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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  Bullet Proof - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Darren - March 2 - 7:32 pm

  I am a police officer, and I was issued an 06 impala 3 years ago. I have easily put 2700 hrs sitting, driving, and idling in this car. With stiffer suspension, and different seats this is a stock LT with the 3.9 liter engine. It rocks! I have gone though 3 front brakes, 2 sets of tires and a trany line at 85000 miles. Other than that, I have had nothing but regular oil changes. I drive this car very hard everyday! I still have it, and it has 91000 miles on it. As it is due for retirement very soon, I thought I would give it some props. It still has the giddy-up to get the speeders out there, and I am still comfortable in it. My wife and I are looking to buy one now, great car!!!

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  Great while it lasted - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By weakweek85 - March 2 - 2:27 pm

  I bought this wonderful car off of a neighbor down the street. it had 138000 miles on it initially. ran great for a few months, but had a lot of brake problems. one day without warning when i as still under the 3000 mile mark between oil changes, my engine blew out, leaving me devastated. the car died at 147000 miles. i had no warning lights to tell me something was wrong, until the oil pressure light went on AFTER it died. i guess its hit or miss with these cars

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  2010 LT2 AWD - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By minihorse - March 2 - 2:23 pm

  Only have 1100 miles on this traverse so far but have not had any problems. We have 6 children so a minimum 8 passenger was required. Much better gas economy than the 12 passenger Express. Is my wifes car and so far she is satisfied, time will tell.

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  Our Traverse LTZ took us cross country! - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Jim - March 2 - 1:44 pm

  We bought our 2010 Traverse LTZ Sept. 21st in NC and left for Nevada Sept. 25th. When not driving in heavy 50 MPH headwinds in Arizona, we average 24.4 MPG at 7 MPH over posted speeds. My wife purchased plastic storage containers for our clothes, which we selected the next days wear from when stopping at hotels. Both second and third row seats remained folded flat to maximize needed storage for 5 weeks! The ice chest for bottled water rode strapped in with seat belt across the two second row bucket seats. One flat tire in Las Vegas was caused by construction material & repaired by the local dealership. An oil change was needed in Texas upon our return route. We were very comfortable.

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  Trailblazer Still Stacks Up - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By JEM77 - March 2 - 12:36 pm

  Think about price and reliability and youll find the Trailblazer LT really holds up. This is my second and it has plenty of power, comfort, and a price point that allows for many extras including a factory sunroof. It goes anywhere and I never have had an issue with it. The 4WD is an option as well, I live in FL so no need. The critics ratings are often harsh because its been around a while and not cache, but note owner ratings, owners love the car.

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  PLEASE consider your options first - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By smyoung312 - March 2 - 11:56 am

  I have had this car for 5 years now, & I have many issues with it. First, the pump that dispenses the washer fluid went out, 3 years ago! Now, my drivers door will not lock unless I manually lock it myself, but will not unlock unless I physically crawl through my car, and unlock it from the inside (key doesnt work in the door). My car can be on without the key in the ignition, my running lights wont stay on, and my automatic lights dont turn on either, which has resulted in a dead battery numerous times! I have had many problems with this car, and not enough $ to fix them! The problems just keep stacking up! Oh and my CD player eats my CDs if Ive been in the car for more than 20 minutes!

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  So Disappointed - 2009 Chevrolet Equinox
  By brownlol - March 1 - 4:01 pm

  I have only owned Honda or Ford SUVs. Purchased in July 09, looked and test drove several. Read reviews. This was the last on the lot. Loved the car in the beginning. First, the Onstar battery had to be replaced. Second, there is a knocking noise when I turn the steering wheel. Been to the dealership 3 times. The first 2 times, they couldnt hear anything, the last time they heard a slight noise, but no explanation as to why I continue to hear this noise. Dont want the hassle of going through the lemon law. I hate having to pay for a truck that feels like a piece of crap. Its the first and last time buying a Chevy.

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  What a mistake - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Ranger - March 1 - 3:35 pm

  We used the NHTSA and FuelEconomy.gov websites to narrow our search. We chose this based on their ratings and boy, were they way off. My son tapped a deer one night, didnt even break the headlight lens. $5500. At 75k miles were putting on the third set of high quality tires. It is the noisiest vehicle Ive ridden in since leaving the Army, the mileage is about 14mpg, my 2007 3/4 ton 4WD Diesel has a tighter turn radius and these seats are absolutely terrible. Spilled water on the seats and they look terrible and stains wont come out. Cant sit in them more than an hour. There is nothing redeeming about this vehicle.

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  2009 Chevy Colorado - 2009 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Donnie - March 1 - 12:42 pm

  Overall a nice smaller sized truck. Gas mileage is okay at best, average 22 hwy and city. Ive had few issues with since I bought it new in Sept 09. 1st, the battery continued to fail and leave me stranded over and over, the dash board creeks, pops, and whatever noise you could imagine, and lastly I get moisture in the oil over and over again. Dealership says its fine.

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  My Favorite Vehicle - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By LoveMyEquinox - March 1 - 9:41 am

  I bought a gently used 2008 Chevy Equinox Sport last year. I searched long and hard to find a bad review about it, and could only find a few complaints about the location of the window controls and the cup holders. I LOVE my truck! It gets good gas mileage (~19-26 mpg). The engine is very responsive. Traction is great. Drives like a dream. People who occasionally borrow my vehicle cannot believe it is "Chevrolet". One commented how my Sport drives more like a Mercedes. It is roomy and comfy. I even fit a full-sized futon in it last year as I helped a friend move! It was difficult to locate a used Sport, but it was worth the wait. Plan to drive it for years.