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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  Good, but not safe - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By 02Cavvy - June 19 - 12:39 am

  I bought this car in 2007 w/22K miles. I wrecked it just recently due to someone pulling out in front of me. I hit the other car doing 40 mph and it totaled my car. The frame was warped, windshield cracked, engine shoved back, but still able to go 5 mph to move it. Ive had to replace the back left speed sensor (whole brake drum, great planning Chevy - not.) I had the engine mounts go bad, O2 sensor, etc. I had to replace the front bumper pieces and that was around $500 just for parts. Poor build quality, I had panels gaping in one spot and pressed tightly in others. Its a good car if you want good gas mileage and something reliable in winter. Dont wreck youll be seriously injured.

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  Dont - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By LS - June 17 - 9:45 pm

  I got this car for my 16th birthday with about 40k on it. Immediately, we had to replace the computer in it, as well as the ignition switch. Then the brakes went out. Then I had a leak in my engine coolant (too expensive to repair at the time- $800++, and still unfixed). Then the catalytic converter. Then the fuel pump. Then the brakes again. Then the theft system shorted out. Then the ignition switch again. Now, the computer is acting up again... I have to reset the computer each time before I start it. It only has 96k on it now. We have spent at least $5k in repairs on this car. Probably more. My dad just bought a new Malibu, and it seems nice though. Time will tell. I wont buy 1.

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  Cobalts are JUNK - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By PA Cobalt Owner - June 16 - 7:26 pm

  Was happy with the car for the first couple of weeks, but since it has been nothing but a headache. All sorts of problems including door locks trapping us in or out of car, serious vibrations when driving, cheap and fast-wearing interior, manual tranny problems, leaking sunroof, and headlight issues.

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  Sold it as quickly as I could - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By joe billyhill - June 13 - 3:42 pm

  In 1998 I saw a used 1992 Z24 for $10K w/15K miles on it. I figured it would be a deal. I got it at a dealership and an extended warranty with it. The problems started immediately with the heater core going out. When changing the oil antifreeze was present so they changed the head gasket, That didnt work so they replaced the water pump. It started blowing water through the head gasket so they took it apart, told me they determined the head was warped and placed the blame on me. I called the service manager on the carpet for than but got nowhere. The 3.1 V6 is notoriously a pig and underpowered as well as having coolant problems. 3rd gear went out in the auto trans. What a jalopy.

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  98 cavilier 4dr - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Joe - June 11 - 12:06 am

  I have recently come to own a cavalier. Now Im no stranger to understanding a good car from a bad one, and this one is certainly on the downer list. I can respectfully say deigned interior well, decent on gas. But lacks in power and suspension is weak. Car wasnt abused too badly but will look to get rid of this horrible lil car as soon as possible. I do not recommend this car to anyone. These cars were designed poorly. For a 4 dr it should have more power so that when you do have passengers it doesnt sound like the engine has to work so hard. Driver and maybe one passenger, thats it.

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  Disappointed - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Nicole - June 8 - 3:22 pm

  I ordered a new 2010 AWD LTZ Equinox. It was beautiful when it arrived. About 2 weeks of driving the engine started reving up to scary RPM. Took it to the dealer and they said it was the TRANSMISSION. It has been 3 weeks now and no one seems to be able to get a transmission to replace mine. Contacted GM and they do not seem to be concerned either. So for now I am disappointed I bought an Equinox and a GM vehicle. So I wait for the dealership to try to replace my transmission and I am going to have to make a payment on something I have not been able to drive. DISAPPOINTED!

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  So angry - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By krissy17 - June 4 - 10:23 pm

  Purchased this car brand new. A year later, the check engine light came on & the car wasnt running right. The dealer told me the coolant system needed to be replaced & kept the car for 10 days waiting for Chevy to manufacturer the parts. Since then, Ive had to replace the coolant system 5 times in 4 years. I just learned that it was never the coolant system - it was the engine. 76K hwy miles & I need a new engine because Chevy failed to correctly identify the problem. I also had the car flood when it rained. I replaced the starter twice as well. Thanks a lot Chevy for making such a wonderful piece of crap!

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  electiric power steering - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By David - May 25 - 7:13 pm

  I just dont understand why the Malibu was built so cheap.I had to replace the I shaft twice and replace both inner tie rod end and bought at least three sets of tires. Why is that I bought the new Malibu because was tired of working on cars all the time, but guest what I still am. There is no reason for this. When my steering was going out I had to shut the car off to reset, unless I was driving down the road. This is a safety issue but the general motors will not recall this darn problem. Both I and my wife been fighting with gm but not response back to us. But I will turn this problem to nhsta. Some one needs to get this problem taken care of.

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  Cam Sensor out at 52,000 miles - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By James - May 23 - 10:58 pm

  I havent had this car a year, it has less than 53k miles and the cam sensor malfunctioned. To replace also requires a tune up, as the failure fouled the plugs. Fix - $706. This is the reason I dont buy American made cars.

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  Never Again - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Never Again - May 19 - 1:47 pm

  Purchased the car used but from a dealer with 43,000 miles on it. It is a 5 speed manual. I have now replaced the transmission 2 times and the thing is acting up again. I am a trained tractor-trailer driver and have had no problems with any of my truck transmissions. There seems to be a poor design and the parts used to build the hydraulic clutch are simply terrible (plastic). The thing has shaken, rattled, and rolled since I first bought it with little things like knobs falling off all the time. Although, I will say the engine has lasted, but I am sure it is going next. It just does not seem like the people at GM cared about craftsmanship or quality. Do not buy one, especially a stick.