by Jan. 18. I am sick about this. I paid $42K to drive this out of the lot. I dont know I can do. This is only my second new car, the last one was a Scion that still runs great. If anyone can advise on how to get this resolved I would appreciate it. Talk about buyers remorse. Update 2/5/15. I was in daily contact with Chevy customer service while they were trying to figure out what was wrong with the car. They sent a team of engineers from Detroit to the dealer on two separate occasions. They could not figure out what was wrong with it. On January 29 they authorized a buyback. Today I am signing the final papers and they are refunding the purchase price plus tax and all other fees I paid. They were very speedy in getting this moving as soon as I requested it. Of course they offered to replace with a different Volt but I said I could never feel comfortable in one after this experience. So now I need to figure out what kind of car I do want. LIke I said, I had my eye on this car for over a year and so know nothing about other makes and models. Im sure they will figure out what was wrong with this car and get it on the road. The dealer did say that Chevy told him there are a handful of other cars in the country with this same problem.

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  Bad bad purchase - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Hauppauge, NY - September 25 - 2:16 am

  Dont even consider buying this vehicle... Nothing but problems.... Front linkage constantly loosening. Brake rotors wearing unevenly. IGNITION PROBLEMS...whew!!!! Blower Motor Vibrates very loudly Tires wear unevenly. Smithtown Chevy....horrible dealer. Ripoff Salesmen, and Service manager is a tyrant.... no satisfaction, they only fix what they want too... beware REAL GAS MILEAGE ONLY 13 MPG...... HIGHWAY MPG=14MPG CITY MPG = 13MPG

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  angry and bitter - 2003 Chevrolet Blazer
  By angry and bitter - September 4 - 11:37 pm

  Used 03 Blazer has one issue after another since purchase over a year ago. I had to replace a ball joint, ignition switch,and now the mass air flow sensor after being tested for hesitation when accelerating. This does not include many minor repairs. These are just the most costly. I understand wear and tear, but this is ridiculous. Problems that just baffle me are the passenger seat belt doesnt clip every time you have to push in button. That to me is a major red flag for safety. The drivers seat wont tilt forward anymore. After about three months the cd player quit working. I was told by GM that it will be cheaper to replace. I think it will be cheaper to replace the car than parts!

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  Terrified for when the warranty runs out - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Lee - September 3 - 7:40 pm

  Purchased this car 3 years ago with 40,000 miles, now its at 80,000. The experience has been miserable. When the car is running well, it can be a fun car to drive but it is still only a middle-of-the-road commuter with nothing noteworthy or outstanding. The shifting is notchy and the electric throttle leaves the revs hanging too high for too long to shift quickly. The 1.4T is very sluggish in low RPMs, especially accelerating from a stop. This becomes much more prominent in warm weather. Ive driven manual vehicles my entire life and have still stalled this car several times, even in stop-and-go traffic, simply because there is no power to accelerate. GM states in the owners manual that the car can run on 87 octane fuel, but from my experience anything above 70 degrees requires at least 89 octane. Even with conservative driving, freeway speeds (70mph) will return, at best, 32mpg. The only time Ive come even close to 40mpg is on two-lane roads keeping to 60mph or below. This is very disappointing for the Eco trim. The steering is reasonably responsive but the electric power steering really does remove all feedback. In all, I would say the strongest feature is the exterior styling, which GM really nailed in my opinion. Reliability has been abysmal, unfortunately. In my time of ownership, the car has been serviced three times for climate control issues, including a recurring noise that involved the removal of the dash multiple times. The blend door also had to be replaced due to binding. The 1.4T (Im not sure about the 1.8) has two PCV valves, one of which is built into the valve cover and is not removable without replacing the valve cover. This is a horrible setup, but I had it replaced under warranty. The plastic intake manifold was also replaced at this time as it was cracked, most likely due to excess pressure from the bad PCV valve. At around 70,000 miles the turbo had to be replaced due to a bad bypass valve that was preventing the turbo from building boost. At 75,000, I had to replace the water inlet valve because the plastic valves GM used tend to crack. I discovered this after I found a puddle of coolant in my garage. I am very worried about the experience after the warranty runs out this summer. I am constantly wondering what will break next or need addressing. There are numerous other small quality-control issues that Ive just learned to live with over the years. I am currently about $4,000 underwater on the loan due to insane depreciation and a too-high initial purchase price (GM certified pre-owned, all Cruzes in our area were similar quality, mileage and price). I prefer to do all of my own work and, prior to owning this car, historically I have performed all of my own maintenance, large and small. GM has tried to make their new cars as difficult to work on as possible for the average shade-tree or indy mechanic so I suspect that once the warranty is up I will still be going back to the dealer every 6 months for a 4-figure repair. I cannot wait until the day this car is paid off. It will be going up for sale that same afternoon, provided it is still running by that point.

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  Nightmare - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Dave - July 15 - 4:20 pm

  This vehicle is by far the worst vehicle I have owned. I have had it in for serivce numerous times, and a solution is never presented. Vehicle is loud at all speeds, acceleration and power is terrible. Ride quality is very rough, and with every bump the vehicle jumps. Have had check engine light, oil light, and engine service light come on about 3-5 times a week. And as far as gas mileage, I average about 15-16mpg. This is by far the worst vehicle I have owned, I regret buying it every day. Please try to avoid this vehicle in any way.

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  I should have bought a bus pass - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By TAKE THE BUS!! - June 22 - 2:53 am

  What a piece of garbage this dud has been! Who designed the interior? The cup holder cannot be used with the E-brake in the way, the sun visor blocks the entire window when down. And the 41.7 foot turning radius? Good luck making a U-turn! Listed at 19-25mpg. We drive 90% freeway and get barely 20mpg even after installing K&N filter.

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  Dont do it - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By joe s. - May 7 - 3:49 pm

  Im thoroughly disappointed in my experience with our Uplander. We made the switch from a Madza Tribute as our family was growing and the quality difference was noticable. The plastic door handle cover has been falling off since the first month. It often sputters before it starts, remniscent of a vintage auto. The interior is shabby at best. I miss my Mazda and kick myself everytime I send the payment in. Bottom line, the quality of this vehicle is near that of a Mazda, Toyota, or Honda. Dont do it. Put forth the extra money for quality. Youll get it back with better gas mileage in no time.

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  Horrible - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By altalbor - April 28 - 10:36 am

  I bought my Equinox just two months ago. I have a horrible experience with it so far. Just after two months (3000km) loud noise appeared in drive side front wheel bearing. Its high pitched humming noise, very loud and unbearable after just cuple minutes of driving. Even more frustrating was dealing with GM warranty service. They didt have bearing assembly to replace, it had to be ordered and Im still awaiting for it (3 weeks passed already). GM doesnt provide replacement car and I have to drive Equinox with faulty bearing. It is become a torture - noise getting more and more unbearable. I had to cancel my travel plans, limit my driving to minimum. Fuel consumption is very high - horrible

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  Why I did not buy - 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Eric Smith - April 26 - 9:05 pm

  I bought a ram 2500 because Chevy/gmc dropped powertrain warranty from 100,000 to 60,000 (to save the consumer money). If General Motors doesnt stand behind there product than neither can I. Mind you this was the first truck I have had that was not a Chevy or gmc.