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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  Maybe Im jinxed? Oh wait.. its not me its the Chevy - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By j_123 - August 12 - 11:53 am

  I have a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt LT Std. Its very shiny and pretty, comfortable to drive, good on gas, handles well... it just has a FEW issues. Im trying so hard to give it the benefit of the doubt: "poor little car! Im sure now that its been fixed AGAIN it will run fine... itll be ok this time". But no, time and time again it breaks down with the same issues. Eek. Please see the following issues, which are not listed in chronological order so please dont "diagnose" the issue based on the following order. I have taken the car to 4 different shops: 2 different GM dealerships and 2 privately owned shops. Still, no luck solving the issues. Tons of money spent fixing the car! Money pit.

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  Cmon Chevy get it right!! - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By indianaman - August 10 - 11:49 am

  Purchased the 2012 Equinox LT 3 months ago and am 100% dissatisfied with the performance. You should NOT feel the car downshift everytime you hit 30-34mph. The car jerks you forward during the downshift!! This doesnt happen to the 6cyl and wish i had known that before dropping $23k on a new car. I have contacted my dealer and they feel it to and drove another new one that did the same. Said they have had numerous complaints about this. I spoke with the Disctrict MGR for Chevy and he said its the way its made and cant help me!! Chevy even has the "guranteed customer satisfaction promotion" going on and I didnt buy it during the promotion so they cant help. Ill be trading for a CRV this wknd!!

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  Cheap, and it worked for a while. - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By sssargon - August 1 - 8:44 am

  I bought a used 2005 Aveo automatic in 2007 w/ about 25k miles on it to replace my Toyota Echo. It runs (and the mpg was nice), but has large blindspots in the front corners, so watch for pedestrians while turning & is lightweight so the wind blows it around on the highway. In 2009, w/ 45k mi, while replacing tires, found out there was a bent inner tie rod, which requires replacing this whole chassis ($700-900) it caused tires to wear out faster in the front and the car to wobble between 50-65 mph. 62k mi & the clock broke. After only 64k mi & regular maintenance, the engine died. Better replace the timing belt before 60k mi. Too bad it wouldnt have been worth it anyway. Disappointing.

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  Good hauler but nickeled and dimed to death - 1995 Chevrolet Astro
  By jbaggins - July 22 - 11:06 am

  We bought the 95 in 2004 for $4000. It had A/C, AWD and seating for 8. We had just had our 4th child so needed something that could seat 6 so that threw out most of the cars from the equation. I loved this van but it started to cost money and working under the hood was a real pain due to the engine compartment being so small and the "dog house" in the interior having to be removed to work on anything. Mechanics automatically charge more to work on these types of vehicle since there is a lot of effort to gain access to the parts that need to be replaced. Luckily, I could do a lot of the work my self. For the 5 years we owned it, I put about $1000-1500 each year into it.

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  Great around-town car - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By 4hudsons - July 17 - 6:43 am

  The Prism is a great around town car, but NOT for traveling. I have 260,000 miles on my manual shift and lost 4th gear last September and I am still getting over 34 miles to the gallon. The throwout bearing went bad at about 220,000 miles and we went ahead and rebuilt the motor since it was out and was losing compression. It runs like a new one except for the pesky 4th gear. The interior is very cheap and the door handles break easily. We bought this car new with only 11 miles on it, 8 we put on during the test drive. The car is great for around town and short trips less than 2 hours but uncomfortable on any further distance, especially in the back seat. The suspension is very cheap.

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  Terrible Car. - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By journey615 - July 9 - 12:39 pm

  My 2006 HHR is the 2nd car Ive ever owned and the first car Ive ever made payments on. Needless to say, I was extremely excited when I purchased it. That is, until the next time it rained. My car has leaked during a rain storm a total of 5 or more times now. First, it was through the sunroof (which I assumed was my fault). Then it leaked throught the passenger side door. Now it leaks through both doors. Every time it rains, I end up vacuuming my floorboard and spraying Lysol all over my car the next day. My car has been nothing but a hassle ever since I purchased it in September 2011. I do not recommend purchasing one as I am buying another car as soon as I can.

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  2006 SS rain management system failure - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By tompmn - July 5 - 2:48 pm

  Our 2006 Impala SS leaks A LOT on the drivers side by the emergency brake every time it rains. I inquired with my Chevy dealer and said my car leaks when it rains without providing details and the technician indicated the "rain management system" has failed. He told me to look at the headliner and see if there is a water stain. Sure enough there was. I inquired if there was a recall and he said no, it will cost minimum of $500 to look at it and $135 hour to trace the leak. All original equipment, no rust or windshield change. This is our second Impala and i am extremely disappointed with Chevrolet Quality and their position. I would not buy another Impala.

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  You get what you pay for - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By dustyrose2 - July 1 - 12:48 pm

  I bought this car in 2006 with 60K miles. Its has needed alot of repairs, all my gauges stopped working in 2009, windshield wipers wont stop when you turn them off since 2010, air conditioner makes a constant ticking/clicking sound all the time since right after i bought it, I replaced the engine coils 2x, replaced ignition control module 6x, replaced water pump, fuel pump, clutch, many others cant remember everything, my timing belt started going out last week so I finally traded it in for a new car. Inside of the car is very cheap and basic, but hey the car was cheap and you get what you pay for. The gas mileage was excellent, I say its a good starter car for a teenager.

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  Just like me, love it or hate it - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By slick81 - July 1 - 7:40 am

  I love my TB, i bought it n 04. I now have over 230,000 miles on her. Over the last 3 yrs I have put 2 transissions in her , fuel pump, 2 alt., a starter, new battery, several sets of tires. I have put alot of money into her, however she now acts like she is going to cut off when i stop or take off. the rpms either rev up to 2000+ or they drop down to like 400-. I have had the throttle body cleaned and a tune up, but she is still acting up. however, even w/ all of the problems ive had, i still cant seem to trade her in yet. I always say, ill rock her till her wheels fall off, however, im pretty sure they fell off and i just put new ones back on

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  A disappointment - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By - June 30 - 10:59 am

  Looking for an economy car for work, I purchased a 1LT automatic on Memorial Day, but after 30 days I traded it. The main reason is that I couldnt get comfortable in the drivers seat. The seat bolsters are very tight, and the manual seat adjustment is awkward. The turbo engine and six-speed automatic often get out of synch, leaving the car "hunting" for the right gear. Sometimes it barely wants to accelerate, but when everything hooks up right, it moves well. The electronic steering is very light, little road feel. No inside trunk or gas cap release. This car is fine for a teenager to look good in, but not one for a serious enthusiast. Also, this car has no resale value.