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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  - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By aardvarkadillo - December 10 - 2:26 pm

  Chevy got the outward appearances right. The inside? Good, but not great. I bought this car in 2009 ("NEW"), and have put 15,001 miles on it. It now sits in my garage. Why? The steering problems are serious enough that the dealership has replaced the rack and pinion FOUR times. Yes, four times. My dealership has been great, in multiple efforts to cure the steering problems. The noise and feedback are so severe that theyve done everything under the hood they can-- hoses, filters, fittings, the MOTOR MOUNTS, and so on......... The dealer has tried calling GM engineers, and no solution has been found. What is the word for this??? Lime?

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  bad deal - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Anonymous - December 8 - 2:00 am

  i bought this car brand new and i loved it at first. Then i started to have problems, rear defrost dont shut off, needed a new rack and pinion at 25,000 miles and know at 34,500 miles i need a new ball joint and we had new tires put on the car and they cant do an alignment on the tires because of the way the tires sit on the rims. They have low profile tires and they look nice but they are awful.

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  Brake lights door locks and alarms - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Anonymous - December 6 - 2:00 am

  I have a 2007 Chevrolet Colorado my alarm was going off for no reason this truchk only has 11587 miles I drive it very little It cost 161.00 for the sencer ti be replaced Now the Abs light comces on the drivers window is messed up.Maybe it is time I llok for another company I have only bought chhevys my whole life but now who knows

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  I will never buy a Chevy again! - 2006 Chevrolet Suburban
  By JO - December 3 - 2:00 am

  First the gas tank went. 2nd the transmission failed. 3rd 4 wheel drive got stuck and had to be replaced. Now I am constantly loosing anti freeze. (another big problem) Chevy is so bad. Ps I had to pay out of my own pocket. No help from Chevy. Do not buy a Chevy!

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  Worst Car Ever! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Worse Car - November 30 - 2:00 am

  I am currently leasing this car and hate it....I have had issues with the locks not working on every door, and issues with the drivers side door not opening from the inside or outside. The doom light has been making noise and every time I take it in they can not find what is wrong. Now I need new brakes and rotors and my car is only two years old. Plus there is a knocking noise in the steering wheel. I hate this car.

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  Unreliability - 2009 Chevrolet Equinox
  By trishe - November 20 - 2:00 am

  Although it has a lot of good features it is very unreliable since you must drive it long distances to keep the battery charged or leave it running if you are making a lot of short stops. If it sits more than 2 days you have a dead battery. The dealer can not seem to find the problem. The console is awkward to use where there are two people in the car. The defrosters and most vents come through outside air and across the engine. The air bounces off the window and into your eyes and bringing the toxins from the engine with it and stinging eyes and causing congestion. My small pickup has a better turning radius. I will take a lose trading it in for something other than a Chevrolet.

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  Excited at first, not anymore... - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By michstangfan - November 18 - 2:00 am

  Off the bat, I loved this car. Wanted a nice looking car that was fun to drive and good on gas, not to mention affordable. Interior and exterior styling are great and you cant beat the price. After driving the car for only 3 months now, it has been a nightmare. Windshield leak warranted an entire replacement of the windshield, heated seats stopped working, security light randomly comes on, transmission glitches and needs to be serviced monthly, wood (plastic) trim pops out of its clips. Biggest problem, high beam headlamp already burnt out and you have to remove the entire front end to access the bulbs! Oh and oil changes, forget doing them yourself, youll need a special tool.

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  Just a warning - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Edna - November 16 - 2:00 am

  The car is new, so too soon to tell if it will stand up to the test of time. I like the look of the car. Seats not great, could be more comfortable. Love the on star feature. When I needed help with getting a spare the Chevy dealership, and the Chevy corporate headquarters was very unresponsive. I would hate to have to deal with them over a really serious issue, they just dont seem to care once your out the door and they have your money.

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  Was ok at first - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By Thomas - November 13 - 2:00 am

  Vehicle purchased in California, where it did not rain very much at all. Moved to Virginia, when the rain came, the rain leaked through. So much got through the carpet had to be pulled out due to mildew. Mechanically (engine and Transmission) the van is still strong. However, the other (ABS system, sensors, brakes, wheel hubs) have all been an issue. Hub bearings and ABS sensors replaced, ABS light still comes on. Engine sensors can be a bit hectic to decipher and replace. When the van works it works well. However, that has not seemed to be the norm. The leak mentioned, has not been able to be figured out or fixed, the windshield has been resealed with polyurethane to no avail.

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  A money pit - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Kat - November 11 - 2:00 am

  One headache after another: Oil leaks, new fuel and brake lines needed, brakes and rotors needed frequent replacement, rear door hatch did not work properly, nor did the windshield wiper fluid nozzle in the rear. Ball joints and U joints were bad. Gas gauge did not work. Emergency brake issues. Alternator and starter were bad. Vanity light would not turn off, slowly draining the battery , which had to be replaced twice already. Numerous other issues to mention. We got rid of it before it died completely. We could have almost purchased another vehicle for the money we put into it just to keep it running. We will never buy another one.