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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  Expensive to keep - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Rich Oas - March 7 - 8:03 pm

  Bought at 18K. Took to dealer for electrical probs at 35K. They say nothing wrong...haha. Shortly Replaced... Htr fan switch, exhaust manifold (hole),ABS module,4wd transfer case,ball joints, wheel bearings,tie rods. Currently the htr fan switch is going bad and the gas gauge and speedometer dont work. I rarely get 16 mpg hiway, Air seals poor. The tailgate lock works intermittently, the lights dim on the road and went out on me once at nite. I have put over 5K over and above normal maint into this in 3.5 yr .Nothing covered under warranty. Other than that a real sweet ride. Was a GM customer for life ..never to buy another GM. The small and mid level SUVs and trucks are pure junk.

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  Bought a used 2009 Equinox LS - 2009 Chevrolet Equinox
  By renfeslady - March 7 - 6:01 pm

  Had been looking at new equinox but decided to save some money and go used. The biggest worry was the Stablelizer light but found it only came on when the bumps on the highway were terrible. Drives great, acceleration great. The gas mileage is fine. Didnt buy it for that. Bought a cup holder that sits higher and works great. The controls in the center are too low and hard to see while driving so I dont mess with them unless I am off the road. I can deal with it for the price I got!!

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  Truth in Mileage - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By lostbowl - March 7 - 4:46 pm

  After trading in my 99 Yukon for a 2007 Tahoe with the 4-6-8 modulation and flex fuel capable engine I am totally disappointed with the poor fuel economy! After 20 K, on the clock, and living in the country where all the driving is highway the average is 15.2. Much less than the 99 Yukon.

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  best i ever had . - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Victorvall - March 7 - 1:53 pm

  this was bought in 2002 and driven until a horrendous car accident in 2010 no one was hurt due to the safety of this car but it was totaled , i guess the tree wasnt to forgiving neither was the rain , best car ever though on the lookout for another one .

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  great little car - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Mack 55 - March 7 - 1:41 pm

  I have had this car now for 7 years. It has out lasted all of my friends hondas and toyotas. Unlike most people i have a 5 speed in mine and have never had a problem with power out of the 2.2 4 banger. i have only had to replace the clutch at 165000 miles, and an alternator at 180000 miles. this car still has the same spark plugs that came in it when it was new. only problems now are the power windows with not roll up any more. but what do you expect from a 13 year old car. it still gets 33 mpg hiway and 26 city. great little car wish they still made them.

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  Cold midwest driver feet! - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ally - March 7 - 10:49 am

  Except for poor driver floor heating, too large, tall/uncomfortable headrest and poor interior lighting, car is safe and reliable which are my priorities.

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  Fun to drive, very reliable. - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Daystrom - March 6 - 11:04 pm

  I bought my Cavalier new in March 2002. Still gets great gas mileage even after eight years. Smooth and quite. Handles nicely. Lots of storage. Back seat folds down so you can store long items through the trunk and along the back seat. Only problem have been the power windows. Replaced the front driver side window motor after three years. It has been working fine for the last five years. Now the two back windows are now starting stick. Which is strange, since I dont open them much. Still a great car!

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  Problematic - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By 05 Chevy Cobalt - March 6 - 11:03 pm

  The many problems I have had include the car cutting completely off while I was driving, cd player locks or says error, the embellem in the back looks like it is melting, the door handles on the inside have peeled off & is sharp, there is a knocking sound in the back (very scary esp being a woman), my mirrors show different views of the car behind me (the one that says closer than they appear is actually farther away), the back seat release in the trunk broke off, piece of the seatbelt that attaches to the car broke off, etc. there are many more but im running out of characters! All in all the car runs and I am thankful but many problems

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  Looks are decieving. - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kavalyou - March 6 - 9:20 pm

  Great looking car outside fit very good. Inside seats cannot compare with Euro/Japan cars. Breaks- evry few months. A thumping noise from day one dealer said its normal. Love the sliding rear seat. New development @ 42,000 miles blows out the driver side tailight every two weeks. Electrical components work when they want to and come back online when they want. Now the car doesnt start That famous click and dead....

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  The worse mistake - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Karen - March 6 - 7:59 pm

  We bought this van cause our family was growing, I was showed a different van than the one I had. No A/C in the back, a delay on the starter, the brakes issue, the noise in the back, the steering wheel noise, the glove box lock broke, the doors make noises too, the abs light always on. What a nightmare and now is worse cause is worth nothing and we still owe on it....is a crappy car.