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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  First Tahoe - Honest thoughts... - 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By jeffmward - March 28 - 4:15 pm

  I was a Ford guy growing up. I owned three total fullsize pickups and SUVs over the past 20 years. All three left me on the side of the road. Then I had three different small-midsize European cars (Volvo, Mercedes, Audi). I liked each of them but I was ready to get back into a taller vehicle and I needed something to tow my Jeep & trailer. I bought the Tahoe new in last August. I am completely satisfied with it. I get a combined hwy/city 19-20 MPG on average. Not too bad for such a large vehicle. I was able to get in on a deal with $6k cash back total incentives. My purchase price less TT&L was $32,500. Sure its an LS but it still has terrific bells and whistles for a base model!

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  2012 Chevy Equinox 1LT AWD V6 w/ All Star Package - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By islandreamer1 - March 21 - 8:10 pm

  This is our first American/Canadian vehicle and SUV. We were narrowing down the comparison to this and the Kia Sorento. After test driving both, it was not hard to decide on the Equinox. The only advantage we saw with the Sorento was the larger size, optional third row and 10 year warranty. At least this time, Chevy has matched Kias mileage warranty at 100,000 miles. The drive on the Equinox was smoother and quieter. Console design on the Equinox is more appealing to the senses. Just went over 1300 miles and have been averaging 20 mpg on mix city and highway driving. OnStar is a nice feature but costly. Actual highway mileage remains to be seen. Got it at about $500 below invoice:-)

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  Eco Absolutely BLOWS ME AWAY! - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By mikedeanvero - March 21 - 2:45 pm

  This Car FEELS perfect! The manual shifts are Camaro type fun for me. Handling, Braking, Acceleration are above what I thought would be received from a compact American maker. I gave up a BMW 328 (Service Nightmare), and dont miss that car AT ALL!

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  Worth the buy - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By worththebuy - March 20 - 12:55 pm

  I purchased this vehicle in July 2011. It was certified preowned with V6 per my request. Drive this 3000 miles a month due to my 10 hr weekly commute out of state for work. Anyway while I agree with others it sucks in city driving, its great for highway. Manage to get 25 mpg at 70 mph. Got this vehile when it was almost 19K miles. Now Im approaching 49K miles. Not had one problem with it. Great runner for me. Purposely wanted a V6 for the ride and ease of driving conditions. Didnt think 4 cyl would handle the PAs valleys on the interstate roads. Thinking trading in for newer Equinox so I can have factory towing package (hd springs & shocks, beefed up tranny cooling lines).

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  1st Review. Under a month - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By egee - March 20 - 6:51 am

  Love. This. Car. We had an 05 and traded up this year (2012) for a 11. We got the baseline model for a really good price and then added a few features at Bestbuy for much cheaper than the dealer could do. I havent had any problems with the gas mileage (getting about 28 combined). The only aspect that Im not a fan of is the top of the dashboard. When the sun is directly overhead or in front of you, the reflection of the dashboard shines back into the windshield. Its can be distracting. Should have test driven during the evening... Ive gotten used to it, but it can be a problem when you first get the car. The trunk is very deep, another plus.

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  Ridiculously Reliable - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By ekkuru - March 15 - 7:13 am

  I bought this car from my dad, with nearly two-hundred thousand miles on it. Granted, he treated that thing well, but its still rolling like new. The only problems its had was a broken fuel gauge and a warped rotor.

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  Great car for the hardcore speedster in you - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By zoilus - March 9 - 11:58 pm

  I have now had my 02 Z28 for 6 yrs. It has 92k miles. The LS1 is great! it can withstand alot of abused. These cars with bolt ons can easily get into the 400hp+ range. but add cam, heads and a real proper tune and you can get 450 to 490rwhp range ..all day long, that translates to 500-550bhp WITHOUT the need for nitros, turbo or supercharger. These cars were underrated so vette owners didnt have a cow. LS1s make around 290-310rwhp which is the same as stock Vettes. For people on this board who say the V6 makes V8 power....aaahhhh no... it doesnt. Please get into the V8 FIRST then tell me if your V6 is like a V8. Theres like a 150hp and 150tq difference!

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  Great Vehicle, Love it! - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By worf1 - March 9 - 8:35 pm

  I bought this vehicle in December last year with 160k kms. Its condition does not reflect that many kilometers at all, any one who gets in the passenger seat asks me if this is a brand new vehicle the black leather interior looks amazing and the level of comfort is outstanding especially in the 2 front powered seats. The I6 4.2 provides more than adequate power, I havent had the chance to test it pulling anything yet, I will eventually to the country where I will find out its towing and off road capabilities. This one was born in the US in 2007 and imported into Canada a while later. I am very pleased with my purchase and I think I will keep it for very long.

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  Volt performance excellent - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By craigrc53 - March 6 - 12:35 pm

  I live in North Dakota and have 4000 miles on my Volt in 2 1/2 months of ownership. I warm my car before leaving home in the AM and at night before leaving the office. It is nice and warm when I get in it for my drive to or from work. Of the 4000 well over 1/2 are highway miles. My overall mileage including warm up and highway miles is about 60 MPG. No other car on the market will perform at that level and certainly not with the solid ride, quiet interior, great sound system and at least to my taste, good looks. I expect my overall gas mileage to climb significantly as warmer weather approaches and I have fewer long trips and, as a result, will have a higher percentage of elecectric mi

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  Cruze Eco Automatic, 2012,CJ - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cjcruze - March 5 - 12:24 pm

  I have had the Cruze for 5 weeks and driven 1500 miles. Very pleased with the car on all fronts--comfort, quietness, handling, economy, and available trunk space. No defects on delivery no problems encountered thus far. So far I have averaged 38.3 mpg in a combination of interstate, urban, and exurban driving.