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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  Best SUV ever - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By lovemytahoe - September 6 - 10:08 pm

  A great choice for comfort and performance. 5.3 liter V8s are also Flex fuel which is a plus. We have gotten as high as 21 mpg. on the interstate at 80 mph burning gasoline. What a quiet highway vehicle, with power to spare for towing our jeep. Very few minor things have gone wrong, two replacements of the radio, a sensor etc. We love this vehicle and plan to keep it a long time

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  Sad, Disappointed, and Frustrated - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Teri - September 6 - 6:10 pm

  I bought this car because I needed a roomier vehicle, which it is compared to the Saturn I had. Im sad and disappointed because I have had this car back to the shop 4 times due to a gas smell and jerky, sluggish motor on acceleration. Many things have been repaired but the jerky, sluggish motor is still there. Im frustrated because I love the look of the Impalas (always have) and I had a Lumina for 4 years that gave me absolutely no problems, loved that car! The Impala just doesnt compare and hasnt been what I expected. GM certainly has gone down in quality!

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  Not too great - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Arnold - September 5 - 10:25 pm

  I had this car for three years. Fuel consumption is great, all controls are good location. Smooth ride. Steering control and braking is excellent. Visibilty is great. Stereo doesnt have aux input and hard or cannot be upgraded. engine are noisy. I sent the car several times to the dealership for steering problem, cd drive running continously, small area paint peeling off under 2 front door and at the luggage door. Within two years under 12000 miles, they had replaced the lower ball joint and lower arm assembly due to clunking noise in the front suspension when it hit a bump even though that I drive it carefully.

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  S10...I wish they still made them - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By numyar - September 5 - 5:50 pm

  I have very few problems with this truck. I have the 4.3L which has plenty of power. Like every GM product Ive owned, you cant beat the powertrain! I get about 22 to 24 on the highway, cant complain about that. (Im no light foot). I have the sport pack, fatty tires, sport suspension, custom wheels, it still turns heads! The only complaints I have are: 3rd door handle-Ive broken 3,not replacing it again! 3rd door/driver door rattle bad together...really bad! The CD player does whatever it wants to. It might play the disk or spit it out for no reason or just keep trying to read it and then spit it out. I still love the truck and would buy another...keep the Colorado!

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  I got a bad one! - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By ejgalindo - September 5 - 10:33 am

  I bought this car last summer and have had several problems ever since. The tires and its sensors have been going bad since day one. Had all sensors and tires replaced. At 16K miles, the AC compressor went out and busted the drive belt. Transmission leaks in the upper seal and gasket, which I took care of in my mechanic shop. Suspension was replaced on the left side due to a minor accident, but its still not the same. Im really disappointed with this vehicle. Ive wasted a lot of time getting this car in and out of the shop. Both my parents have new Chevys and thats all weve owned. I guess I just got the bad one in the bunch.

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  Should have leased it instead - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kb - September 4 - 8:55 pm

  The styling of the car is impressive as it has the lines of a much more expensive car. The ride has been disappointing. Very bumpy and not driver friendly at highway speeds. I was willing to overlook the firm ride if highway stability was solid but thats just not the case. The transmission has a tendency to shift up at low RPM (1K-2K) leaving normal acceleration feeling tired. Although, the 6cyl is very responsive if you step on it or use the paddle shifter instead.

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  Truck built as SUV! - 1994 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Eric - September 4 - 5:01 pm

  This is by far the best vehicle Ive ever had. 365,000 kms and nothing has gone wrong, a true tribute to Chevy. Completly stock and still works great! power is good, 4x4 is sick. An impressive vehicle.

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  If it isnt broke, dont fix it! - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By msdriver - September 4 - 3:37 pm

  Just bought this vehicle and everything appears well. Carfax report checked out OK. Driveability is good, mpgs are lower than expected in town. Sharp looking SUV although my model has wheel covers instead of alloy rims. Power seems to be sufficient at 185 hp. 45,000 miles and only routine maintenance. Pleased so far. Only downfall, as several have mentioned, is the suspension noise from the front end. Very disturbing on less than perfect roads.

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  Solid Truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By horsing-around - September 4 - 10:00 am

  This is a solid truck. It is used for trailering, hauling, commuting to work, etc. Only down side is its turing radius.

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  easy rider - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By noxman - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Replacing a mini van with the Equinox. Just as with our Venture, the stock tires must go so the sharp edges of the ride quality will be smoothed out. The Nox has a tighter feel without much body pitch. The electronic steering is a big plus no dead center spot and good progressive change with road speed. Interior noise levels are very good. the performance of the sunroof (wind noise and buffeting) is not as good as some other models I have owned. The only fault I had to fix was the rear headrests, the block the rear view.