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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  Even I was surprised! - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By pmm texas - May 2 - 12:50 pm

  I was skeptical of the reviews of the Equinox from this website. I debated between the Trailblazer and Equinox, but under pressure to trade my very undesirable Honda CRV, I took the plunge and bought the Equinox. Ive had it now for 16 months and 22k miles. This car beats the CRV hands down. It is much more comfortable, has more power, has a smoother ride, roomier, much quieter, and the gas mileage is actually comparable. Glad I traded the CRV and didnt get the Trailblazer. Problems: Ive had to replace two batteries and the radio (all under warranty). I dont know why the batteries are being discharged prematurely.

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  240,000 miles - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Stone Fargo - April 30 - 10:19 pm

  240,000 miles General maintenance and two starters. Now have an intake manifold leak. Not bad, not bad at all. going to get this done for $350.00. Gas mileage about 17mpg

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  love it. - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By DMBaker - April 30 - 12:41 pm

  I bought my used 2013 equinox in may 2015. Had it almost 1 year. I love it. There are a few things I would like to see changed in future models. Like rear seat climate control. That would be great for the Arizona summers. Also rear seat audio headphone port and dvd. Also a usb port right up near the stereo. Another thing, the seats dont go down low enough. Im 5.7, and I would like the seat to go down lower. But even with the above mentioned suggestions, I really love this car. I love the electonics. The size of the seats. The room in the car is great. I love being a bit higher off the ground. The cargo space is great. Smooth ride. Nice interior. But like I said the biggest negative for me is that the 2013 doesnt have rear seat climate control. So my rear passages nearly have heat stoke when driving with me during the Arizona summer. It takes about 20 minutes until the air conditioning makes its way to the back seat. And usually by then, we are already at our destination. I researched and I dont believe the newer models have rear climate control, but I could be wrong. If they dont, they need to add it. If Chevys engineer/designers lived 1 summer in Az, they would definatly add it.

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  Problems - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By S. Ryan - April 30 - 12:23 pm

  My car has 30700 miles on it and I have had the brakes replaced now the ABS and TC light is on constantly. I also need new tires. The car is roomly but I shouldnt be having these problems with this low mileage. There is a lot of wind noise also.

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  Cant Complain - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mike - April 30 - 12:12 pm

  I bought my Malibu new in 98. Since then Ive changed the alt 3 times, starter once, ignition switch 3 times, A/C relay (for fan control) once, lower control arms once each and A/C compressor twice. Also, the engine once with a rebuilt motor but that was strictly my fault. I average changing the intake manifold gasket at least once a year when I notice the external leak. I would like to complain about it but seeing my Malibu just crested over 360,000 miles I dont see where it would make sense. Oh and the cd player in my radio stopped working but I dont know when that happened. Its a very nice midsized car. Still original Transmission.

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  unsure - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By unsure - April 30 - 1:50 am

  Ive owned my nox for a year. Over all I really love it. It does have some odd things wrong with it. Its very noisy going down the highway. The Windows and sunroof leak air. My cd player doesnt work. I need new tires after one year on new ones. It does have lots of room. It handles corners well. However when im going down a hill and apply pressure to the breaks the whole thing shakes. If you buy one get a good deal on it. Dont pay to much. You will enjoy it if you dont pay to much for it.

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  Solid, safe and large SUV - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By kv - April 29 - 11:25 pm

  This has been a solid vehicle. Weve pulled a 28 foot RV, which does pull pretty tough up some modest hills. Gas mileage pulling the RV is about 7 MPG. Without the RV, it seems to range from 12 to 16 MPG depending on temp and driving habits. Lots of interior room and we love the storage in the back behind the 3rd seat. The dash lights for the hot/cold have been out since we got it. The fan speed no longer works - its always on full blast. The engine has been solid and we have had good luck with it. There are still a lot of these on the road, a true testament to their durability.

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  Hate to get rid of the Astro - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By hauler - April 29 - 10:16 pm

  Time to get a new vehicle for towing. After looking for a long time GM Tahoe/Yukon was only vehicle that could satisfy my fully loaded Astro replacement. PIck Tahoe for better looks. Nice smooth ride, but feel the jolts over potholes. Maybe because of 20inch wheels. Avg 20 mpg from NY to Va. Tranny and rear end was thumping when starting to descend on downhill and letting go of gas. Dealer reprogram tranny module. Seems to fix problem. Door molding began slight peeling. Dealer replace - like new. Otherwise really enjoy ride. I like my Garmin GPS better than GM GPS. Will use to tow boat on regular basis from NY to FL. Overall, good SUV for people who need towing. Gets same mpg as my Astro.

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  Going strong at 85k mi. - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Dave - April 29 - 7:04 pm

  Bought this Tahoe new 4 1/2 years ago and it has been the best vehicle I have ever owned.

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  So far so good... - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By JimP - April 29 - 10:00 am

  In July 03 I purchased a 2003 5 speed, 2 door. I have slightly over 300 miles on it so I cant say much about reliability. Seems like a decent car for $8840 (time will tell). Im certainly convinced that the $14K sticker price is just another marketing scam. You would be a fool to pay that much for any car like this. You know thay made profit on what I paid! I hate the marked up sticker prices and the facade that the rebates are real. Insults my intelligence.