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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  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.

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  I miss my cobalt - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By caguilar16 - July 15 - 7:43 pm

  The 2008 Cobalt Sport Coupe is a great car. I had mine for just over a year before it was totaled in a four car pile up. I purchased it used and never had a problem with it. It looked great inside and out, and had a fun, powerful, yet economical engine. I wish I still had it for it was the perfect car for me. There was plenty of space in the back seat, and a huge trunk. If you are considering this car I strongly suggest that you get it. It is far superior to all cobalts, with the exception of the ss.

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  [violative content deleted] - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By morganchay - July 14 - 11:06 pm

  When I first got this car I loved it, super cheap on gas, smooth ride... but slowly problems become nothing but common. When I fuel up I have to push my gas pedal as I start my car, even though it is a fuel injected car... Just recently when I started my car out of nowhere it was idling as if it was a diesel engine vehicle and it definitively is not a diesel engine. As well as it has barely any power and has trouble getting up to speed. Most people have told me it could be lifters, transmission, or timing belt. My car does have a lot of mileage and I know with a lot of mileage comes issues but these issues are all to common with other Cobalts. If anyone has a solution it would be appreciated

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  Back to US Owned and Made - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By 5th_mazda - July 14 - 8:33 pm

  I always said I would buy a US owned and made car when they came to the table with something that really competes and that I liked. The redesigned Malibu seemed to indicate they turned the corner but was not what I was looking for. The Cruze was. Liked what I saw and read, and bought one a few weeks ago. So far I am really pleased very good gas mileage (32-34 city/short trips), 6 spd turbo is fun to drive, and looks really sharp. I will report again after I learn more like highway mileage, etc.

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  Why pay that much for poor mileage... - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By akpk - July 13 - 10:11 pm

  Bought our 2011 Equinox in November 2010. Complained about the gas mileage from the start and could not get any answers. Now has over 15,000 miles and we drive all flat highway and still can not get over 25 mpg. Supposed to get up to 600 miles to the tank at its best, but when we drive non-stop all flat highway and still cant get over 425 miles, it is very upsetting. Love the look of the car inside and out, but unfortunately the low mpg trumps all this and wish we wouldve gone with a different suv.

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  not getting 32 MPG - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By sjshouston - July 13 - 5:06 pm

  we purchased our Equinox LTZ LTZ Brownstone interior, white exterior five months ago . Looks great and has lots of features. However, after 4,800 miles we are only getting 21.7 mpg average. I should have believed others who purchased the Equinox and complained about the MPG. We even took the 4 cylinder to avoid less MPG. Boy, were we suckers. I probabaly should have gone with Hyundai. Its not a performance engine but its not too bad on 4 hour trips, again except MPG. if youre looking for good gas mileage look somewhere else.

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  Never buying Chevrolet or GM again... - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By car_truck_chic - July 13 - 9:21 am

  Bought our Tahoe in 07 with only 20K mi.Got a great deal & were thrilled to have something nice. SUCKERS! We now have 93K mi & pray every day itd get struck by lightning. Weve done all maintenece & we even put in a transmission cooler! *bad alternator + other charging system issues.*transmission rebuild @ 35K miles, at 80K started acting up, I think needs new torque converter since not done when rebuilt but wont pay for it, though under warranty.*started burning oil, after PITA "oil consumption" testing they agreed to install a deflector (have a TB about AFM) & they replaced all the pistons and rings too.*cheap materials, molding faded, door handles peeled, plastic int. pieces have broken.

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  Will Not Die - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By cole_dizzle - July 11 - 12:57 pm

  I have about 230,000 miles on mine. The transmission is starting to go on it, but it was a great little truck. I bought it for $5500 in 2006, with about 130,000 miles, and have been pretty hard on it since then, with no major repairs. Very pleased.

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  2011 Chevy Equinox: A review - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By timmyg14 - July 11 - 12:21 pm

  In December of 2009 I bought my wife an 08 Trailblazer. It was awesome. It was perfect for vacations (we go camping alot in the Adirondacks) it could pull a boat, and was a beast in the snow. In March of 2011, my wife would not stop complaining about gas mileage of the Trailblazer, thus we traded it in for a 2011 Equinox.