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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  Leaky - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By madmae200 - September 14 - 6:18 pm

  The car drives great and is pretty reliable. It rains in puddles on the back floor board and back where tire is stored. Nothing else in the car gets wet. I vacuumed a 1/2 gallon of water. The dealership has no idea where the water is coming from. Seats, headliners and inside interior are all dry.

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  Good Truck - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By black s10 - September 14 - 11:50 am

  I bought my s10 with 94k. after i bought it the alternator went out. i replaced front pads, rotors, and wheel bearings at 100k. new tires and front ball joints followed at 130k. ive replaced the fuel pump twice. the truck now has 160k with no signs of stopping. its a dependable truck. parts can be pricey but with proper care, the truck will last as long as you want it to. gas mileage is great, its under powered with the 4cyl, but id prefer the gas mileage over the acceleration. if planning on lowering it like i did, be prepared for suspension components to fail.

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  luv it or leave it - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By karen golob - September 13 - 11:19 pm

  I am not very happy with gm I bought my car used with factory warranty to 1000,00 mi. The car has 53,000mi My transmission has been slipping I took it to dealer they didnt fix it they gave it a new gasket supposedly. tear down transmission, replaced side cover gasket. Im not happy with gm Im going to need to keep complaining for them to fix it properly. Im worried transmission is already on its way out it sickens i bought car 2007 used 32,000 mi I luv style of car and the way it rides but Im afraid of keeping it to long I think I have lemon signed depressed

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  2001 Chevrolet S-10 - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By Chuck - September 13 - 7:53 pm

  When I purchased this vehicle used in 2004 it had 38,000 miles. It has always started and has been one of the most reliable vehicles that I have owned. The 4.3 engine has excellent power and I have towed a 16 boat through the hills of Maryland and Pennsylvania with no problems whatsoever. The vehicle gets about 20 to 21 miles per gallon, and other than tires and brakes, the only thing that I replaced was a power steering pump.

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  04 Monte Carlo is a pleasant surprise - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By blucas2 - September 13 - 6:49 pm

  I bought this car as a "work" car due to driving so much for my job. I liked the styling and the price, so i bought her. She had 70,000 on her when i brought her home. I have had no problems with this car. Routine maintenance and a set of tires. She now has 126,000 miles and I am noticing a squeeking noise coming from my front left tire. Its probably a wheel bearing, not surprising at all. Not a big deal. This car has tons of power and gets about 27 MPG average. I cant ask for more from a car that is 8 years old and has 126,000 miles. Chevy really screwed up when they stopped making this gem. Get rid of the freaking Impala and start making the Monte again.

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  Real Sleeper - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Clark - September 13 - 2:46 pm

  Excellent fit, finish, and materials. Performance and economy are nicely balanced; 3500 miles and already exceeding 30 mpg averages in highway driving. Variable valve timing gives power and economy. Handling is not on par with my 83 VW GTI, but it wasnt stock, either. Interior comfortably accomodates my teenage daughters and all their accoutrements. Bucket seats are significantly improved from previous years versions. Fold down rear set is a convenient touch--and the seating doesnt suffer in comfort.

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  GONE! - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By happyitsgone - September 13 - 1:53 pm

  The car had a nice feel like a older full sized car. The quality was horrible i have never had a car that required more repairs and was on a downhill slide then that car. Fuel regulator, wheel studs, water pump, transmission, etc... The resale value was horrible, just recently got rid of it and purchased a nissan.

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  Great to drive, stinks to fix - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By KC - September 13 - 11:59 am

  We bought this used in 2006. It had 24000 miles on it, ran great, and just enough room for our family of 3 at the time. Over all, the SUV worked great for the first year. Then small things started to happen more and more. First we had to replace our brand new breaks/rotors only after a year 1/2. Second the trunk hatch went out and had to replace that, third our back windshield wiper broke. ($1200 to fix this alone) We also, only after a year of replacing the first set, have to replace our rotors yet again. Something is wrong with the front end, never in a crash, so we are just trading this in this weekend. Last children in car seats dont have leg room from the front/back seat.

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  Reliable SUV - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Slip42 - September 13 - 11:33 am

  I bought my 2006 trailblazer used in 2006. I have 78,000 miles on it. I have never had it in the shop for any reason. I do regular maintenance and have had no issues. This is my first Chevy SUV and I would buy another one for sure.

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  Traverse, sorry we bought it - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Linda Silvey - September 13 - 11:17 am

  We bought our traverse in June2009. The headrests are very uncomfortable and force a short person to keep their head bowed if they dont put a pillow behind their back. My husband has nearly wrecked it three times when trying to make a left hand turn due to the poor visibility when looking to the right to see if another vehicle is coming. It is hard to park because you cannot see the front end and its very hard to back up due to the small window and the many blind spots along the sides (we have the economy model). The gas mileage is awful. We took a long trip and the highway mpg never got above 18 mpg. My biggest concern is safety. It is an accident waiting to happen.