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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  1998 Chevy Blazer LS 4WD 2 door (4.3L) - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Bill Smith - December 8 - 11:09 am

  Its not that bad of a truck. I havent had the best experience with this truck because of the lack of maintenance by the previous owner. I know most of the blazers dont have my problems. But a common problem for the blazers has happened to mine which would be the levers on the seats. Truck is like a beater truck. Engages into 4WD and works great but has problems coming out. Engine is pretty strong. Takes off pretty quick for a 6 cylinder. Makes all kinds of squeaking noises and rear is ready to go. Had to put a new A/C system in the truck including a right-rear axle seal bearing. Like i said the previous owner did not take care of it and abused it. So most blazers most likely will not have this problem. If this truck wasnt abused like it was i would feel strong about the truck. But any vehicle that you abuse will be messed up.

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  Confused transmission !! - 2015 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Richard Martin - December 8 - 9:50 am

  It is a nice ride with a transmission problem that should have never been in any new vehicle. The shift and spike in rpm during shifts is a disgrace. I had it cut off on me the other day. It started back up but it leaves me worried about when will that become an issue. I have had several Chevy cars and trucks in my life but this is my last.

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  Design flaws will cost you a bunch 2015 LTZ - 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Bruce Marjenhoff - December 6 - 5:25 pm

  Wind deflector sits 8 inches from ground when tires inflated at max 40+ psi. Catches tire stops and when backing out, binds deflector and rips deflector off and pulls front fender out. Both items have to be replaced. Cost 1400.00$. Ive had this to happen to my LTZ twice in 6 months. There is no solution that does not revoke warranty. GM Rep aware of problem but wont help. Should be concidered under the lemon law. GM dont care. I can see low deflector on small cars, but not a high sitting car (AKA TRUCK FRAME) wish someone told me before I bought it, I would have chosen another suv.

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  Had it for 5 year only put on 17,000 - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Micah - December 6 - 4:54 pm

  Poor Quality, performance poor. Had to put a quart of oil every 500 miles. No it wasnt leaking. Been to three different mechanics all say need to break into engine, could cost upwards of four grand. Decide to put oil in when needed. Maybe it just a lemon. But will not buy Chevy brand small suv.

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  My first car - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Noel - November 17 - 12:24 pm

  This car was my first car and I wasnt able to get a full years use of it. The first 6 months were great until the check engine light came on. The car then started idling and I had to put out a few 100 bucks for that. Then my fuel system burst into flames, the latest was the abs light coming on and off. Ive had to put way too much money into something I was guaranteed would last a long time. If you need a truly reliable car, dont get this. This car will get you from point A to point B and thats about all

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  Is the Chevy Cruze the new Tom Cruise? - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Brandon - November 11 - 11:16 pm

  Award winning, yes the sound of a F-16 fighter pilot, sort of the best car of 2015, no. The 2015 Chevy Cruze deserves an overall score of 8/10 stars due to the following evaluations: comfort-ability, performance, and design. Comfort-ability was seen throughout the interior of the sedan. Leather seats accompany the RS style of the sedan with adequate temperature control. Driver and passenger seat warmers are a nice feature—especially on cold winter mornings. The Chevy Cruze lacks in comfort for its seating design the electronic seats are adjustable, but only to a certain extent. The seat leaves the driver’s head unsupported and situated at a very low level. With its robotic-like led fog lights to the superbly shaped front, the Chevy Cruze isn’t bad looking. However, its not a head turner by any means. The designers fell short with the back of the car, with no distinguishing feature that sets it apart from other sedans on the market. The front end doesn’t look aggressive, or challenging in anyway. The car reminds me of a derpy looking little brother compared to Chevy’s more sought after vehicles. All in all, for the average consumer the Chevy Cruze gets the job done. Performance surprised me, looking at the car you wouldn’t expect 0-60mph to be under 10 seconds. This car isn’t the next weekend drag racer you’d take up to Bandimere, but from point A to point B the torque developed is enough to keep you from feeling like your stuck in the stone age. The gearbox on the automatic transmission is what kills the fun in driving. Chevy needs to revamp its gear-point changes to deliver a smoother and faster response to the gear-shifts. If your looking for a nice, inexpensive means to get a new sedan for the average driver the Chevy Cruze is a good choice. After two weeks of driving this car, I can say that I had an overall good experience.

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  You will hate AFM on V8 with auto transmission - 2013 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Kevin - November 11 - 5:22 pm

  After 2 years and 13,000 miles i have learned to hate this car which only has one flaw. "Active Fuel Management" (otherwise known as AFM or DOD) There are thousands of posts on the internet about this because your lovely V8 drops into 4 cylinder mode and runs like a nissan Sentra with a bad tune. AFM is not on the car with a manual transmission. So I am trading my beautiful Camaro for a Ford Mustang that has a real V8 without this horrible feature. If you put exhaust on this car with automatic transmission it sounds like a fart mobile every time it goes into 4 cylinder mode. I burn way more gas trying to accelerate the car back into V8 mode.

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  Junk - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Jcommons - November 5 - 1:06 am

  Save yourself a Head ache!!!! I had my cruze 6 months. Bought it at 60,000 ran hot 2nd week air compressor was fried and Im starting to have issues with my transmission pulling. First chance i get it has to go!!!!

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  fuel pump defect: message from Customer Service - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By bob lyon - November 4 - 6:32 am

  Dear Robert, Thank you for getting back to Chevrolet Customer Assistance. Please accept our sincere apologies for our delayed response to your email due to the high email volume. We have processed the information using the vehicle identification number (1G1AS58H197166725) and found out that there is a special coverage #12191. This is to make you aware that some 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt may have a condition where the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump cracks and leaks fuel or fuel vapors. Fuel vapors, in the presence of an ignition source, could potentially cause a vehicle fire. The symptoms of this condition are: - A noticeable fuel odor while the vehicle is being driven or after it is parked - The Check Engine Soon light may be illuminated on the instrument cluster - If the crack is large enough, fuel may be observed on the ground, or vehicle performance may be affected We are conducting a program to address this issue. The program is a special coverage and under it should a vehicle ever experience this condition, the owner must take the vehicle to their GM dealer and have the dealer inspect the vehicle, confirm the condition, and then repair that vehicle for free. Repairs and adjustments qualifying under this special coverage must be performed by a GM dealer for diagnosis and inspection. We also found two open recalls #14092 "Ignition Switch Replacement" and # 14133 "Replace Ignition Key".

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  Fix or Repair Daily Chevrolet - 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By david augenstene - November 1 - 1:19 am

  I bought this car in 1999 with 55000 miles on it. And I kept it for 10 years. This vehicle had the 3.1 V6 and it was quick. It had constant little nagging repair issues. I replaced the gas tank twice (I did drive it in the snow.) The controls were more suited for females, too compact especially on the left side. The tilt wheel broke, the seats had problems. I had a transmission problem that caused it to stall all the time. The ignition module failed within a couple months of buying it. I got rear-ended in it in a chain reaction crash and that had a delayed reaction of the tilt wheel breaking and the seat mounts failing and probably at the end the seat control failing within the next five years. While I was looking to trade it in sometime drilled it with grocery cart and took out a rear light. If you see an RS V6 for sale like a restored or well kept convertible, it would be a nice ride with good gas mileage. It got as good gas mileage as many four bangers Ive owned ( in the range of 22-24mpg in mixed city/highway driving) plus it was fast, a nice sound to that 3.1 winding out.