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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  Equinox is underated - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jim Eaton - July 25 - 8:16 am

  I purchased my Equinox after a failed attempt at downsizing from a mini-van. I first tried a Cobalt, then a Malibu, and finaly settled on the Equinox. On our first long trip (1000+ miles) we averaged 26.5mpg. The average had been slightly higher until we drove through the mountains to visit Crater Lake. I should note that we purchased the Equinox after considering a number of mini-vans. The mini-vans were discounted because of their pricing and poor economy.

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  Quiet smooth ride - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By lou is schlosser - July 25 - 3:33 am

  Quiet ride no wind noise, quieter than the Buick Lucerne I tried. The Impala on cruise control set at 70 mph averaged 26.2 mpg. Around town 18 mpg. Better mileage than expected.

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  Awesome truck - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By mattkoerner - July 24 - 10:33 pm

  Ive taken many road trips in my truck. It is a 5 speed manual and has gotten up to 31.25 miles per gallon on the highway. I get 21 miles per gallon in town. The power isnt too bad with the manual transmission either. All in all, I would say its a pretty sweet truck.

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  Great little car - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By donald Nickeson - July 24 - 4:38 pm

  I like all aspects of this car, mileage ,comfort,quality,reliability instrumentation,etc.

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  Best Car I Ever Owned - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Gracejo - July 24 - 2:54 pm

  This is the most reliable car Ive ever owned. Seldom needs more than an oil change, batteries and tires. Its my only car and I am only driver since 1996. I wish they still made them. I will, most likely, purchase a Chevy Impala if the Lumina ever becomes impractical to retain.

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  For me - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By William Stewart - July 24 - 2:33 pm

  The power & driveabity are exellent but there are some problems with the transmission & differential I need to take up with my dealership soon. The transmission will slip & catch somtimes. The differential will make a clunking noise when traction is bad on an upgrade.

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  unsure - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Brenda S IL/TX - July 24 - 11:36 am

  I have enjoyed my vehicle from day one, but, I am unsure about the design of the windshield, (angle), I have had to replace my windshield 3 times and need a 4th due to tiny rocks that have come from other cars on the road. I have owned other vehicle that when a small rock hits the windshield it MIGHT chip it but with the Equinox as I stated before its almost a sure thing that I will have to replace the whole windshield because the chips spreads immediately. Another thing that kind of makes me have doubts is the blindspots it has. I am almost done paying for it and I cant say will buy another.

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  Great transmission and engine - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By stillrunning - July 24 - 8:24 am

  We bought our 1998 Malibu used back in Jan of 1999. Since then, the only major problems have been: ABS light not turning off/Driver side window failed/overheated once/rear brakes/O2 sensor clog which caused the Check Engine light to come on. Weve taking it from DC to Florida and from NC to CA and back, with a trailer. Its been a great car overall. Never had any Transmission problems or severe engine problems of any kind. Im looking forward to reaching 200,000 miles on it soon :) You can get one very cheap nowadays. Treat it good and youll be set for 200K miles too. Id say its been a great buy for my family over the past 10+ years. Cheers to Chevy!

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  Not so great - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Steve - July 23 - 11:50 pm

  I bought this 2005 with only 12,000 miles on it. I have it up to 24000 now. I just brought it into the shop this morning. When braking hard, the steering wheel shimmys uncontrolably. The transmission is worthless. It gives a lag and then shifts hard when you slow down to 15 mph and then accelerate again. Other times it revs up to 6000 rpm before it upshifts from 4th to 5th. When not moving and you try to turn the steering wheel, it feels like there is no power steering. The check oil light seems to stay on too long when you first start out. It has the turning radius of an aircraft carrier. Just pulling into a parking spot is a challenge. Blind spots galore.

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  Upgrade to the 6 speed - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Kula Jon - July 23 - 11:15 pm

  I bought the LS1 version but if I had to do it again (and had more money to spend!) I would buy the 6 speed. The 4 speed is adequate but I think the 6 speed might be peppier. Carefully check your fit and finish. Ive discovered that my passenger door isnt properly aligned and that my folding rear seats dont latch properly. All in all its a pretty smooth riding car and adequate for the usual day to day driving. I wouldnt want to take it on an extended journey though. Maybe the LTX model is more comfy?