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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  Worst car ever (And I have had some real winners!) - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By snowwhite24 - June 26 - 11:28 pm

  I bought this 2006 Malibu LT in January of 2009 with about 60,000 miles on it. So far...front shocks replaced, crack in the intake manifold fixed, controller arms replaced, rear shocks replaced, new tires 3 times in 3 years, etc. Just last week, had head replaced and now they are saying it is actually a crack in the engine block. Car needs a whole new motor. The windshield buzzes because the cowel (sp?) piece is warped. It eats CDs and wont give them back. This car has been the bane of my existence for the last 3 years. I would never ever ever recommend anyone buy a Malibu. And GM just lost a repeat customer. I will never buy GM again. I have had enough.

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  JUNK!!!!! Run AWAY!!!! - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By geestoys480 - June 25 - 3:54 pm

  I bought this junk from the original owner, 120K miles, looked great, ran decent and did for about 2 weeks. He had replace the radiator, tranny fluid and plugs. So i thought all good......WRONG! I put 5k miles on it and in the time period I replace the fuel pump, window motors, ac compressor, radiator hoses, oil leaks and the transfer case was blown out as well. MONEY PIT, stay away from these trucks, traded it in for a real SUV, 4runner! Run AWAY!!

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  Hate this car - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By obmckenzie - June 22 - 8:44 am

  We purchased an 01 Malibu after our escort broke (really broke, like exhaust in the cab/no rear suspension, started if you were lucky). This were fine at first but its been nothing but problems. The AC will turn off on its own (the light will blink) and you have to change air speeds to get it back, the theft system caused it to not start one day (and its a known issue and they wont disable it), the brakes behave as if the ABS is ALWAYS ON, it stalls on speed bumps, its killed 2 brand new batteries, and more often then not the keyfob will not work. We originally were going to buy a jetta but the dealer said that one wasnt working and showed us the malibu. I should have walked out.

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  2010 Equinox engine - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jlor6012 - June 18 - 11:04 am

  My 2010 Equinox has been so much trouble. I drive for a living and need a reliable vehicle. My oil began disappearing at around 38,000 miles. I took it to the dealership and was told that it is my job to check the oil at every fill up. They put dye in and had me bring it back. They had my vehicle for 16days and changed valves then gave it back to me saying it was repaired. I drove it the next day and while sitting in traffic the car started shaking and the engine sounded like it wanted to stall. When i called the dealership to tell them i was told a bulletin came out for the engine stating that the engine should be changed.

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  Could be a great truck if GM consider quality. - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By marcut - June 13 - 4:55 am

  I bought this truck used in 2005 and wondered why it was in a Used car lot at less than 1 year old. All kinds of electrical problems such as door locks/power windows not working but then start working after 2 weeks to a month. Dealer couldnt figure out problem and replaced under warranty BCM that didnt seem to fix problem. Transmission is hit and miss and often searches for gear to shift with pedal all the way to floor. Replaced 2 parking brakes at less than 50K. Have had two instances where brakes failed to stop and only a pulating sensation could be felt on dry road. 4WD HI setting doesnt work even after dealer tried to fix it. Stalling problems including hwy speeds. Hood comes loose.

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  Wont be buying another Chevy product - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By powerman6 - June 12 - 7:08 pm

  This vehicle seemed to be a promising vehicle with plenty of room and a good engine. That is until the first of many problems with the transmission. First the an engine maintenance light comes on and you can not drive over 30 mph. Luckly my wife was close to the dealership to take it in. 3 days later we get the car back, and 30 days later the same problem happens again. The dealership tells us its an unusual problem that has apparently happened to only 1 other owner in the United States. The problem is a switch in the transmission. Driving it in snow or ice conditions are a safety hazzard. Its anti slip transmission cuts your power down so much Dumped this vehicle before it broke down again

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  Lemon Cruze - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By lemon27 - June 10 - 9:35 pm

  I bought a brand new 2011 chevy cruze in may 2011. It was in the shop 6 different times during the time that i had it (around a year) we have just sold it and took a loss of $4,000 but i was just glad to get out from under my Lemon car. We tried to contact GM for around three weeks and all we got was the run around and voicemails. The least they could do is talk to there customers and listen to what they have to say instead of avoiding them but they dont care because they already have my money and it was nothing out of there pockets.

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  Needs a full time mechanic onboard. - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By billman2 - May 28 - 8:49 pm

  I must have got a lemon like most others. 9k in repairs to go 80k miles and its due for more junk parts to be replaced. So far trans, intake, alt, a/c 3 times, brakes allways need work, window motors and a few other goodies. Nice work GM... the heartbreak of america.Even with the price of fuel I may burn it just so I feel better.

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  I would never buy this car again - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By badluck5 - May 25 - 5:23 pm

  When I purchased this car in 2007 I was happy because It looked prtty good. But after a few months past thats when the problems started. First it was the linement which Im still working on getting it corrected. Ive had this problem for years I dont know what it feels like driving a car that has good linement. I cant check my trans fulids I have to go to the dealership which I know will charge me a arm and a leg. Now my engine is shaking when I put the car in P or D. That started when I changed the air filter. the list goes on and on.. I hate this car..

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  DONT DO IT!!!! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jones1124 - May 19 - 1:03 am

  This was the worst car I have ever owned. After 68k my serpentine went, the gas mileage was awful, the all-wheel drive in the snow was garbage,and I went through six headlights. Now, my car was paid free and clear after approx 2 1/2 yrs of ownership, but I still traded in for an 09 Honda Civic,and I could not be happier so far!! Bottom line is stay away from this vehicle. The Equinox, and my previous Chevy, have made me swear off American originated cars period