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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  Its gone after 8 months - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Doug - August 4 - 6:10 am

  This van has been nothing but problems since the day we bought it. We have kept it 8 short months and are trading it in today. The sensors continue to fail, the air leak in the front window, poor braking system, lack of interior style and comfort. I am a Chevy/GM guy but its time to switch to a Town and Country. GM was smart by dropping this van. Trading it in while its still under warranty so whoever gets it can get all the problems fixed under the bumper to bumper warranty.

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  You cant polish a turd - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By eje - August 3 - 9:13 pm

  Purchased the car new with many LS options, including the V6. In shop no less than 20 times in 3 years. Chevy dealership in Topeka, Ks gave poor service. Got rid of it when warranty was over and bought Hyundai XG 300 - now THAT has been a good car; plus excellent service dept.

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  No more please - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Miked - July 31 - 8:13 pm

  Ive owned this car for three, years, will not buy another American owned mfg. Again. Car has clunked since day one like my envoy I traded in, replaced just about everything so far, and now the directional bulbs blow out weekly. The car is joke, buy a 12 pack because you will need them, and now the shifter for the lower gears dont work. Just what you need in tough economic times, more repair bills.

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  Not all its cracked up to be - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Yvonne M. Spencer - July 22 - 11:10 pm

  From day one, I have had nothing but problems. Needed new struts and mounts almost immediately, then it was blown fuses in the front cigarette lighter which in turn caused the small car light with a wrench in it to come on in the dash display (was told this was a short r/t the cigatette lighters blown fuse), and then the pump in the windshield washer compartment is shot and I need a new one. When I back up and turn the wheel hard to the right the car makes this awful groan noise, but they say nothing is wrong. This is all within the first few months of owning the vehicle. Cannot wait to dump this junk.

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  Disappointed with Traverse interior - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By unhappy owner - July 22 - 9:51 pm

  We just purchased the Traverse last week. I am very disappointed in the ride and the design of the seats. I feel every bump in the road. The headrest on the seats points forward such that I hit my head on it with every bump. There is no way to adjust it or the seat to stop this from happening. The compartment on the dash board is worthless - too small to store much of anything and right in the sun to get hot. The back up camera is a necessity because you cant see much with the rear view mirror.

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  Never, Never Again - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Jen - July 19 - 12:59 am

  In 2005, I was expecting twins we already had a 5yr old so we need more room and we like the way the uplander looked..more like and suv than minivan. bought new because I didnt have time to have a vehicle in the shop. This must have been a lemon..just a few month after purchasing I had repeated problems with doors (huge inconvenience with twins)and they continue to be a huge problem. also had charging system worked on, still not right and numerous other problems during the first 6 mths of ownership...at that time we tried to get the dealership to replace this junk with something of equal value but they did nothing and GM didnt care when I emailed them and called them...they had their money

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  No wonder GM is hurting. - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By E.Crumb - July 17 - 6:16 pm

  I had owned this truck now for 15 months, bought it used with 73000 miles and very disappointed, just about every little thing that could go wrong with this vehicle has gone wrong. Right down to the cheap plastic features that have cracked on the interior, to the faded plastics on the exterior. The rear light housing on both sides have leaked and are in need of replacement will not pass inspection. In the 15 months my service engine light has come on at least 20 times. On an average it has cost $300 to fix. The gas pedal malfunctioned, thermostat, O2 sensors, TPS went twice, stuck two times in NYC with reduced power. Please be advised to look elsewhere if this is the type of SUV you need.

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  Poor vehicle - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By drewpey - July 15 - 2:39 pm

  I rented one with 40k miles, and drove it 3 days before returning it to the rental store. Highway driving is horrible, the cabin is so loud that there is no chance of anyone in the second row of seats hearing the driver unless you are under 30mph or yelling. At 60+ mph even the passenger needs to speak very loudly so the driver can hear. You can hear and feel every bump in the road, its quite sad. We had trouble with both sliding doors. Eventually one of the sliding doors did not shut properly, and when we reopened it, it fell off the track. The dealership seemed unsurprised and just asked us to return it for another. Very cheaply made vehicle!

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  okay car - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By americanrevolution - July 10 - 6:44 pm

  The build quality isnt something stellar. The interior plastic is like the type used for trashcans, and theres gaps between the seems, and does not line up. If you bend down and look under where the pedals are, the wires are all sticking out and such. Not having the recirculation option is truly a smack in the buyers face. Dont get me started how awful it was driving in traffic during our fire season at California. The parking brake is also shoddy, doesnt work unless you forcefully push it all the way down. Heavy doors with weak door springs, not nice, almost had my hand cut off once b/c of it. Fuel pump went out at 36k, leaky suspension, what happened Chevy? You have lost me as a buyer

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  never again !!! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By sucker - July 8 - 2:18 am

  After my purchase I drove the Traverse on a 2,000 mile trip to Washington state via the Calif. coast highway. The Traverse averaged almost 19 M.P.G. highway and almost 13 M.P.G. around town ! This mileage has remained the same after almost 5000 miles on the vehicle and my Chevrolet dealer says that all is fine and all is NORMAL ! The mileage is T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E and what is worse,I cant do anything about it. I continue to pay for a fuel efficient vehicle and ,in reality, cant afford to drive this GAS GUZZLER. Chevrolet is somewhat less than honest with their mileage estimates ! I wish Chevy had this vehicle back and I had a REAL car ! Chevys ads should be illegal !