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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  Great Price-to-Value Ratio - 2011 Chevrolet Aveo
  By duogross - October 19 - 8:13 pm

  First, lets discuss what the 2011 Aveo is not: it is not a luxury car, nor is it a sports car. It is also not a hyper-mileage car that gets 40+ MPG. If you are expecting any of those things, you are sorely mistaken (and, for the price in the low $10,000s, you are also crazy.) What is it? It is a good value for the price. It is a car that gets you from point A to point B. And it does it in reasonable style, reasonable comfort, with reasonable mileage for a good price. Im at 3,600 miles so far and things are going great. I track my mileage carefully and get on average 30-31 MPG combine (I do about 50/50 Hwy/City). Admittedly, I drive in a conservative way. No maintenance issues so far.

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  2004 ZR5 - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By chevy1984 - October 19 - 6:09 pm

  i have had 2 S-10s loved both of them they always did what i ask of it including things that were really rated for this truck. my 2000 extended cab which i never really understood the one fold up seat in the back i drove to 120000 miles with no problem. then i bought a 2004 zr5 it was a great truck. the only thing i would have changed about this truck is the box needs to be bigger but i got by with it. it hauled my wood and a load of rock that i needed with no problem. i would have kept the truck but i had to replace the rear end twice i have researched this and cant find anything where its a popular problem so maybe it just a freak thing with mine. was with out a car 1 week both times

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  Never a Chevy Again! - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By bfairchild - October 19 - 3:29 pm

  Worst care ever. Lower intake manifold seal replaced for $1100 due to dex-cool eating apart the gasket. Turn signal shorted due to the hazard switch that Chevy decided to put right next to the a/c vents where it could accumulate moister. Why they wired the signal switch to the hazard switch just shows what type of corners they cut in manufacturing. A/C blower replaced. Random beeps heard from the stereo. Intake manifold gasket started leaking again and required constant coolant. It was just disappearing from the car! Went through tires every 5,000 miles. They never wore evenly despite an alignment and balance. Chevy should have stepped up and recalled this car. Last Chevy I ever Buy

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  Nosey Drive and not true to its MPG - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By luckyhands - October 19 - 12:18 pm

  I just purchased a 2012 Chevy Equinox 1LT 4 cyl FWD last week after test driving a bunch of cars. I was down to two vehicles (Veloster and Equinox). As a single parent I chose the Equinox for the fact I was thinking about a family vehicle for me and my two elementary daughters. 1st of all, it gets nowhere near the 22/32 as listed. I took a road trip with 95% freeway miles and I average about 26mpg. Wow, what a GYP! 2nd, there is a loud noise while driving over 55mph and gets loader when I reach 65mph. I took it in to service dealer and they said they cant find why its making a noise but they think its was the tires. [violative content deleted]! I should of got the Veloster. Hope I can trade it back in.

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  Great Car - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By red_horse - October 18 - 1:44 pm

  I bought my Cobalt used in May 2011, it had 58k miles on it. Ive put around 13k miles on it since then. It is a great little car, very quick and it handles very well. The only issues I have had with the car were with the windscreen (the previous owner damaged it and i didnt catch it until it was to late) and a slow leak in one of my tires. But neither of those issues fall on Chevys shoulders. I highly recommend this car to anyone who has their eyes set on a used small car, it has the potential to offer much more excitement than any import car can offer for the same price.

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  Disappointed - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By tray529 - October 18 - 10:47 am

  I was attracted to this vehicle because of the exterior looks. The malibu turns out to be somewhat of a disappoinment. The interior feels closed in- not much room. There is not much room in the rear for passengers. The trimming is coming apart from the dash. Multiple blind spots. The seats seem to attract stains. The excelleration is poor. The steering is quick. No sudden jerks on the wheel.

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  DO NOT BUY THIS CAR - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By tbarnes1 - October 17 - 2:36 pm

  I am the type of person that usually reads reviews and discards the few out there that may be negative. I plead with you to not disregard this review. I purchased a NEW 2011 chevy equinox back in March and have nothing but problems with it since I drove it off the lot. Have intermitent stalling, engine hesitation when accelerating, and rattle at startup. Ive taken it back to the dealer 3 times to resolve the issue (every time leaving with them saying its fixed). Just had it stall YET AGAIN. Ive submitted paperwork for Lemon Law b/c I WANT MY MONEY BACK. Do NOT buy this car if you are looking for a reliable vehicle. Now I have to fight to keep my family safe & get my money back!

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  I like the Traverse, but dont think its worth the cost. - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By kbb613 - October 16 - 8:23 pm

  Bought my Traverse new in 2010, trading in a well-used Tahoe. We thought it would be a little more family friendly and less "truck-like" for me to drive. My husband is military, so he is gone often and I do a lot of driving long distances by myself. Has 37k miles on it (about 30k of which is highway mileage) and is regularly maintained at a Chevy dealer. I had the steering rack replaced at 35k mi which was luckily under warranty. Now I need to have the o2 sensor replaced and its out of warranty. I also had problems with the tire sensors. Granted these are not major repairs, but it seems like I am being "nickel & dimed" on a $30k car. Feel I could have spent less and had less troubles!

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  2012 Volt in the hills and mountains of North Georgia - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By jaycro - October 16 - 4:58 am

  For years I was a big BMW fan including an M5,M3,and 740iSport.The Volt replaced a 2011 Mazda3 Touring hatchback with leather and technology package and joins a 2001 CTS wagon,an Infinity G35s and a Siverado truck We have driven the Volt 781 total miles and 749 of these have been on the battery burning 1.3 gallons of gas The body panels fit is excellent,the crystal red paint is the best factory paint I have ever owned.The interior with black leather and dark accents is attractive and very comfortable but not quite as nice as the CTS or the BMWs I have owned .The Nav,backup camera are fantastic along with the Bose system .The car drives,steers and stops like a properEuro sedan

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  not happy - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By nothappyall1 - October 15 - 4:36 pm

  I bought a 2005 new. The 2nd month I had it, a part in the transmission broke. Then the lift gate lock and the CD did not work properly fixed under warranty. Just out of warranty (14 months old) side mirror switch,$40, the ABS sensor went bad, $200, Then the upper strut plates and a strut went bad, $300. Since then, the ABS sensor went bad again, both struts and upper plates replaced again $472. The wiring harness in the driver door (Which controlls the speaker, locks, alarm, and dinger) was replaced $200. The rear hub replaced $255. The paint on the interior doors and on the radio buttons is chipping off. The fabric is not easy to clean. The CD changer just broke. I did not get my $s worth