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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  Just Not Sure - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By sw44057 - February 15 - 2:39 pm

  Bought this car because my Malibu broke down in front of a Chevy dealership and I was too pissed off to repair it again. Asked for a car with no frills (only planned to keep it a year or two) and got a cobalt. Rides well enough and no huge issues but recently things are going downhill. My car would not recognize that it was in park and had to fix it for $400. No I am being told that the control arms are shot and the mechanic said this is an issue on every cobalt he sees with more than 20k miles. I think Im going to trade it in on a F-150 with my tax return

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  Fun at First - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By ImperviousLady - February 15 - 9:24 am

  We rented this car some years back and I fell in love with it then. I bought it used with on 33k miles on it. The car was great at first. I took it for its 1st oil change then the check engine light came on. Then the abs brakes started grinding (and brakes were new) then static was coming through the speakers while a cd was playing, which I read was an early sign of electrical problems. I loved the styling and ride of this truck but way too many problems that chevy needed to work out! Especially for the car being only 3 years old and not even hitting 40k miles yet. Needless to say I traded it in and not for a Chevy, which used to be my favorite car.

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  I think I got a Lemon - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By maureen - February 12 - 1:45 pm

  I was so excited when I bought it. It was used with 9,000 miles on it. I had it for about 10 months and have had nothing but problems since. Ill make a list- line in hatch snapped $400, new battery$120, new starter$300, gas gauge broke$575, throttle body (feels like it going to stall when I stop)$175, I havent gotten all these fixed yet due to money. This is unbelievable. I shouldnt be putting a dime in to this vehicle! Im very disappointed and disgusted! Any recalls? there should be!

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  Sunk Costs - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Henderson Family - February 10 - 3:22 pm

  We bought this car for our twins birth. They are now turning six. We have had an issue with every system of the car. We bought it with Onstar as a major selling feature. We were notified that due to a change in the analog, Onstar was no longer being offered. The electrical system is especially terrible. It is a gas guzzler.

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  low miles engine blow - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By 04aveo - February 9 - 6:26 pm

  No Major problems with this car till now. Just driving along and timing belt broke and blew engine. Quotes from 2800.00 to 3500.00 thats almost half the sticker price which 7750.00. I just paid the thing off not real happy. The more I read about this money pit the more I think I should just get another car

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  another Junk Chevy - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ken - February 7 - 8:49 pm

  I have done nothing but put money into this lemon and I only have 95k on my 97 because it is in the shop as much as on the road Alternator tranny calipers disks master brake cylinder twice anti lock brake sensor seat release on back seat radio died lights on dash most burnt out, power steering pump, and NOW head is crack what junk!!!! I will fix it an NEVER buy a Chevy again....

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  Interior and features - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Ron Adkins - February 7 - 9:42 am

  Lumbar support knob came off in hand. Very poor indeed. Cable cover by mirror also fell off. Styling has a lot to be desired. Sound system very poor. Locking system locks you out if you leave key in ignition, very frustrating.

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  It all started so well... - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By tbonme - February 5 - 9:29 pm

  When I bought the car I loved the gas mileage and the way it moved. Then about a year after owning it things started going down hill. First the serpentine belt lost a huge chunk and had to be replaced. Then the AC/heater started to (and still to this day)only come on when it wanted to. Last week the driver door lock fell into the door, and before that the driver window decided to not go down and finally though it has a new battery and all fuses checked out the clock changes time every time you turn the car off.

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  2005 Chevy Colbalt 2 door - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By 2005 Chevy Colbolt - February 5 - 2:26 pm

  I have owned my chevy for 4 years and have had numerous...repairs..a/c went up leaked all over my floor, front struts replaced twiced, sunroof button replaced to many times to count, door lock on driver side went up had to be replaced, knocking noise coming from rear end(scary) interior is JUNK! Paint on radio and door handles chipped, key wont come out after shifting/pressing brake or restarting car, rotors are terrible....now my steering feels like it is going up....chevy wont do anything to fix even the minor items.

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  Built Not To Last - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By rosalind - February 5 - 1:37 pm

  I have had several problems with my Malibu. The sun visor mirror had to be replaced. The check engine light had to be serviced. The steering shaft has been replaced 3 times. My car jerks and feels like its going to take off at least 3 times per month and the dealer doesnt know why. I am always replacing bulbs. The passenger door would not shut completely and has to be fixed. I have reached 55,000 miles and I feel that this car is not going to last another 55,000 miles.