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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  Worst Car I Ever Had!! - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By browndawg - March 12 - 2:40 pm

  This car looks great and is fun to drive but dont let that fool you. This car has been nothing but trouble since day one. The engine started to idle rough. The dealer told me "that is what a performance vehicle feels like". Sorry to say ...I dont think so! Would you be happy with a corvette idling rough? Well this is the same engine!! Then it started to fall apart. Door trims, molding, undercarriage rust (never seen snow, I live in L.A.) Then the transmission went immediately followed by the ignition switch and now again the transmission less than 3 weeks later. GM/Chevy has not been stand up either. I am GM family! Not willing to help or offer to buy back. Dont buy this or any Chevrolet!

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  1.5 year review - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Matthew505 - March 11 - 2:46 pm

  I have had this car since 4/08. A few comments: The bad- she hates the snow here in Chicago. Handles well driving, but be prepared to shovel or use traction pads when parallel parking with over 5 inches on the ground. The smaller tires, very low power+ low to the ground= tough parking. Other issues: small tires treads will pick up every stone in the road. You will hear them when the windows are down- annoying. Good: only maintenance done outside of oil was a brake job around 14K miles. Rotors rusted. Only drive about 15 miles a day, but lots of stop and go. Overall, not a bad car. Wanted cheap car, got one that works. Bought an aftermarket radio and speakers, so all is well with the commute.

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  2008 Nightmare Malibu - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Melody - March 10 - 11:43 am

  Purchased in May 2008, first shop visit was in May 2008. At 26K miles, the TRANSMISSION has been repaired! I have had numerous problems with this car, I have a LONG history report that I would post up if I knew how. Steering column, clunking noises, transmission, back bumper popping out, side panel popping out, squeaky brakes, etc! & today at 36,042 miles, the check engine light is on so the car is in the shop yet again! I just picked it up on Saturday at 29,800+ miles & last night at 36K "Bing" on comes the check engine light. Ive had it with this car, too many problems! I was in love with it at first, but now it has become a nightmare! I am a very unhappy & unsatisfied customer!

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  Ok but not great. - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jen - March 10 - 7:43 am

  I bought it brand new and did my homework. The car looks nice, but it does have some issues. The gas mileage is awful and you have to fill up at least once a week. Now they have the new hybrid out with better mileage which is what I wish my car was getting. The car does not retain its value at all. I am trying to trade it in and can not seem to get a decent price for it. I have had to replace the brakes two times in 4 years which seems a little ridiculous. The car does have a lot of room, but I found that I never really used it. I got it for the snow as I live in New England, but the light body style of the exterior makes me slide everywhere. Wouldnt probably purchase again.

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  Expensive to keep - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Rich Oas - March 7 - 8:03 pm

  Bought at 18K. Took to dealer for electrical probs at 35K. They say nothing wrong...haha. Shortly Replaced... Htr fan switch, exhaust manifold (hole),ABS module,4wd transfer case,ball joints, wheel bearings,tie rods. Currently the htr fan switch is going bad and the gas gauge and speedometer dont work. I rarely get 16 mpg hiway, Air seals poor. The tailgate lock works intermittently, the lights dim on the road and went out on me once at nite. I have put over 5K over and above normal maint into this in 3.5 yr .Nothing covered under warranty. Other than that a real sweet ride. Was a GM customer for life ..never to buy another GM. The small and mid level SUVs and trucks are pure junk.

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  Looks are decieving. - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kavalyou - March 6 - 9:20 pm

  Great looking car outside fit very good. Inside seats cannot compare with Euro/Japan cars. Breaks- evry few months. A thumping noise from day one dealer said its normal. Love the sliding rear seat. New development @ 42,000 miles blows out the driver side tailight every two weeks. Electrical components work when they want to and come back online when they want. Now the car doesnt start That famous click and dead....

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  The worse mistake - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Karen - March 6 - 7:59 pm

  We bought this van cause our family was growing, I was showed a different van than the one I had. No A/C in the back, a delay on the starter, the brakes issue, the noise in the back, the steering wheel noise, the glove box lock broke, the doors make noises too, the abs light always on. What a nightmare and now is worse cause is worth nothing and we still owe on it....is a crappy car.

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  Passenger side Power window - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Wykke - March 5 - 7:35 pm

  After purchasing my 2009 traverse, I noticed the passenger side Power window going up slower than the other windows, also making a groaning sound as if it might not make it all the way closed. I took it to dealer and they said it was the power regulator and that they would order one. When it came in, I had the regulator rplaced. This did not help the problem. I went back and this time they said that the window was out of alignment and they aligned and lubed it. This still did not help they problem so I took it back again. this time, they said that it was normal for the window to operate slower and make a moaning noise. I still have the problem and will let my lawyer solve the problem.

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  Junk - Chevy should recall - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jim - March 5 - 5:36 pm

  Wow. Reading thru the unhappy reviews is like reading thru our own list of needed repairs that we cant afford. Gas gauge, check engine light, cv- joint, and on, and on, and on. The list keeps growing. We get one thing fixed and something else goes wrong. My husband travels extensively for work and needs a reliable car. This sure isnt it but we cant afford to trade right now.

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  Unreliable - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Patrick - March 3 - 8:41 pm

  I have approximately 2,200 miles on this vehicle and it is in the shop for the 4th time. Engine light comes on and car does not run properly. The dealers service department cant figure it out, but stated that GM has had this problem on a number of cars. I have had similar problems with my Tahoe.