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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  4.3 Motor is Strong and Thats about It - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By KC - September 11 - 2:00 am

  this small unattractive suv is suppose to be more fuel efficient then the suburban, but this is not the case...its certainly not more reliable. transmission replaced at 120k, fuel pump at 150k, ac compressor at 160k, but thats it, so reliability isnt too bad. today the mileage is 215,000. though the paint is fading and the windows leak when it rains, the motor ignites and runs as it did at 90k miles, not too shabby!

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  Trouble - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By colorsendinink - September 8 - 10:10 am

  i just bought this car with 71,000 miles and its already giving me problems. i took it back to the dealer 3 times to get it repaired because it overheats all the time. the car has no power whatsoever. one good thing about it is the gas mileage, thats awesome because i have a long commute to school every day.

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  Dont Buy it! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Courtney - August 30 - 9:33 am

  Worst car ever. Like someone else said, it should have had a lot more recalls than it does. My car crapped out at 37,000 miles. First car problem I had was 2 months after I drove it off the lot. Your car shouldnt break down on the side of a highway when it only has 300 miles on it! I spent more time driving the rental cars because of the amount of time spent on repairs! I ended up letting it repo so I didnt have to deal with it any longer since the dealership wouldnt take it back.

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  Terrible vehicle, poor dealer - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By hangman - August 27 - 3:20 pm

  Purchased 1-8-09, fully loaded $45K. From day one problems every few months. Four serious problems. On 2 long trips this vehicle almost left us stranded on the road. Once, it almost caught fire(bad cable connection under hood), rear lift gate left strut went bad and lift gate fell right on my head. GM & Chevy say: Well, it is fixed now and that then end of what we will do.

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  Do not buy this to tow anything - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By john davis - August 27 - 8:21 am

  I purchased 2008 SUV 2 weeks ago. I read reviews. GMs claims were that this car would tow 5200 lbs and up depending on rear end. My boat and trailer weigh 3600. Now to tow on flat interstate highway it will not tow in fourth at all at speed limit without dropping to 3rd gear and 2nd gear on an incline. We contacted gm. They said there was nothing wrong and to tow in third gear 1300 miles to Florida down and 1300 back even though 2 states are mountain states and it would be in 2nd gear at least 1/2 of the time. This is very hard on whole drive train and would diminish the life of vehicle. Their 4.2 6 cyl. is rated at 291 hp at 6500 rpm but max rpm is 4500 how can you research like that just sick

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  Big Disapointment - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Sad - August 26 - 10:49 pm

  Have always bought Gm product and the have always treated me well but this thing is a joke. The mileage is a joke at 15 mpg. I get 21 from a full size truck and Tahoe! As for the towing capacity it is the same as my wifes Escape. What a joke! The thing is falling apart. The roof leaks, the headliners and carpet are shot! Cheap plastic that breaks with little effort. The front turn signals keep getting corrosion in the plugs and have to be cleaned month after month. I do not abuse my vehicles in any way. This thing is junk!

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  Purple electrical nightmare - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Betrayed chevy owner - August 25 - 1:43 pm

  I bought this car ignorantly in may after totalling out my impala. I wanted another impala but couldnt find one for the price I payed originally. I found this purple equinox that I had to have but then I realized my eyes are bigger than my patience. The doors leak, the ac works when it wants to, it starts when it feels like it, the radio changes stations at random, the cd player has to be pounded on by your hand to work, last night the headlights started flickering and went out and now only the drivers side headlight works and only on bright. The lights on the dashboard randomly dim, have to be hit to work again, and Im not done yet...

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  My Review - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Rachel - August 23 - 9:58 pm

  This car is the worst car I have ever driven. Been in the shop more than 4 times. Air conditioner flooded passenger side floor board. Radiator had to be replaced, head gasket replaced and told I need a new engine. Steering wheel shakes when you get over 55 mph and shakes when I slow down. Fuel system sucks. Oil and fuel meter in car not accurate. I will never buy from Chevy again after owning this piece of junk car. Dont buy a Chevy cobalt!

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  Dont Buy This Car - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jessica - August 19 - 11:20 pm

  I bought this car and about 4 months after I purchased it I had to replace the motor, because a piston broke. Then not even a year after that the head gasket started leaking. Ive also had about 8 other mechanical problems in less than 2 years, including a new water pump and a new power steering line. I was going to get the gasket fixed but it runs so bad its not even worth it. I paid $3200 for it and have to junk it for $250 not even 2 years later.

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  Too Many Problems - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By JesusisLord - August 18 - 4:03 pm

  This van has too many issues. We had to disconnect the electric side doors because the alarm would ding even when the doors were shut. Lights flicker and A/C goes down when you let off the gas pedal. Tires have to be replaced every year to year and 1/2 even with alignment and rotation done. Seats stain badly. Rotors warp frequently. ABS light comes on frequently. Gas sensor does not work properly. It says it is empty every time I fill up and the service engine light comes on until I travel around 100 miles or so and it starts working and the light goes off. Seats and dash are cracking. Radio doesnt work sometimes. I would not buy it again.