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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  Total garbage, run away!!! - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By stevenhmiller - December 20 - 6:27 am

  Cheaply made and GM will not stand behind their product. Steering making bad clunking noise since about 9000 miles. Dealer claims cannot reproduce every time I brought it, which was at least 9 times. Once the warranty expired, suddenly they had no problem reproducing the issue. GM will not repair free of charge, even though Ive been complaining about the issue for 3 years! Many others are complaining about the same issue with the same results. There were service bulletins for the 2004-2006 Maxx with the same problem. They refuse to issue one for the 2007. Theyre going to wait until someone is killed when the steering fails. Also, many other problems. FORGET THIS CAR, ITS GARBAGE!!!

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  Equinox Buyers Beware! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By HATEMYNOX - December 16 - 11:56 am

  My experience with my Equinox has been the worst experience ever. I have had the check engine light, check oil light, and airbag light come on at least 5-7 times a week. The car has more rattles than a 200,000 mile junker, and with every bump hit, you swear it is going to fall apart. Also, the vehicle has a selective starting problem. It will start some mornings, and other mornings it wont. Everyday there is a new problem and a new mystery cause no one can seem to fix the problems. This is by far the worst vehicle that anyone could ever choose to own

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  Poor excuse for a truck - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By tjwinps - December 9 - 3:41 pm

  I now have 6,600 miles on this truck. It has been in the shop 21 times in those few miles. The brakes are soft and when pressed down in a medium braking situation, the brakes go down below the gas pedal. It has made for some pretty hairy stops. As far as the gas mileage is concerned, it is really bad. I would not reccomend this truck to anyone. It looks like Chevy copied Nissan and then threw it together. The center arm rest is so cheap that I am afraid that it is going to fall off if I put my arm on it.

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  Cavalier is K-mart class JUNK! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By tony22r - November 12 - 8:36 am

  Blown head gaskets after 36,000 miles. Electrical shorts/problems since new. Transmission & engine oil pans leaked like a Pig since new. Windows fell of their tracks. LOTS of squeaks, rattles, annoying sounds coming from engine, passenger compartment, transmission. In short, do NOT buy a Chev Cavalier! It is PURE JUNK!

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  Soaked - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jay - October 11 - 7:56 am

  The car has problems with water leaks. Had problems with brakes. Needed new windshield. Gas mileage poor. Comfort leaves much to be desired. Very disatisfied with the car and also GM. If they ever get the leak fixed and it drys out I can get rid of it. That will be the happiest day with my Equinox.

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  Never Buy Another Uplander - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Nothappyuplander - October 3 - 12:57 pm

  I will never buy another Chevy product again! No fixes for the flickering problem. No arm rests in the middle row seating. The 3.5 engine is very lazy. The radio pops when I first turn on. I had water leaks. The dealership hit my van and repainted the bumper that doesnt match. I really wish I would have done more research before I bought this van. I am looking for a way to get out of this loan and trade in for a Ford. I didnt pay all this money for these kind of problems.

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  Cheap and Nasty - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By chris - October 3 - 10:03 am

  If you like a car that you are continually gassing up, handles poorly, gets struck in 3" of snow,and has to go into the shop to change the headlight bulbs, this is the car for you!

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  Transmission Blew out at 20K - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Kevin - September 1 - 1:30 pm

  This vehicle is another typical poorly snapped together American tin can. My wife and I decided to be loyalto the US manufacturers, and I have not had a US made car since my Dodge Dart slant 6, which was ugly but reliable! This TrailBlazer was aptly named. Hit the trail and something under the hood will soon be ablaze, as I was told when I had an engine fire at 5,342 miles that was due to oil that spilled on the block. I disagree, since it looks like it originated from a cluster of wires that looks like a rats nest. Then my transmisssion completley failed at 19,456 miles and needed to be completley replaced. They blamed it on us saying we had driven the car hard. We use it to shop!

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  Glad I have another truck that runs - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By j willey - August 31 - 8:45 pm

  With less than 100,000 miles and already on its second motor and needing a transmission, I am very dissapointed with the quality of this truck. The mechanicals are poor, the ride is not bad, the interior falls apart and has more rattles than a box of nails. I am afraid to put the windows down after having them work going down every time but a guessing game when going back up.

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  Do NOT buy one of these! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By aveohater - August 21 - 10:00 am

  The saddest day of my life was the day I bought one of these things. Poor quality, poor craftsmanship, hopelessly bad dealer servicing. Already had it in the shop twice with less than 500 miles! Wait a few years before buying one these.