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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  A Truly Great Car! - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By elderkin - August 25 - 1:24 pm

  Having owned 2 Toyota Highlanders and a RAV 4 I was in the process on dealing for a 2009 Highlander lease back. I was ready to close the deal but my wife kept asking me to look at the Equinox. A friend of hers had one and my wife was really impressed. Well, I gave in and put the Highlander on hold and went to look at the Equinox. I honestly found it hard to believe that the Equinox was so great. I cancelled the Highlander and bought the Equinox. Every day I find that I am more satisfied with it. I honestly cannot complain about a thing. I am sure there are going to be some out there that are going question my decision but all I can say is that I am really glad I bought the Equinox.

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  99 MALIBU - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By DP - August 25 - 10:26 am

  Overall a very enjoyable ride and fun to drive. Comfortable for long trips. Have needed major engine work due to head gasket failure @ 105,000 miles along with other repairs. CD player has broken twice without extensive use. Passing it along to my child for use at college, so it will stay in the family a bit longer, and replacing it with a new Malibu

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  My Cav - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By wpb - August 24 - 5:53 pm

  Love the pep and handling. Only problem is the slave cylinder for the clutch went out. WhenI took it to Chevrolet for repair, I had to wait a day because they were waiting on parts for another 2004 with the same problem.

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  2005 Venture - 2005 Chevrolet Venture
  By Michelle - August 23 - 7:29 pm

  We were in a rollover accident with our Chevy Venture. The van rolled over 4 times according to witnesses, and my 2 children and I walked away from the accident. You could see the obvious crumple zones, and while I did hit my head on the roof, it did not cave in at all. Instead it bowed out like a cone, like it was supposed to. I was very happy with the crash performance, and while I dont plan to get hit again like that (!), we did go out and buy another new Chevy Venture to replace the totalled one.

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  Underrated - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By dearbornguy - August 23 - 4:37 am

  Ive had this truck for 10 months problem free. The ride is not as good when first bought new , but its still better than most mid size SUVs. Solid SUV , would buy again .

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  LTZ - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By cliffy - August 22 - 6:00 pm

  This truck has 18" wheels and the ride is horrible, my 2003 rode much better and the improvment in ride is where? What happened to the lights on the doors? Nowhere to be found. I have an LTZ and the seats heaters are not designed properly for the seats. The sides of the seats do not heat and the leather is cold because of this. When spending this kind of money $37,000+ I would have expected a much improved truck, just didnt get it. I dont like the dome lamps and cargo lamps on the same switch. Next time I trade Ill be looking at other makes.

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  2002 Trailblazer - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By ALB - August 22 - 1:57 pm

  Purchased 10/2004 - GM certified - vehicle has been to the garage at least 5 times since then - 2 or three times because it seems to lose power when coming to a stop - transmission coolant lines have had to be replaced - over 2 days worth of labor - vehicle in garage for over a week - when going up a hill, I wonder if I am going to have to get out and push - seems to be geared too high - power substantially reduced if air conditioner is on - gas mileage leaves something to be desired - transmission shifts roughly sometimes - however, I really have enjoyed the room and the actual driving - drives really well - quite a bit like a car

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  Black Beauty - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By marty - August 21 - 2:21 pm

  I bought this Blazer mainly because my wife broke her wrist and couldnt shift her Grand Am..(She likes to shift) We both drove the car since weve had it. She likes it, with the exception of the many blind spots this vehicle has. I enjoyed driving it and loved the Acceleration the 4.3 6 cylinder has compared to my 2.2 S-10. The car is a 2 dr with a black exterior. It reminds me of a Lexus wagon...has those same kinda lines. I have had many people say: That sure is a sharp Blazer." Mileage isnt anywhere near the Grand Am 4 cyl or the S-10 4 cyl. This Black Beauty get at most 17 around out suburban area and maybe 23 on the highway. Its a nice SUV.

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  Very satisfied, but room for change - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Scott - August 20 - 11:21 am

  The appearance of the 05 Colorado is one of the best Ive seen. The four door design and the addition of the side curtain airbags were a selling point. I have noticed tight quarters near the gas/brake pedals which concern me the longer I drive it. The exhaust noise doesnt seem to fit the statement the tough exterior makes. With a few changes Im confident that the Colorado will be the leading compact truck on the market.

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  Seats - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By madd - August 19 - 1:14 pm

  The front seat wont go back far enough. No leg room on second row seats. To access third row seats one must crawl between the second row seats (very difficult) The third row seats are too heavy to remove @ 75 lbs each. All 4 brakes had to be turned down at 6500 miles due to warped roters. Air conditioner is week in the front, takes about 10 minutes before cold air comes out.