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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  Great vehicle! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By sara - May 1 - 12:30 pm

  This car is comfortable and fun to drive. Its gas mileage is decent, and my kids love how the back seat reclines. it was a very great price for this car.

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  A Pleasant Surprise - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By bwia - May 1 - 8:00 am

  The Malibu is a fun car to drive. Coming from a Volvo I was reluctant to even consider a domestic. Then I test drove the Malibu and I was hooked. I really preferred the LTZ but the mileage at 17 mpg city is not great so I bought the LS and I was pleasantly surprised with its zippy performance. The car resplendent inside and out. With the two-tone cocoa and cashmere after market leather we installed the LS looks as good as, if not better, than the LTZ. Neighbors and friends are jealous. They canÂ’t believe the luxury features on this car for less than $21,000 (leather included). Oh, I smoked an Acura TL that brought a pleasing and satisfying smile to my wifeÂ’s face. It was almost orgasmic.

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  vibration problems - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By rbw612 - May 1 - 3:14 am

  Getting a vibration a freeway speeds. Dont think its a balance problem as it comes and goes. I have not noticed it when driving up the mountain roads with cruse set at 75 mph, but it really starts to vibrate when going down hill or on the flat when the engine goes into the V-4 mode? I have read many complaints from others having the same problem. Has anyone considered it could be the fuel management system causing this problem? If it was a tire issue or drive shaft problem it would vibrate all the time at highway speeds. Mine only does it when its in the V-4 mode? Anyone else notice this problem only vibrates in the V-4 mode?

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  Total dissapoitment - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jimmyz10 - April 30 - 10:23 pm

  This is my very first brand new truck out a dealer with only 200 miles on it. I bought it 2 days ago and tomorrow is going back to the dealer shop. I didnt drove tested as I had before on pre-owned cars, I figured zero miles zero problems WRONG!! after I drove my beautiful truck around town and on the freeway I noticed a shake or vibration when idling, on speed and at a stop light. It can be feel even at the passenger seat and rear seats, it just SHAKES. I took it back to the dealer and 2 persons drove it and told me that there was definitely something wrong, that they also felt the bad idling. Now after reading all this reviews I think I will be stuck with a 43k dollars PU, not working...

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  peppy little truck - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By harescrambled - April 30 - 10:00 am

  If you wanna turn heads quickly this is the truck for you.

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  (Sink) Like a Rock - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By LeonardJ - April 30 - 10:00 am

  For the first 1,500 miles, it was a great truck. Then the sporatic rough idling started. The dealer says that it is a computer glitch. "Bring it back in three weeks, we might have a fix for it by then", says the dealer; "Chevrolet will certainly have the glitch worked out within the next three months". In the mean time, the problem continues. The mechanic told me that "lots of Colorados have this problem". GM unleashes another untested design on the buying public. Remember the 1977 Oldsmobile diesel fiasco? I do!! This is my last GM product.

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  Just Bought One - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Wayne McDowell - April 30 - 10:00 am

  I really like the Equinox except for one thing. The head rests are so uncomfortable they give you a headache on a long trip. We complained to GM and it seems we arent alone with the complaint. They moved the head rests forward 2" in the 2005 model. My wife doesnt even want to sit in it if we are driving more than 30 minutes. The seats are overly comfortable either.

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  New Chevy driver - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Eddie - April 30 - 1:10 am

  The little truck turned out to be a lot more fun to drive than I thought. The engine is a little noisy when on the gas. I really dont like the not having a key lock on the drivers side.The gas mileage is great. I average 25mpg. I looked at Nissan and Toyota, and both were too pricey for what I needed in a pickup. I drove the Nissan and Toyota and neither truck had the power that the Chevy had.

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  Love It - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By imapalaguy - April 29 - 11:20 am

  Great interior space, very roomy and comfy. Easy to use instruments. Great mileage, and love the extra 5th gear in the new transmission. Its awesome on the highway

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  Certified Pre-Owned Value? - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Brett Wedekind - April 29 - 7:49 am

  Buying the Camaro SS from the dealer provided me with the opportunity to purchase the extended warranty/service plan, which Im glad I did. In would recommend this to anyone buying available used sports car. It was much more affordable than buying a new model.