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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  Dont buy an Equinox - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mmiddlles - November 5 - 2:00 am

  Chevy would not honor warranty issues, I have 50k now, front seats have cracked and are pealing off, no I am not over weight, dash light brunt out with in first two years, very poor fuel economy, first two tanks highway an.d city driving not freeway stop and go I got 11 mpg, went to dealer they said nothing and that the EPA sets those, I got it for the fuel economy assuming that my driving I would get around 20 average. Now it has starting problems, and the ignition is binding up and it take three to eight tries just to be able to turn the key to start the car. I have always been a GM owner and have been extremely loyal, but the cheapness of this vehicle I will never look to GM again.

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  Love my Nox! - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Slinky - November 5 - 2:00 am

  This is my first brand new car and I love it. Needed room for dogs and horse gear. Being 6 tall, this was the only SUV in its class that I did not bump my head getting in and out, or loading either back seats or rear compartment. I looked at the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, BMW 5 and even the Element. This one won out on features. It has tons of room for gear, construction stuff or passengers. For the price, it is a great value. I live in the Northeast, and I cant spin this vehicle around corners!

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  Love my HHR - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By lardeawit - November 5 - 2:00 am

  This is the first new chevrolet I have purchased I got hooked on the HHR when I rented one while my Toyota was in the shop. When I got my toyota back from the shop I went down to the Chevrolet dealer and traded it in on my HHR. Up until now I have always owned a Toyota. I get 25 mpg city and 31 highway.

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  Not a Bad Ride - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Indiana Owner - November 5 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Impala for about 1 1/2 years. About 2 months ago I noticed the car sounded louder. Well turns out there is a major flaw in the muffler a lot of police vehicles have had the same issue. For the part alone its $800+ dealer only part. You have to get the entire system not just the muffler. Needless to say I have been driving with a loud car since. Should be a recall but GM doesnt want to pay for it. Otherwise I like my Impala a lot- the size is good and the ride is nice.

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  Peace of Mind - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By F.Rae - November 4 - 2:00 am

  Believe it or not,our Yukon had 160000 miles when I bought it for my wife on Mothers Day 09. Except for a water pump replacement, which was a snap to do myself, we have had no sign of trouble with this Black Beauty. Great ride. Very comfortable. A little hard on fuel but we dont complain. 12 mpg on average. It was as new inside and out when we bought it and still is as new. A wonderful Vehicle. Only one problem. When our daughter used it one day she did not want to give it back. She drives an acura

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  Bad Choice - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Very Disappointed - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I agree with every bad review on the 2007 Chevy Malibu. I was so excited when I purchased this car November of 2008 and now Im very disappointed. Since having this car, my radio has been replaced with a new one and day later it went bad again. The wheel bearing had to be replaced, the inside dum light too and worst of all like every other 07 Chevy Malibu my power steering column has went bad after 88,000 miles costing a little under a 1,000 bucks to be repaired. There is not a recall and I think that that is not fair when buying a car thats only three years old.

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  Terrible vehicle GM at its worst! - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By bohinski41 - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle brand new in 2007 Ive had it in the shop 5 times! Ive replace spark plugs and plug wires two times in 2 yr period due to cylinder 3 misfire. I constantly have to change head lights. Transmission went out at 51,000 miles! Ive had a wheel bearing go out my tire pressure sensor has went out two times. Ive replaced both axles 2 times a piece. And now after 2 weeks in shop for transmission replacement i have the thing home for an hr and go to get in it and my door handle breaks off and then while im driving down the rd my check engine light starts blinking while the thing is spitting and sputtering so once again cylinder misfire. Piece of junk I recommend not to buy!

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  I Absolutely love my 2008 Malibu LTZ! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dee - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I purchase my 2008 Chevy Malibu LTZ in June 2008. I have the Jewel Red Coat. I absolutely love this car! The body style is still turning heads after two years! My two toned leather seats are beautiful! I have the v6 version and it is extremely fast with excellent acceleration! I have never written a review for anything that I have purchased, but definitely felt the need to write one on this lovely vehicle! I have 47,000 miles on my vehicle and have not had ANY problems. As long as you get regular oil changes and maintenance on your vehicle, your car will be good to you!

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  Fun, Fast, but with trade-offs - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By rskdsk - November 4 - 2:00 am

  The editor reviews are right on . With one exception . This car is far more fun than the 2011 mustang gt! At first, I was impressed with the power, but I felt it was a bit sluggish . Still better feeling than the 2011 mustang gt, but then I found out that the dealer had put 87 octane in the car and that the computer did not reset. I reset the computer and wow it feel great! This car get thumbs up everywhere and it seems that everyone likes them. I have the orange with black automatic and could not be happier with the purchase

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  Pros and cons - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By camaro lover - November 4 - 2:00 am

  Just a beautiful car. Fell in love the second I saw it. From a drivers standpoint, fun to drive. Visibility is not good at all though. Hard to see at stop light if you are anywhere near it, and although I am getting used to it, the visibility while backing up is severely lacking. Perhaps this will get better the more I drive the car, but those are the downfalls. Very quick car, and I cant imagine driving the v8! Overall, definitely worth the purchase and I cant wait until I can take it out and open it up!