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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  Equinox = Nice SUV - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Greenfamily12 - July 17 - 8:36 pm

  I recently went out and traded in my Trailblazer SS for a new Equinox and I am very impressed. The gas mileage in this thing is phenominal for an SUV (thats not a hybrid). I travel a lot for work so I have had many chances to get a feel for it and I really like it. My wife also likes it. The ride is very comfortable and is almost ideal for long trips. For those of you who like to ride high but also want good gas mileage and a comfortable ride, this is the one for you! I wish I would have got the AWD but my gas mileage would have suffered. Also 17" rims are very nice a attractive!

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  A Rattle Trap - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 2007 Rattle Trap - July 17 - 5:23 pm

  Ive owned my 2007 Corvette since October 13, 2006 and have had problems with the electronics in alarm system (which continue), severe problems with rattles coming from behind the dashboard due to broken welds and roof pins that were too small, and a bad shock absorber. The first repair to fix the broken weld took almost 6- weeks. After a month and less than 500 miles the rattle is back. Great looking car with substantial performance, but extremely poor quality. I wouldnt recommend anyone spend $45,000 or more for such a poor quality car which inturn leads to continue fustrations trying to get your problems resolved. To be honest I expected a higher quality car for the price I paid.

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  2007 Avalanche - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Wayne - July 17 - 8:36 am

  I realize now that all of the reviews I read before purchasing are true. The new Avalanche rides like a luxury car but, it is a lumbering beast. You would never guess that it has 300HP, you really have to step on it to get it to go. Averaging 16 miles/gallon. If you are looking for pep or gas mileage, forget it. If you are looking for luxury and versatility, it is an awesome vehicle.

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  Love my SS - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By lovemySS - July 16 - 9:57 pm

  This car is a great all around buy! Gets good mileage, excellent performance for the money. Have only had minor wire harness problem, burnt thru the fuel injector wire, warnt covered. interior is nice, no rattles. I drive 88 miles round trip to work daily, and its a curvy hilly drive, and I love it. Makes going to work a pleasure. Downside, cramped back seats for anybody other than a child. Rough ride on a rough street. Could use a 6 speed gearbox. Definitely recommend this car

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  2003 Chevy Cavalier - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cslav - July 16 - 10:00 am

  Manual 5sp.transmission is smooth, 2.2L/140hp engine has adequate pick up and acceleration. Very smooth and quiet ride. Suspension and handling are excellent. Would like to see how it performs in the snow. Braking is excellent. Overall a great performer, for a basic car. Exterior design is beautiful. Paint appears of excellent quality. Interior design is lacking a bit, though. Its definitely NO FRILLS, and driver seat comfort isnt that great. Its functional, to say the least. Definitely a good car, overall; and I always find Chevy engines to be very reliable. With the $5000 rebates offered on 2003 models, this car is a great deal.

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  Love this car but wheres my fuel going? - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By James Cooksey - July 13 - 10:23 pm

  Love this car, bought it in Henderson Nevada and promptly drove it to Salt Lake City 425 miles and averaged 18 mpg. I was told that we were going to get a hell of a lot better mileage than that. Anybody have any suggestions? If not I believe I am going to opt for the 60 day return policy. I bought this car looking for good fuel economy as far as that goes I am very disappointed!!!

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  Supercharged fun - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By GIVEMEPOWER - July 13 - 2:13 pm

  The Supercharged SS is the only way to go with this vehicle. While power could be greatly improved yet to keep up with Mustang and Charger, overall the vehicle has decent pickup. Great handling and a simple but spacious interior make this a fun car to drive... a real head turner.

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  Great Car For The Price! - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Crystal - July 13 - 10:21 am

  I really enjoy my Cobalt. I was lucky enough to have a friend who worked for Chevy. He worked everything out for me. My Cobalt is by no means a fast sports car or a luxury Lexus or anything, but it has been a wonderful car. I have had no problems in 2 years and anything I needed done got fixed promptly and w/o out any questions from Chevy. I do wish the gas mileage was a little better, but it rides great and is comfortable for trips. Its a great car for the low price

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  Solid car - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By GreggVT - July 11 - 6:05 pm

  I purchased this car five years ago and have been happy with it. Being an older car, I have had to get some repairs done on it. However, none of the repairs have been major. I bought it with a little over 100000 miles and its running strong at almost 160K.

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  WAS a great car!! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By grg011668 - July 11 - 10:02 am

  I loved this car. The gas door cable broke for the 3rd time & last time - didnt fix it again. I was the only owner/driver. GREAT gas mileage. I do a lot of traveling & the car was comfortable. On a trip to Houston this week, the timing belt broke. Turns out this is a known issue - covered by recall up to 60k miles. My car had 59335 miles. After the 60k, should it happen again, Im out of luck. So the car got traded for a Colorado. Lots of other little things have gone wrong with this car, but thats to be expected for a first year model. Otherwise, the travel aspect - comfort & mileage - were wonderful!!