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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  HEADLIGHT FAILURE AT !!!!!!!!!!!! 50 MPH !!!!!!!!! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By William R. Johnson - July 20 - 12:51 pm

  2002 Advalance headlight problem that no one has ever heard of! Driving down dark road switch lights from low beam to high and lights go completely off. What a surprise so I switched back to low beam and thank goodness they worked. The odd thing is the bright light indicator stays on either in low or high beam position. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP. PLEASE HELP ME IF ANYONE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM.

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  2014 LTZ 1.4l turbo hatchback - 2014 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Garrett - July 13 - 1:27 pm

  This car has been good for me in that it is sporty, roomy, and has the power you would expect. The only issue I have is that it is so full of hard plastic even for the highest trim behind the RS, that it seems like a joke. Everything rattles and it gets to be very annoying. I have had this car for about 2 months and being this new, I am considering getting a different car. Come on Chevy, enough with the [non-permissible content removed] interior of your cars and maybe we will regain your trust as something quality that is American made!

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  So underpowered - 2015 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Julia - July 10 - 2:21 pm

  This car has a nice interior but it is severely underpowered. I have to floor it to accelerate on the highway all the time. I end up getting tailgated all the time because I cant get the car to go as fast as I want in an appropriate amount of time. This car also uses more gas then it advertises. I got much better mileage from my Dodge Charger honestly. Another minor thing but something that bugs the crap out of me is that the gear shift and Chevy logo on the wheel are ridiculously shiny. They constantly catch the light and blind me. Something so small but matters so much when driving. Im not kidding, it is absurdly shiny and Im blinded 25% of the time I drive. Chevy definitely needs to dull that down. Also dont change your oil when recommended because its inaccurate. Change it more frequently

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  good mpg but that is about it - 2013 Chevrolet Spark
  By shinobi75 - June 29 - 12:13 am

  the spark is an ok car if your just looking for something cheap that will get you from point a to b. chevy should of put in a turbocharger because it does not have much power, the a/c doesnt very well on a very hot day, and it has no cd player just a radio and usb. it has had a few recalls and the value of this car has gone down alot, paid around 16k and now its worth about half of that trade in.

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  junk! - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By christina26 - June 26 - 3:23 pm

  So disappointed. I bought mine 3 months ago with 59,000 miles. 63,000 miles later "service stabilitrack system" warning comes on. Thank goodness the Toyota dealer I bought it from is offering to buy it back, cant wait to get rid of it. Wish I had looked at the reviews here before purchasing, sounds like a nightmare to own!

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  Trailblazer 04 - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By sam1984 - June 23 - 11:29 am

  I have wanted to love my 2004 Trailblazer since I bought it in 2006. But from the day I got it I have had nothing but bad luck and problems. Replaced transmission twice. Taillights are constantly going out. AC has been fixed numerous times, will work about month and go out. Sensors are constantly being changed. I have finally saved up enough money to junk this thing. And thats what it is junk!

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  BE CAUTIOUS - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By edictal - June 20 - 10:22 pm

  this is a out standing car for the most part but there are some down sides engineering wise. first of all the interior is fill with cheap plastic that cracks. second it burns through brakes like a race car and the most important in this segment of this car 2006 and up to present. the car has a defect in the engine where it causes oil to seap in to the cylinder and get burned up. well that may not sound bad at first but it begins to use oil in between oil changes. and the only to fix is buy new pistons or a new engine. mine is up to 2 quarts in between oil changes (3000 miles)

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  not sure about this, looking at dumping car - 2015 Chevrolet Impala
  By notsureboutgm - May 20 - 12:45 pm

  be wary of GM, thats all I have to say... Brand new car bought 2 months ago and leaves me stranded in the middle of nowhere. Engine just lost all power and died. lost powersteering and braking ability. I thought GM had fixed these issues with making cars that kill years ago around the recession??? Typical GM. Should have known better!!!!!! Car looks and drives like a dream, when it isnt breaking down like a nightmare. Wouldnt keep after warranty is over. I need better dependability.

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  Loved the Car, but didnt love the repairs - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By zanderman1 - May 11 - 3:31 pm

  I had my 2006 trailblazer for little over 3 years, and as much as i loved the car it was on problem after another one with it, it was all fine till you start hitting the 80,000 mile mark after that everything started going, it was starting to rust really fast, it was breaking down about every other month till finally around 92,000 miles i had it with it and traded it in, very fun to drive, but repair cost through the roof. It was a well cared for car to, so i am shocked i had so much issues

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  A cheap, but reliable daily driver. - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Bob Porter - April 29 - 9:59 am

  I bought this car, an LS Coupe when GM was offering deep discounts to clear inventory in its final production year. In that regards, I got an excellent price on a mediocre vehicle. My son like the sporty looks of the coupe, but its tiny trunk opening and wide doors are significant drawbacks and I would have preferred the 4 door. However, after 5 years of driving, it has been very reliable and gets pretty good fuel economy. As it likely has little trade in value, we will likely keep it for another winter, as equipped with proper winter tires, it gets us through the cold Canadian snowy season. It is very comfortable for 2 hour drives but would not be our choice for a long road trip.