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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  No Thank You! - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By gotonana - July 20 - 12:03 pm

  Bought the car for its high estimated mpg. If 15.9 to 19 is high then I guess I got what I paid for!! The dealership tells me nothing is wrong with this 4 cylinder car!!

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  Not bad...not bad at all - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By tinalo - July 20 - 7:53 am

  Got this car to save on gas since I drive 600miles a week to work. Only have 3000 miles on it and already up to 34 MPG. (Hoping it gets up to 42!) I really like the hands free phone feature! Havent yet figured out the navigation yet though.

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  Nice Vehicle - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jeffskiing - July 19 - 2:34 pm

  I bought a LT2 with the V6 engine. Ive had it for about a week now, and love it. It handles very well, and the interior quality is very good. The steering wheel controls take some getting used to, but are great! I have had several compliments on the car.

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  Eh... - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dja3 - July 19 - 2:12 pm

  Ive owned the Equinox AWD LT1 4CYl for 3 weeks now and sadly, as time goes on Im less and less in love with it. The most disappointing part is the power this vehicle is SLOW. Its most noticeable when taking off at a red light, engine revs like crazy and Im left in the dust of the cars in front of me. Not too bad on the HWY from 60-70, but merging is difficult at best. The interior has many little "misdesigns" that add up quickly. The air vents are slim and oddly placed, so the car stays pretty hot. The dash is very "plastic fantastic" with no color or texture variance. Rear seat fold latch location is inconvenient. For the money, I think there are many better options. Disappointed.

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  MPG not like advertised - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By selenalockwood - July 19 - 12:27 pm

  I got the load down LTZ with the DVD and Nav. I love all the features! My only complain is the horrible gas mileage. I drive both city and hwy daily and I average 21.5 MPG. That is not even what they advertise for city and no where close to the 32 Hwy. I was hoping to average about 28 since thats what I averaged with my old Lexus with similar specs. I was told to let the engine get broke in first before I said anything but Im at 11,500 miles and it never got better. Other than that its a great car!

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  In the shop twice within first 3000 miles - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mcgerm - July 17 - 7:47 pm

  In the shop for engine noise and rough starting twice in first 3000 miles. In the six weeks that I have had it it has been in the shop for 2 of them. Does not get anywhere near the mileage stated.

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  Engine noise at start up - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By ram20 - July 17 - 11:16 am

  Noticed loud rattle upon start up. Sounds like valve lifters getting no oil for a few seconds. Had 4000 miles on car, took to Chevy dealer, he recommended changing break in oil and kept car overnight to listen to noise. Said he heard noise, but put otherwise on invoice??? If Equinox keeps this up now at 6000 miles I will start to battle with the folks on the complaint line. I previously had a Chevy Colorado of which 2 cylinder heads had to be replaced(factory defect) which they would not admit to, so this is how GM is.

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  Bye Bye GM - update - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By chevylemon02 - July 17 - 8:23 am

  Well, I finally got out from underneath this piece of junk, money pit!!!! I can no longer support "buy American" due to GM and their inadequate skills in producing a quality built vehicle not to mention their lack of customer service and not standing behind their warranties! Maybe this should be directed solely to the dealership in Rochester, NY on Ridge Rd and not GM as a whole but in any event their practices are shady at best and due to them, I will never, ever buy a GM vehicle again!! PS.......loving my new NISSAN ALTIMA!

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  Piece of junk - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By avalanche05 - July 16 - 7:23 pm

  Never will i buy a Avalanche again. bought because of features.its a piece of junk there is a rattle in the front end my abs brake went the part is 600.00 to replace not including labor. now shocks in the front need replacing have had to replace o2 scensors brake calipers and so on... oh did i mention it only has 56,000 miles on it.and i paid way too much for a piece of junk

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  Car Snob Humbled by Volt - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By gtoernie1 - July 16 - 2:32 pm

  Im a car nut-- have owned everything from Bentleys to Hondas to Lincolns to Porsches. My partner wanted the Volt, and I was skeptical. I was wrong. After 1500 miles, it is the car we choose for family outings (our other cars are 11 Audi A8 and and a 10 Audi Q7 TDI, both of which we love). Why? The Volt is silent. It is quick. It has fun technology that works! It has a refined manner-- much more refined than our Lexus 400h hybrid was. Most of all-- it is versatile. Knowing there is a gas generator to keep you going after the battery is exhausted on long trips, takes the stress out of trip planning. Full recharge takes only 4 hours, but is unnecessary if its inconvenient.