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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  Pass on this one - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Nicole T - December 16 - 3:00 pm

  I have had my Trailblazer for a year and am sorry I purchased it. It has front and rear a/c,however it takes so long to get cool. I have to drive several blocks for it to stop blowing hot air and get cool. My power windows have gone out twice and the moulding on the inside of the windows is loose. Not to mention the gas mileage is poor. The best thing about the car is the room. The third seat is wonderful, but somewhat difficult to get into.

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  96 Z26 - 1996 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Chevymuscle218 - December 15 - 6:37 pm

  I bought this Z26 off my brother and have owned it for about 6 months now. The car currently has 220,000 + miles and it runs great. Never burns oil. Steering is getting stiff. The cup holders in the car are not that great. There is no room in the back seats when there is two people up front. You have to have the seat (for me) all the way back so you have some decent leg room, problem is it takes away from the rear passenger space. The 3.1 motor seems to be very reliable athough blown head gaskets seem to be a common problem with them I have yet had this problem. Even though its a Z- 26 I beleive the car has a sporty apperance, but is far from a sporty car and acceleration is not the greatest.

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  Pretty good when its running - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By Steve - December 15 - 2:41 pm

  Blown head gasket at 23,000, multiple airbag sensors, 5 coolant sensors, 2 fuel pumps, a new gas cap, rebuilt rear brakes, A/C blower only works on 5, tail lights are bad on both sides, rusting from the inside out, radiator fans stopped working. Now it has about 84,000 miles on it. What can I say. This is why Chevy is going under. This car is a total piece of junk. Its never been reliable. I cant remember the check engine light ever being off.

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  Takes a beating but still keeps kicking - 1995 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Brian Leyk - December 15 - 8:13 am

  This was my second vehicle. I got it used, only took it in for routine oil changes and otherwise repairs that were absolutely necessary. I drove it hard and fast, but still got good gas mileage. The things still kickin today! Very loud engine, and not very powerful (difficult to pass vehicles), but I could weave through traffic like a pro (without cutting people off)! Exterior wore a lot, interior was simple and wore a lot, and I had quite a bit of trouble with altnernator belts. I miss this car! I still get to see it when I visit my friend. I hope they let me drive it again.

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  I Love This Car, at least for now - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Debi - December 14 - 11:53 am

  This is my first Chevy. I started researching the Equinox before it was available for purchase when I saw the great exterior. I compared it to the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CRV and for the price, it had great options on the LT and a better look. Last summer when I took it in for the 30,000 check up my service tech told me the head gasket had to be replaced, leaking but not cracked. I was shocked but happy to hear it was under warranty and nothing I did could have caused the problem. They fixed it but 6 months later, at the 37,500 check up-the head gasket is leaking again. Makes me think I shouldnt have invested the money in new tires before winter.

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  2004 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Johnny - December 14 - 12:45 am

  I just bought this 2004 Z71 for $11k with 69.5K miles. I have only been drving it for a week and I love it. I hope to say that as time goes on. The ride is smooth and the roominess is very nice. My twins love the DVD player too. My Z71 came with 20" tires/rims and it still rides very nice. Stay tuned. I will come back and update my review in a couple of months.

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  Surprised - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Zeno54 - December 12 - 9:02 pm

  It was 10 yrs old with 93K when I bought it. It was fully loaded with an awesome GM Bose sound system. The 3.1 V6 was quick and powerful, yet with the overdrive, it got great gas mileage, 22 mpg city/38-40 hwy at 70+mph with cruise control on several long trips from Pa. to Fl. and Tx. The floating caliper was a faulty design and I had to replace the brake pads every 6 months. The r/r outer pad would be all wore out, yet the rest still looked new. Got smart and changed only the outer pad if the others had no wear. After 16 yrs, minimal body rust, but the salt did a number on the undercarriage, brake lines and any bolts. Id still be driving it, but a truck hit me and totaled it. Still ran great at 216K.

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  Rollover and walk away - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By mike - December 10 - 5:20 pm

  We bought this car for my 18 year old daughter for her high school graduation. She loved it and we loved the cost. Last Sunday she had an accident on the highway in which she hit some black ice. Smashed into a wall. And than the car rolled over landing on the roof. She was wearing her seatbelt. Thank God. Without a scratch she gets out of the car. Calls me first and than called 911. I arrived before the emergency services and she was sittinbg on the side of the road with out a scratch on her. Needless to say that after the insurance pays off I will be getting her another Cobalt. This car did a great job in protecting my kid and it will do the same for yours, buy American. All in all I cant thank Chevy caring enough and not cheaping out on the safety aspect of this little economy car

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  Great car for price, needs work - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Brittany - December 10 - 8:58 am

  I love this car. For being a young female its great, a lot better than my old Escort. It does need a little help though. I dont have a lot of rear seat passengers but they couldve given the rear more leg room. Very roomy in front. Only problem Im having is with the brakes. Yes, after 6500 miles the rotors got warped. Composite rotors with semi metallic pads dont combine well. Its a nice little car for me, rides smooth (other than the brake issue), good on gas and comfy for a tall person like me. Decent style outside for the price. I paid for what I got. Not much to complain about with it.

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  Nice little truck - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By rustynobles - December 9 - 10:29 am

  Fun to drive, not too big. Slight driving noise, sounds like the window is slightly open. Descent factory stereo. Comfortable interior, and handy bed for carrying deer and accessories.