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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  My Opinions - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Betsy - April 17 - 9:26 am

  I love my car but there are a few things I would definitely change now that I am an owner: There should be an interior light at the front of the car between the sun visors When the gas is low, it should ding and not just show the gas tank lit up. I have been lucky to be near a gas station when I finally noticed. The steering is a little more difficult to handle when parking than a regular car. Not much storage space in the front of the car

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  Wet Cargo Area - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By looking - April 17 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has been a joy to drive. The ride is very good and handling is superior . The interior roominess is like being in your own livingroom at home . However I have one beef and it is large , In a rain storm or a car wash if you have clothes in suitcases or valuable purchased paper products in the cargo area you may have WET ones . I was told the cargo area wea air tight when closed . I found out different.

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  J.D. Powers Quality Awards Commercial - 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By JMV51 - April 16 - 3:14 pm

  Own 2010 Tahoe LT, great truck! Feel extremely safe in it while driving. But all cars are not perfect and neither is this one. About the third and/or the fourth year of ownership the trim details began to show faulty, specifically the side body moldings and the dashboard. Side body moldings began to separate severely from the body on the front passenger side door as well as on the other doors at certain areas on the trim. On the dash, cracks have developed over the driver instrumentation panel as well as an area over the passenger side airbag area. Service managers have told me that they know of these problems, but Chevy hasnt given any directives to correct them. My extended warranty doesnt cover these "defects" because theyre considered "trim" which isnt covered! The J.D. Powers commercial on quality doesnt mention how far back that study goes other than those presented in the 30-second ad. Ive made temporary repairs on the moldings but cant do anything about the dash. Thats the only stuff thats disappointing about owning my Tahoe, quality is not spent on Trim!

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  Pretty good as minivans go - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By jht - April 16 - 2:00 am

  We replaced an Olds Bravada with this Venture, so the bar was set a little high for features. So far its a very comfortable ride, easy to drive, with one minor problem to date (a left headlight that holds moisture) thats being addressed as I write this. Storage is excellent overall, especially in the vans rear. I miss OnStar, but it wasnt available on this trim level. Mine is the 7-seat version with leather and captains chairs.

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  Needs Some Improvement - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By JLW - April 16 - 12:56 am

  I have owned this vehicle for almost 3 years and 85K miles. Overall, I been pleased so far. I like the ride and the stylish exterior. Things I dont like: I have had the radio/CD player replaced 6 times, sometimes I have problems with it starting (its never actually not started just a little hesitant), silver interior on doors and around radio chipping off, awkward placement of cupholders, gas mileage not what I was expecting, small gas tank, and placement of window controls. Ive decided to keep and see how long it will lasts since its almost paid for. Overall, a good car for the money, but could definitely use some improvement.

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  Should have bougt a Ford - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Back to Ford - April 15 - 10:00 am

  Owned it for a year and a half know and it has been in the shop 7 times. Latest left me stranded on the Interstate when the fuel pump went out. To date a/c has gone out twice (computer), rear brakes broke in the locked position(dealer said they were installed from the factory incorrectly), transmission has been reprogrammed twice for clunking (build quality), steering shaft has been replaced for knocking (build quality), and the latest fuel pump fiasco. (who knows why the fuel pump quit at 25K.

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  Owner - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By scheller - April 15 - 2:00 am

  Great (small) turning radius. Good power. We leased the car for 4 years which is coming to expiration next month. Now we wished we had purchased it in the first place. This is only the second vehicle which Ive owned in the past 35 years which I truly enjoy. We never plan on selling it. The other vehicle was a 1974 Camaro. Terrific hauling capacity.

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  Owner - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By scheller - April 15 - 2:00 am

  Great (small) turning radius. Good power. We leased the car for 4 years which is coming to expiration next month. Now we wished we had purchased it in the first place. This is only the second vehicle which Ive owned in the past 35 years which I truly enjoy. We never plan on selling it. The other vehicle was a 1974 Camaro. Terrific hauling capacity.

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  2007 Corvette Z06 Road and Track car - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Rick Herndon - April 14 - 12:21 pm

  Bought the car new off showroom for sticker. Read the reviews in various magazines and not disappointed. Improved the car for open road racing. Ive have speed tested (9 y/o car) to 191mph and still had more left, but running at 5600ft altitude. The LS7 engine isnt hard to get extra horsepower with a modest investment. Car has been solid and really not may repairs, and thats with 57,000 miles and still manages to get 25mpg on the road. There is nothing in that price range for the performance you get. This is my 3rd Vette. Just recently ran my 5th open road race (Silver State) much of it over 160mph without any problems. Thats performance engineering. Recently had to replace fuel sensor. Apparently happens frequently at 62000miles. Some squeaks and rattles developed by not to bad. Just campaigned the car in the Silver State Classic in the 155mph class without any problems. The air conditioning compressor will need replacement so took off belt. Drove the car back home some 2200 miles with a combined mpg of 30+, now thats economy!

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  I still love my suburban - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Bob B - April 14 - 2:00 am

  This is my 3rd suburban. The 6 ltr engine is great. No problem hauling my 30 travel trailer. The styling is nice, although there is way too much plastic for a $40-50K vehicle. Several pieces have broken, while my 93 Suburban has yet to have any broken interior components. It is also interesting that I started to see rust spots on the finish after owning it only 6 months. Road noise is a little high, but this is a 3/4 ton truck. It has a tight turning radius, but hard to move if the wheels are cranked. The ride is decent. I still love suburbans, but hope GM will take another look at interior quality.