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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  A little iffy - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Steph - January 13 - 3:36 am

  Have had the Equinox for 6 mths. I am very satisfied with the comfort and room in the interior. The only problem, the seats stain really bad when rain gets on them. The exterior is beautiful. Other than the bumpers fading, its great. As far as the vehicle itself, I am very unsatisfied. Been in the shop several times and never found a problem. Have problems starting it sometimes, check engine light comes on almost everyday. I went from a 2000 Protege to this, a brand new car, and would much rather have my old car back, never had any problems.

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  Money Pit - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Kiki - January 12 - 5:32 pm

  I love my Tahoe, but I have had many problems with it. The intermediate shafts gone out twice. The actuator for the vent controls going out (will eventually lose control over where the a/c and heat come out). Speedometer cluster went out. Passenger windows getting slow. Steering wheel and driver door sqeak uncontrollably (door bolt costs $100 to fix). Chevy says actuator, intermediat shaft, and speedometer cluster problems are common in Tahoes with this body style. Not sure if Ill ever buy another one. All of the problems have been expensive and made me dislike the car that I once loved. Not worth the money. The new ones would have to be totally different for me to buy one.

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  Solid performer - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By tommyg22 - January 10 - 5:21 am

  Overall I have to say that I really enjoy the look and ride of this truck although I did have to replace the coil pack at about 66,000 (No big deal 250.00) other than that I really dont understand the other reviews about lack of power. The inline 5 plenty of power and if I put my foot down I can roast the rears all day long. Thanks for a good one Chevy!

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  Malibu Maxx - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By GBahnUT - January 9 - 1:16 pm

  This vehicle is a nice design with many great features. The build quality is suspect since it has numerous rattles all over.

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  Awesome vehicle - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By simplefello - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I currently own 2000 z-71. I love the truck, needless to say. It handles excellent offroad, and the 5.3l v8 has plenty of power and torc to get you out of some sticky situations while offroad. I would recommend this vehicle, and although I have not had any problems, I would recommend purchasing the extended warranty. The warranty is not expensive, and if you dont get it you cannot get it when your warranty runs out. good luck.

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  Z34 3.4 Engine Timing Belt Poor Design - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By 93 Lumina Z34 Coupe - January 9 - 7:21 am

  I bought the Z34 Lumina 2 years ago and and was told that the timing belt had been replaced and would need to be done at 111000 miles. I have only driven 5000 miles since I bought it. Had not a single problem until just after it passed inspection 2 years after I purchase it, in one day it needed a water pump new serpetine belt, oil pan gasket, oil pump.and water pump. If I did not keep in garage and drive it so little these problems would have shown up in a month or two, most likely. I hear that the timing belt replacement every 60k is a must. The ABS brakes never worked and the ABS dash light came on right after 2 yr inspection. I understand that in NJ that is not cause to fail. Great otherwise

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  Chevy got mine right! - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By denny270 - January 9 - 2:23 am

  Purchasing Sivlerado new was a very smart move for me. At the time Im writing this I have 185,000 miles on the thing. Im on my third set of rear break pads, I replaced the fronts at 173,000 miles. The only currrent issue is a very small amount of surface rust on the rocker panels (rust is expected in Michigan). Ive got the 4.8 liter, it just keeps running and getting around 18MPG(average). I had to replace the drivers window motor at 39,000 miles, the instrument cluster and drive shaft replacement were both warrenty work.

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  A great bet - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Luke - January 8 - 2:21 pm

  Although not the most stylish or fast, this is truly a reliable car. First one that I bought and owned, I havent had a major problem after 60,000 miles of driving. The only problems were a burnt out light bulb in the dash, and a little leaking brake fluid now that my brakes are getting to the point of needing replacement. It handles fairly well in the snow with the cooper tires on it. The side air bags give it a good safety rating, and the overdrive on the Lsi means great gas mileage. I know theres a Chevy emblem on the front but theres "Toyota Corolla" printed on the gas cap ) Its just a good, solid car.

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  My review on the car I own - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Charles terrell - January 7 - 3:19 am

  This car ,2002 Chevy trailblazer, is a great used suv. It has decent gas usage, its relatable ,but dont get it stuck .

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  Thank God for OnStar - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Dr. Tim - January 6 - 6:02 pm

  Buy this vehicle if you are into wasting your time, riding in tow trucks with nice drivers, making calls to OnStar, and not sleeping much. I have been towed 3 times in 10 days for 2 different problems. 13k miles, 7 months old. Two times I was more than an hour and a half away from home. Used to love it, now looking at the 2008 Sequoia. I went with Tahoe vs. Land Rover for reliability. Non-stop electrical and mechanical issues. If you buy one, make sure you line up rides from friends and family before it strands you.