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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  Trailblazer - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jessie27 - June 2 - 11:57 am

  I LOVE this car. I got it in 2007 when it was 3 years old and it is now 7 years old. I have never had to take it in for major repairs (only oil changes and tune ups) It has never once stalled on me. It has 72,000 miles. It gets about 20 mpg on the highway and about 15 in town. The seats are for the most part comfortable only when you go on long trips do they become slightly uncomfortable. The interior design is pretty simple, I dont need fancy. I love the exterior color as well it is a really deep blue metallic with a gold pinstripe. I have got a lot of compliments on the car. It rides nice and I love driving it. It is great off road too. I love it and would highly recommend it to you.

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  Clutch Problems - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rmoxham - June 2 - 11:15 am

  I would like to warn owners of a problem with the hydraulic clutch in the 2005 Chevy Cavalier. The line from master cylinder to slave cylinder may be rubbing on the farm and is wearing through and one day you will step on the pedal and it will go right to the floor and stick there, leaving the engine engaged to the transmission. I talked with General Motors and they more or less just laughed at me. Too bad they say you are off warranty.. only in time not mileage (63, 000 KM). Hopefully no inexperienced driver has this happen to them or there could well be a serious accident even leading to death. GM doesnt want to hear about it.

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  very bad gas milage - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By bet48 - June 2 - 10:49 am

  i get the same mpg on straight highway as i do in town. 22 miles per gallon either way. Wish i had not bought it, dealer said nothing they can do since no code is coming up. has 20k and not a thing i can do except lose money by trading it off. any adeas from anyone.

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  Great car - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By railroad37 - June 2 - 6:28 am

  I bought a used 2004 chevy impala at 30,000 miles or 50k 4 years ago and never got stranded or experienced any issues with it besides wear and tear. I am now at 112,000 miles or 187k on it and it still runs like new and still great body no rust. I live in Ontario, Canada and I have done plenty of highway with it including a trip to British Columbia and Oregon Coast with it 2 summers ago and plan to do another trip to California with it soon... I have to say the only issues I have got were little things before such as traction control and abs of course, but that problem went away last summer when I replaced the wheel bearings because the TC and abs have sensors on the bearings.

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  Very disappointed - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By lorieric - May 31 - 4:23 pm

  I purchased a a Malibu in the fall and I am very disappointed in the gas mileage, I drive mainly on the highway and only receive around 24 to 25 miles per gallon. I purchase this vehicle for the good gas mileage and chevy isnt standing behind their advertisements of 23 city to 33 highway.

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  Shagged - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By cleopatra402 - May 31 - 12:11 pm

  After reading positive reviews,on 1/7/2011 we purchased a 2011 Equinox 2LT mostly for the advertised 32mpg and style. I have had nothing but disappointments. The dealer replaced the wipers, battery, starter, brains,and something in the transmission.The engine made a horrible loud grinding noise at start up. It felt like it was in the shop most of the two months we owned the car. We traded a 2002 Sequoia with NO issues. I wanted NEW so I wouldnt have issues. After many phone hours, alot of gas and time we got a new 2011 2LT replacement on 4/6/2011. Within the first week of owning the new one, the engine started making grinding noises and stalled while driving it. It is currently in the shop!

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  Lives up to the hype!! - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By katydid1 - May 31 - 3:11 am

  I am a loyal Chevy buyer having had a Malibu then three Impalas since 1997. I put alot of miles on a vehicle and with the high gas prices, decided to go check out the Cruze Eco at my local dealer. I was very pleasantly surprised at how nice it looked inside and out not to mention the quiet and smooth ride for a compact car. I bought my Eco(the one I test drove) that day and have had it for almost two weeks now. I am already averaging 32mpg between city and highway driving so cant wait to see what it will be after the break in period.

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  First Vette - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By msm8221 - May 30 - 5:30 am

  Ive own a lot of cars and for the money (I paid 45k -less tax) for a base after 6K discount from GM and 3K from dealer, this is a bargain compared to the SS/RS ragtop Camaro which has few incentives. @ 430 HP, it isnt a bone crusher and Im sure the manual tranny SS Camaro will stomp it to death in a 1/4 mile. Nice fit-finish, nice features, I hope good resale value as I dont keep cars long. I have always consider the Vette a sissy car driven by middle aged men trying to be cool while holding their toupee in place. This car makes me reconsider my previous opinion as it is sophisticated, good looking and powerful. NOT the muscle car the Camaro is.

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  Auto Transmission a potential death trap - 2011 Chevrolet Traverse
  By plumbobby0 - May 29 - 1:17 am

  I have been subjected to a unexpected scare in my Traverse and wonder if anyone had the same fate. On accelerating to overtake there was a multiple shift of the gears (at least 2 back) which caused the motor to hesitate and put me in a precarious position of slowing down instead of speeding up to pass other vehicles. I have possessed a Cadillac SRX 2011 that had the same problem so I assume the the problem is in the transmission as both vehicles have the 6 speed auto tranny. I would be interested in hearing from other owners with same or similar problem

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  2 days old, speaker system in back out, full tank gas almost gone! - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jrt_banks - May 28 - 8:36 pm

  Hi! I recently purchased a brand new 2011 equinox three days ago with 130 miles on it. I LOVE the look, comfort and drive with this SUV. The standard features are amazing, the sound system is killer, and the bluetooth is awesome. I paid a little extra and got the LT1 with the sunroof and remote start, back up camera and power seats. TOTALLY worth it. The DAY I bought it we got hit with a HORRIBLE, and I mean HORRIBLE hail storm and tornadoes. (FIGURES RIGHT?). My suv handled amazing in this weather. We actually got stuck in the car when some of it hit and during the high winds it did not wander at all and NONE of my windows or anything got even a little crack. I do however have hail dents